[Jonty30]

We assume, for ourselves, that we are capable of original thought. But the most creative things we have done have always been variations of existing work.

Lord of the Rings is a re-working of the Catholic faith into secular symbolism, mixed in with Norse myths and political commentary on socialism.

Very well done, inspired even. But it was not original in the sense that Tolkien made it out of nothing.

[RoosterRedux]

We assume, for ourselves, that we are capable of original thought. But the most creative things we have done have always been variations of existing work.

Absolutely true!

Humans seem incapable of creating anything that is not the result of jumbling together previously known things.

[null and void]

But the most creative things we have done have always been variations of existing work.

Most. My soon to be issued patent owes a lot to prior art (a sliver of the prior art dates back 5,000 years!) but the core parts are novel, non-obvious, and useful.

More about that as soon as it issues...

[A Navy Vet]

"We assume, for ourselves, that we are capable of original thought. But the most creative things we have done have always been variations of existing work."

Does that include the guy who got so tired of having to get out of his recliner to turn down commercial volume or change the channel? He thought if only he had something in hand to make those TV choices while still in his Barka. Went to his electronic engineer boss next day and WALLA the hand held Remote Control was born.

Unless I'm missing some past variation, wouldn't the above consist of original thought? My motto: Who Am I, If Not My Remote.