“When you were born, You cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, The world cries and you rejoice. Take only what you need and leave the land.”
Reminds this Native American quote during these unprecedented and tumultuous times which we are now in!!! Given these uncertain times we live in, nothing can be taken for granted. Much of the world seems to be in a state of bewildering state. Across the spectrum, people appear fearful or confused. Many do not even want to think of what lies ahead. Not wanting to understand what is taking place has its own perils. Only thing that we can do together is : being positive, stay calm and follow the instructions given by your agencies…..
During this lock down period, there have been many times, I began to muse about the importance of imagination about the progress of the humanity…..
Misuse of Imagination:
Human imagination is a powerful instrument of limitless creative ability. With the help of this mental instrument man can achieve wonders in the field of art, literature, the crafts and sciences. Imagination enables men to think out what could happen, what should be the best possible solution to all sorts of problems and how apparently contradictory factors could be synthesized. Inventions in the field of science, like in the practical use of electricity, progress in life sciences, nuclear power to generate electricity and recent AI and ML concepts have been serving for the benefit of science and human cultural progress. The composition of great works of art in the field of painting, sculpture and crafts are always born in the imagination of the artists, who after forming a mental image of what they were going to paint or model give material shape and expression to the product of their imagination in line, color, marble or clay. Great musical or literary compositions are also born in man’s imagination first before they are given expression in sound or words. Human civilization has thus progressed by using man’s imagination as a vehicle of evolutionary advancement in all fields of life. Without imagination men could never have made any progress in architecture, town planning, water supply, drainage, military science, medicine, education, designs in metal and wood; nor created new patterns in Textiles, objects of art or anything aesthetically worthy whatsoever. Development of intellectual ideas through the exercise of speculative thought and imagination therefore has been the greatest instrument of progress in this world.
Yet, one has to admit that the same imagination on certain occasions and in different circumstances has acted in a manner that has brought about the degradation and decline in the sphere of culture and civilization. Imagination has developed new pathological tendencies like the one now we we are facing and assumed shapes, transgression of nature laws, replenishment of natural resources have been causing the downfall of human civilization.
During such periods when imagination seeks out the worst imagery of the diseased outlook of humanity everything points to a gross aesthetic imbalance and nothing appears intellectually healthy and free from blemish. The arts and crafts, literature and music, architecture and the lay out of cities; all suffer from the evil forces of generated by man’s selfish and schizophrenia’s deceased outlook.
Creative thought begins to restrict itself to the creation of absurdities, impossibilities and basic nature contradictions. If not, The rhythm of life changes to a death rattle and gasps of breath of a dying man. Nothing is wrong but that does not mean that anything is right!! All values go into the melting pot without moral values and social values which benefit the humanity without impacting the Nature. If we keep hurting the Environment, no Hanuman springing from the Himalayas with mount Gandhamadana on his shoulder will come and serve us for the better human health!!!
Every morsel of food, every sip of water, the air we breathe is the result of work done by other species. Nature gives us everything that we need to survive. Live and let them live!!
sivaayyala 