How does academia view creativity?

In his podcast, Lex Fridman discusses how academia traditionally viewed creativity with Walter Isaacson. Historically, academia often disdained narrative storytelling and personal histories. Isaacson mentions that creating a chronological narrative, which shows personal and creative growth, was previously considered beneath the dignity of academic work. He gave the example of Doris Kearns Goodwin, who was denied tenure for writing a biography of Lyndon Johnson, as it was seen as inappropriate scholarly work 1.

Furthermore, Edward Frenkel, in another episode, emphasizes the challenge in balancing education with preserving the creativity and innocence of a child. He notes that while the education system aims to mature and refine individuals' knowledge, it also risks suppressing the inherent creativity seen in children who haven't yet accumulated extensive knowledge. He suggests that true creativity and inspiration don't solely come from accumulated knowledge, implying that academia might need to reconsider how it nurtures creativity 2.