OUR BIPOLAR IMAGINATION
This previous weekend many
of us took a moment to consider what we have to be thankful for. One of the
things I’m thankful for is imagination.
We think imagination sets
us apart from other living beings on earth, though we can make no speculation
about what may exist apart from the earth. Our discoveries in space may one day
reveal an imagination we can’t now envision.
Much of our work as writers
is dependent on this human quality. By that, I mean work not based on rote. Not
just authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, or George Orwell, but
writers who imbue everyday life with insights that reveal the human spirit.
Imagination is a double-sided
wonder. The worlds we create in art, movies, and literature span the extremes
from wonderful to terrible. We have created utopia and perdition.
It’s been said that as long
as we can imagine a thing, we can create it. Or otherwise stated — we’re only
constrained by our imaginations. We’ve seen elements of science fiction come
true. As an example, the writings of Ray Bradbury foresaw earbuds and headsets,
flat-screen television, electronic surveillance, ATMs, and artificial
intelligence.
On the other hand, on our
bookshelves and in movie theaters is an abundance of dystopian stories. We’re
imagining the end of humanity and the destruction of the earth. However,
in these dire scenarios, we humans always manage to save ourselves.
Without imagination, what
would we be? A tree, maybe, though some of us are reluctant to suggest a tree
has no imagination.
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