Imagination - Einstein & Adams

Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Let's assume he is right...he usually was :^)

Scott Adams - The Dilbert author - also writes a blog. His May 15 entry was on imagination. Remember, Adams is a humorist. He categorizes the entry under "General Nonsense."

Adams's says:

My hypothesis for today is that a person’s need for social interaction is inversely related to the quality of his or her imagination. In other words, if you have an excellent imagination, you might enjoy people, but you’re equally happy to be alone with your thoughts for large stretches. To put it bluntly, you fascinate yourself.

I find this fascinating. I think he might me on to something. I happen to believe, simply from observation over the years, that imagination is not very prevalent in schools. When everything is standards-based, and multiple-choice tested, there is little need (or desire) for imagination. If you are an imaginative child, you may not fit in to the norms that standards require.

Adams's thoughts may explain the "need" for the younger generation to be attached to their friends through MySpace, Facebook, Second Life, and texting. Without imagination, they really do need their cell phones for survival. My new favorite commercial is with the mom and daughter promoting the Cingular/AT&T texting service. Daughter is sending 50 text messages a day to her "bff Jill."

Do you think that people feel the need to have all their virtual networks because they have no imagination? I remember when I was a in school, the kids with the great imagination were the ones I wanted to hang around...they had great stories, and the trouble they concocted was creative. This usually meant the punishment was worth the crime. [It's one thing to cut in line and get your food 30 seconds sooner - not worth eating last the next day. It's another thing to get your food 30 seconds quicker because you could have sworn there was a mouse near the teacher's table - causing the students to avert their attention so we could sneak by. Totally worth eating last. Good times, good times.]

I hope that kids are not missing out on developing their imagination. I doubt they develop it while they are at school. And that is "snf."