Imagination
What comes first – imagination or dreaming? They’re not quite the same thing, are they? It seems when you imagine something there’s a visualization process that creates detail and a way forward, an intent that’s absent with dreaming. A dream is more the formulation, the beginning of an idea; an epiphany.
According to the dictionary, Imagination is the ability to create or formulate ideas absent outside stimulation of the senses. Dreaming is either involuntary or an aspiration, a wish. Imagination must be one of the unique abilities we possess that makes us human, that puts us at the top of the evolutionary pyramid. I don’t think that can be said of dreaming; after all, dogs dream, but there’s no evidence they imagine new things based upon past experience.
Where do our imaginings come from? Interestingly, I think they must come from our past experiences, and are limited, or encouraged, by our belief systems. So, one person believes in those system-limited possibilities and imagines based upon them. The other does not and dismisses any possibility those imaginings can manifest themselves. Or does he? There’s no way an atheist’s belief system allows him to imagine God forming the universe. That said, an atheist knows others believe in God and this belief shapes what others think is possible.
The atheist, while he does not imagine God-based possibilities, recognizes actions have been taken based upon faith (itself an imagination) in God. The Crusades were imagined by European kings in part to defend their access to Jerusalem, Christianity’s ancient birthplace. Can there be any doubt belief systems play a role in our imagination and what we realize based upon those thoughts? It’s doubtful Michelangelo would ever have imagined his masterpiece sculpture “David” had he not known the biblical story of David and Goliath or been inspired by the bust of Caesar Augustus at the Vatican.
It’s equally interesting to think about how each of our own imaginings is constrained by our beliefs and our experiences, by our perception of reality. All dreams and imagining must start from somewhere. Beyond our experience, all we have to feed them is our awareness of history, of learning, of human behavior. How much we know and how tightly we cling to our knowing dictates our jumping off point. It appears to be quite the balancing act.
It is said geniuses are those who recognize what others cannot see. Imagination is certainly all about that but, guess what, we all imagine. A few years ago Inc Magazine highlighted 8 traits of genius based on comments from Quora.com and some scientific research quoted from Brittannica.com. Here are the top 8 traits they say geniuses possess: 1. They are highly adaptable; 2. They understand how much they don’t know; 3. They have insatiable curiosity; 4. They’re open-minded; 5. They like their own company; 6. They have high self-control; 7. They’re really funny; 8. They’re sensitive to other people’s experiences.
I have always equated those traits to people I thought very wise; that these were more traits of wisdom than genius. Are we now saying a wise person possesses a form of genius? I have to wonder where emotional intelligence and adaptive learning fit in this spectrum. I don’t think I have an insatiable curiosity, but I do know I have recognized the importance of trying to be as accomplished at the other traits as I can entice myself to be. I think I’m a pretty smart guy, but not a genius. I consider geniuses to be a sort of imagination savants; people who literally see things to which the rest of us have not given a single thought. Their ability to decipher complexity and draw order from chaos to reach a next step or imagine the possibility of the next thing is beyond a normal person’s capabilities. To me, that’s genius. It’s strange I have never considered the definition of genius to extend to the very wise, but I recognize the special gift of those who possess the eight traits and show great empathy and understanding towards others.
I come back once again to the quote attributed to Alan Turing: “Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of, who do the things no one can imagine.”
I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a bit of genius in all of us just waiting to get out, just waiting for us to free our thoughts and let go. Imagine that! I think you should.
