by Gareth Hewes

Created on: May 11, 2009   Last Updated: May 13, 2009

There is something of a stigma in society against those with particularly active imaginations. Many see such people as "childlike" and "immature", and consider them to be a waste of time...until they become the next Ray Bradbury or F. Scott Fitzgerald. The same people who are spurned for their "immaturity" are idolized when they become providers of the next great film or book. I would argue that it is the imaginative souls among us that provide quality to our lives, and that those people are more in touch with their humanity than a great deal of society's members.

To argue the merits of imagination, its origin must be considered. The most reasonable theory I have learned while studying philosophy is that imagination is actually an evolutionary adaptation to the advantage of its bearer: a primordial human would be more likely to survive if they think the rustling of a bush is something dangerous and frightening than simply assuming, "It's probably only a rabbit." Even if 99 times it is simply a rabbit, all it takes is potentially one occurrence of it being a wildcat or wolf to take that person out of the gene pool.

While outdoor survival is generally not an issue for most people nowadays (particularly those with the accessibility to be reading this), the imagination is another vestige of our more untamed roots that stays with us. Though I could not prove it, I would even go so far as to say that nearly everyone is born imaginative, and that is how we learn to interact with the world around us to a large degree. However, many childrens' imaginations are not cultivated, but rather subdued behind a barricade of rationalizations and social responsibility. Only the youngest are often allowed to let their minds run free, uncluttered by the limits not yet imposed on them by a society that values conformity over individuality.

Is it wrong to say that being imaginative is being "childlike"? Perhaps not. After all, those who do exercise their ability to create often cite their desire to be able to channel their mind's capabilities in the same fluid, natural way a child can. However, to say they are "immature" not only belittles the natural ability that they have had the fortunate opportunity to cultivate, but also implies that those who have these abilities are subordinate because they have not forced themselves to "unlearn" something that they had to good fortune to be born with. In addition, the entertainment industry in particular was founded on the notion that people can suspend their disbelief and give themselves over to a world which, partially or completely, comes from within the human mind.

In the end, like many other issues in society, there is a level of idiosyncrasy in the idea of whether or not imagination is a positive or negative trait. While many claim an active imagination is no replacement for keeping your head down and simply working hard, many of those same people imagine their lives as they would wish to live them, with a big house and a $300,000 car in the driveway. Is that any less of a leap of the imagination than some of the stories that have been written? The only definite answer is that, love it or hate it, imagination is as much part of our way of life as anything else.

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