Raw, Refined, Contrived
A Lesson in Creativity

There are three basic types of results from the activity of the creative mind: the raw, the refined and the contrived.

"Raw" is not necessarily normative, and describes the results of creativity in its most basic form, prior to any true product or end result. The raw result of a musician's creative process is in most cases the melody before the rhythm, or the peom before it becomes lyrics or the written ideas before they are set down for aactual instruments. Raw material is that upon which the final product is built. Whenever "Raw" is actually used to describe the final product, it is usually in the normative sense, meaning "unfinished" and "incomplete" or even "unsatisfactory". The raw creation should not be the goal of the creative mind.

"Refined" is not always (though often) normative, and describes the product of creativity: the end result of the combining and processing of raw materials. Crude oil is a raw material for the refined gasoline which is sold as the end product at gas stations. A rough sketch is the raw creation out of which the detailed landscape painting becomes the product. In the normative sense, "Refined" can at best mean "the greatest end result", "the final product" and at worst "fully realized". Refined creations are the only rational goal of the creative mind.

"Contrived" is the usually normative description of that which was incompletely refined or re-refined from poor creativity. Those who strive to recreate what was created before them (without necessarily understanding the purpose for which the original product was destined) are guilty of contriving their creations. A modern parlor room decorated in tribal chic is contrived where a tribal hut in its intended and functional state is not. A scientist who lazily tries to merely reproduce the innumerably-reproduced is contrived in his objective. Original thinkers and honest productive men are never contrived in the outcomes of their creativity. Most of the flushable crap floating around our world today is, however.