National Creativity

This chapter highlights the significance of a poem or a work of art. It argues that the value of a creative work, very often, can be appreciated only by referencing the works of others, shedding light on a particular narrative, being part of a certain national history or an artistic approach. The chapter also studies contemporary Hebrew literature, its contributions and inspiration. Nationalism, or small context creativity, gave their work meaning and in so doing created a wide space for personal expressions. In this sense, as in many others, the national creative sphere is far more open and all-encompassing than the global one. The chapter also explains how forgetfulness played an important role in the life of nations. It reviews how deliberate forgetfulness and misrepresentation of historical facts constituted an important, and perhaps indispensable, feature of nation building, allowing different groups to develop a sense of brotherhood. Ultimately, the chapter elaborates “history” as one example of the national sciences.