Luna

Who Cares If One More Light Goes Out In The Sky Of A Million Stars? Who cares if one more light goes out? In a sky of a million stars It ickers, ickers Who cares when someone’s time runs out? If a moment is all we are We’re quicker, quicker Who cares if one more light goes out? Well I do -Chester Bennington (One More Light) That’s how one of the most beautiful artists of the world bid us adieu before silently falling into darkness after illuminating the world. It brutally pierced my heart when Chester breathed his last. He may not have been the centre of the universe but he was de nitely the guiding light to hundreds squandering around in the dark. He pulled people out of grief at the cost of giving himself in. He tried to lift the weight of agony from everyone’s shoulder and eventually drowned under the weight of all that he was carrying. Alone. I’m holding on Why is everything so heavy? Holding on So much more than I can carry I keep dragging around what’s bringing me down If I just let go, I’d be set free Holding on Why is everything so heavy? -Chester Bennington (Heavy) Art can save the world, but who’ll save the artist? This isn’t just about Chester. This is about all the artists who struggle to recognise themselves in a world where they’re de ned more by what they do rather than who they are. In a world where hearts are full of hate, judgement and envy, there’s no place for the love and light they seek. From Vincent Van Gogh, Sylvia Path, to Chester and Avicii, there’s something about creative geniuses that derails them from enjoying a healthy life. Studies have con rmed that artists are four times more likely to succumb to their own demons. The personal accounts of many creative writers and visual artists testify to their struggle with psychological problems. These ndings suggest that the line between creativity and madness is a ne one, and probably permeable. Here’s what scienti c studies have to say — The rst-ever study of suicide by profession from the ONS, which covered England in the years from 2011 to 2015, showed that people who work in arts-related jobs are up to four times more likely to commit suicide. (1) There seems to be an increased rate of suicide in eminent creative people. Many of the cognitive processes that characterize creative writing also characterize certain mood disorders. The conceptual style of writers and manic-depressives has been found to be similar. (2) There is evidence of a link between creativity and madness, especially within the subpopulation of writers, poets, and visual artists. There is a higher incidence of creatively gifted people among certain mental disorders than in the general population (3). Findings from clinical studies have found similarities in the thought processes of manic, psychotic, and highly creative people (4). WHY? Since the time of the Greek philosophers, those who wrote about the creative process emphasized that creativity involves a regression to more primitive mental processes, that to be creative requires a willingness to cross and recross the lines between rational and irrational thought. Marcel Proust said, "Everything great in the world is created by neurotics. They have composed our masterpieces, but we don’t consider what they have cost their creators in sleepless nights, and worst of all, fear of death." Most of them WANT to be miserable! Because chaos leads to creativity! The common ground between creativity and mental illness appears to be intrapsychic con ict. Most creative people produce less during calm times in their lives (5). Artists themselves argue that they strive to keep contact with their primitive selves because it is from their core self that they draw the energy and inspiration needed to do their best work. But does chaos really facilitate creativity or is it the other way around? Here’s some food for thought — ● Are the mentally disturbed more drawn towards creative elds than their emotionally stable counterparts? OR ● Do mental disorders lead to creativity? OR ● Is there something about the creative process itself that over time, contributes to the disintegration of our mental states? The creative process is a mystery. We can know about pieces of it, but we are unlikely to unravel all of it. Many questions remain unanswered. Hey, I have a mental disorder, am I a genius artist? No. Although according to numerous studies, links between madness and creativity have been established, there is no study that makes madness a prerequisite for creativity. Every mood disturbance is not a proof of high intelligence or artistic abilities. If you are su ering, do not engage in risky behaviour to be ‘creative’. Get professional help. YOU CAN BE CREATIVE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND. So when they ask — “Who Cares If One More Light Goes Out In The Sky Of A Million Stars?” I do. Because — The sky grows darker with every lost star To all those who left this world a little brighter than they found, I know we can’t bring you back, but we can stop others from leaving abruptly. I assure you with all my heart — I will cu my hands around every ame that ickers and make sure it keeps illuminating everything around. Even if it burns a little bit of me, I won’t let the light go out. — Luna Sources: 1. Telegraph 2. TalentDevelop 3. Andreasen 1988; Jamison, 1989; 1993; Richards, 1989 4. Prentky, 1980; Rothenberg, 1990; Rothenberg & Burkhardt, 1984 5. Berman, 1995