30 November, 2005 | Leave a Comment
According to today’s Guardian, a new study released in Britain has found that “artists are more likely to share key behavioural traits with schizophrenics, and that they have on average twice as many sexual partners as the rest of the population.”
In the study, the artists surveyed were visual artists and poets. Apparently, artists and schizophrenics have a “greater tendency to feel in between reality and a dream state, or to feel overwhelmed by one’s own thoughts,” says the Guardian story.
Dr. Daniel Nettle of Newcastle University, one of the scientists who carried out the study, told the Guardian that “the results suggest that the creativity of some artists is fuelled by the unique world view mental illness can provide, but without the completely debilitating aspects of the condition. Instead, the artists are able to direct their creativity into artistic projects.”
In an entry on the Culture Vulture blog, Andrew Dickson, arts editor of the Guardian, probes the sexual aspect of the study. He quotes Dr. Nettle as saying that, “Creative people are often considered to be very attractive and get lots of attention as a result…They tend to be charismatic and produce art and poetry that grabs people’s interest…It could also be that very creative types lead a bohemian lifestyle and tend to act on more sexual impulses and opportunities, often purely for experience’s sake, than the average person would…Partners, even long-term ones, are less likely to expect loyalty and fidelity from them.”
Dickson contends that it’s primarily male artists who jump from bed to bed, but as someone who has spent a great deal of time around poets and writers of both genders, I disagree.
So what’s the moral of this story? If you’re lookin’ for monogamous love, marry a scientist.
Anglofille said @ 6:32 pm | literary |
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Anonymous Says:
November 30th, 2005 at 10:42 pmNice find
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Anonymous Says:
December 1st, 2005 at 7:15 pmAll I have to say is that this manic depressive personal essayist isn’t getting any sex at all and is quite resentful about it! Perhaps I should write a poem and buy some oils?
