The Cost of Conformity: Why We Need More Creators, Not Just Managers

Are We Losing Our Creative Thinkers?

Welcome to the New world order - Soon, we might have a hundred campaign managers but no campaign creators, a thousand data analysts but not a single true creative thinker. We risk creating a world without visionaries—no Marc Chagall, no Van Gogh, no M. Night Shyamalan, and no Woody Allen. These are the people who interpret life’s subtleties, push boundaries, and evoke emotions through art and storytelling.

As Steve Jobs once said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Without those who dare to color outside the lines, our industries—once thriving with originality—become sterile and predictable. We’re left with strategists without vision, technicians without passion, and systems without soul. Creativity, the spark that drives the world forward, risks being extinguished, replaced by a society that values only what can be quantified and calculated.

The Heartbreak of Choosing the Conventional Path

Recently, in one of my marketing WhatsApp groups, I saw a message that truly broke my heart. A member shared, "I'm a writer, but I'm better at analytical and strategic pursuits. A career in what I’m naturally good at didn’t appeal to me at all."

It’s disheartening to see people abandon inspiring paths in favor of predictable, conventional careers, leaving behind their unique potential to fit into predefined, stereotypical roles. The professional world too often values certain skills over others, funneling individuals into “safe” roles that dampen their natural creativity.

The Importance of Valuing Differences

This idea is beautifully illustrated in an often-quoted fable titled "The Animal School," written by educator Dr. R. H. Reeves:

Once upon a time, animals decided they needed to do something heroic to address the challenges of a “New World.” They organized a school and developed an activity-based curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. To simplify administration, every animal was required to take all subjects.

Each animal faced unique challenges:

• The Duck excelled in swimming—even surpassing his instructor—and earned high marks in flying. However, he struggled with running. To improve, he had to stay after school and drop swimming to practice running. Over time, his webbed feet became worn, reducing his swimming ability to average, yet no one but the duck seemed concerned.
• The Rabbit initially topped the running class but suffered a nervous breakdown from the demands of makeup swimming sessions.
• The Squirrel was excellent at climbing but grew frustrated in flying class, where he was required to start from the ground up instead of his preferred treetop. Over-exertion left him with strained muscles, ultimately earning him a C in climbing and a D in running.
• The Eagle was considered a “problem child” because he insisted on reaching the top of the tree his own way in climbing class. Though he was disciplined, his unique abilities were dismissed.

By the end of the year, an abnormal eel who could swim exceptionally well—and managed to run, climb, and fly a bit—achieved the highest average and was named valedictorian.

Meanwhile, the prairie dogs boycotted the school, protesting the curriculum’s tax levy since it excluded digging and burrowing. Instead, they apprenticed their children to the badger and later joined groundhogs and gophers to start a private school that focused on their natural talents.

Embracing Individual Strengths for a Brighter Future

This fable highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing individual strengths rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all standard. If we don’t nurture the inspired, original thinkers among us, we risk a future devoid of the art, ideas, and stories that connect, inspire, and transform us.

Now, more than ever, we need those who are unafraid to be different, who pursue careers not just driven by metrics but by meaning. It’s these “crazy” individuals, the ones who dare to challenge the conventional and think they can change the world, who are the ones who truly will.