Re: Depression and Creativity

pico wrote:
>> The artist starving in a garret is certainly still a popular stereotype
>> and, as such, has to be taken seriously.
> 
> A lot of people believe in alien invaders. Does that mean we have to
take 
> them seriously?
> 
No. Stereotypes are different from mass delusions.

However, the mass delusion of Incubi and Succubi, being identical to 
that of the mass delusion of alien invaders, is im****tant for different 
reasons - it is something that people wish to believe in. See 
'Extraordinary Popular Delusions, and the madness of crowds' to 
understand the difference.

Stereotypes are popular generalisations and, as such, are always wrong 
about certain individuals - but at the same time, always right in some 
way about the general case. Think of the stereotype of undertakers being 
lugubriously - how many have you encountered who are not?