After reading this article about Neutral Milk Hotel's lead singer it caused me to spend some time thinking about creativity and crazy people.

[Note: you should read the article; then what I'm gonna say will make more sense.]

I'm always so inspired and fascinated by people like Jeff Mangum. He is one of those people with this amazing level of creativity that literally consumes everything about his life. He creates amazing music but it can't be argued that he is at least a little bit crazy. So what is it about the eccentric that makes them so gifted. Maybe they are literally so free from the norms of society they are able to break through to something most people can't. I also think what the article was saying about the fans being selfish is very interesting. When Jeff creates music it takes so much from him that he is severely emotional affect by it. So much so that he can't see himself creating another album because of what it does to him mentally. But that emotional output is what makes his music so good. It's a sick cycle.

As much as I realize I would never want this, I can't help but think that I would like to know what it is to be that creatively free. To make something that emotionally affecting. Even if it did make me a little crazy.