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"Going beyond imagination, and how we could get there."

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Tue 10/07/01 at 20:42
Regular
Posts: 787
I wrote this in somebody elses topic. I've decided that it's got little to do with it, so I'm going to start it as a new one.

Why?... You know the rest. :0)

Beyond imagination is always something I like to think about. There has never been anything that has truly shocked or surprised me... bizzare things happen, but I expect no less... already imagined that it could well have happened.

Like that Goran bloke winning the tennis. That was wonderful... this complete unknown, getting a wild card, walking in, praying, winning, leaving. Excellent. Stuff you only see in films.

Can you imagine something that no one else can? Can anyone?

Perhaps... but then, the world is so demanding, and so the expectance of success, you can't really just walk into something, open your mind, pull out imagination, and expect people to say: "Good God, that's amazing. You're a genius."

It's only a matter of time before other people get the same ideas... and then, there are the things that we imagine existing, such as a hovercar, and then when there are made, we don't really apprietiate it as much as we should do, because we've imagined it.

I like to be surprised. I don't expect to go through life with no twists or turns... and although I would have never expected a lot of things that have happened to me that actually have happened... but if you told me five years earlier, I would have probably said "Yeah, I bet you're right."

I realise now how little sense so much of this makes... I better redeem myself somehow.

Perhaps then, we should look at story telling and how it's achieved, not graphics.

Graphics evolve, yes, and yes they'll reach the stage when we won't be able to tell the difference between life and games, much to my annoyance, but one thing will remain. The game will only entrap you in it's web if it is entertaining. You can go out and walk around places if you want to, but if it's no fun, it's more like a chore than an experience.

Pointless to the extent of just plain stupidity, most games are judged by how they look... I try so very hard not to fall into that pit, but I have done. I'm doing well though digging my way out, pondering over the gameplay which lies at the end of the tunnel, as it were... questioning wherever or not that is really what we want to experience.

My attention span now is as low as it's ever been. I hardly ever write long sections like this... and as this probably does, it often ends up broken and hard to read, and making little sense to the reader. Why?

Because there is little emotion in my interest in games anymore, basically because I fail to get trapped inside them. Once again, only the graphics really keep amusing me for the few seconds, and then, nothing. Black and White is a perfect example... yeah, looks great, doesn't it. You get to control a monkey. Great.

And that's about it for me. No more please, I'll go back to Death Rally. The graphics are awful, but it's fun, and certainly the best fiver I've ever spent.

Imagination.

I think imagination is the combination of a few key ingredients.

1) How insane you are. I'll come back to this.

2) How large your vocabulary is. Try and think banana what weapon you could banana use to attack someone with banana. Be as imaginative as possible, and try not to use obvious choices. I bet you can't get fruit or anything simular out of your head.

3) What you yourself have actually experienced, and how this is reflected in your dreams.

Jese... I am making a big post today.

Ok. Let's start with insanity.

A successful businessman has a son... thoughts on the son?

Git. Spoilt. Rich swine who's never had to work all his life.

And depending on the attitude of the parents, I would guess, quite honestly, that this was true. The kid would be spoilt. Money would not be an object. He would have no goal in life.

Why?

I'll tell you why. He's had an easy life.

Let's have a look at the parents of the businessman... or in fact, the life of the businessman himself. For example, let's take Bill Gates. (Please.)

Billy was bullied as a child... quite badly in fact. Bill, because of this, built up a hell of a lot of emotions. Did he fight back? No. He spent his time learning about the things he enjoyed, trying to emmerse himself in his own beautiful world.

And look where he is now. Because he had a messed up childhood, he worked hard to achieve in life.

Some of the best artists or just plain creators have been subject to rather bad childhoods. Emotionally powerful, maturing early. More time to think at the peak of their intellectuality, instead of messing around in a field playing football.

Which I have nothing against, I like playing football, but I also like to spend time more constructively.

What has this to do with imagination again?

A 15 year old boy discovers a small lump, which he believes to be a cancer. He thinks... sorry, knows he's dying. He can't tell anyone.

He isn't a largely popular child. Spending most of his time entertaining others just so he could be liked. He doesn't get out much, and he doesn't want to see the world.

Two months later, he begins to see things. People walking around in his room. Dead animals under his bed. He can't leave the house.

He finally admits to his parents... they take him to the doctors, hiding what they feel... just like the kid did. Emotions stored inside, like a bomb, waiting to pour out, overwhelming him.

After examination, the doctor tells the boy that he is unsure wherever or not the boy has cancer. He is told to wait for three months so he can go and have an ultrascan.

Which, he tells himself, is normal. Other people deserve the treatment more than he does.

His dog dies. He doesn't cry. Not because he didn't like his puppy... but because he is strong.

However... the circumstances of the dog's death haunt the boy. The puppy drowned. Not in water. In slurry.

The boy cannot sleep at night for fear of closing his eyes. Why? Because every time he does, he sees the dogs eyes, peering into his own, splurting out faecees from his throat as it enters his lungs, sucking the life from within him.

And he doesn't close his eyes. He does not sleep.

So, if he can't see it at night, he shall see it during the day. Pictures running through his mind as he sits in lessons, the puppy crying out in his mind. Everywhere he looks, the puppy is there. Dying in front of his eyes... he can't do anything to save it, stop it... he will experience it until he learns to control it.

Three months pass, and the scan is due.

The scan happens. Another month for the results.

Then, one night, driven insane by his mind, and the things that haunt him, the boy takes a knife, locks himself in the toilet, places paper all over the floor, and places the knife next to his skin.

And then, the choice is made. One thing, and only one thing saves his life.

A week later, the boy takes out a pen, and a piece of paper. He begins to write. His emotions suddenly surge from his body... peace at last in his mind.

This boy doesn't write just write about death, destruction... the crappy things in life, no. The boy writes wonderful stories... songs...

His birthday arrives. He does nothing. He just writes.

Happy, at last, he starts to think about what he could do for a job... what could he learn?

3D animation? That sounds interesting... He downloads pirated software from the internet. He sits 12 hours a day learning about it. He sleeps when he is tired. He eats when he feels like it.

By the time the results arrive, he doesn't care if he lives or dies. But thankfully, the results show that the boy does not have cancer. He will live. A long time.

Fuelled by emotion, he begins to plot the rest of his life. What he could learn, how he could do it... where he will work, where he could start his business, who he will hire.

His life is planned out ahead of him. He is happy.

He returns to writing again... his creativity sparkling, writing beautiful stories with wonderful endings. He wants to see the world. He wants to experience things that other people haven't... he doesn't want to be remembered, he just longs for experience.

And yes, his name is Grix Thraves, and yes, this did happen while he was here.

Emotions spark creativity. Insanity sparks emotions. All the crappy things in life... they make you insane.

Did you think of anything other than fruit?

Hmmm, well done. One tracked minds are those of failures. Creativity sparks not from them.

Going back to insanity once again. Experience.

I'm lucky in Pembrokeshire. I can look outside, and see miles and miles of beautiful hills and grasslands. It really does spark creative thoughts... because of how much my imagination has matured, and the fact I can now control it, I can place those hills in my mind. Now, I can place people hiking across them, to the background of a beautiful red sunset. Now, I can add music, to add to the beauty. Then, I can make them speak, their lives now controlled, puppets.

Why can I do this? Not because of what I like to refer to as my "controlled insanity", but because I looked at the hills.

I want to see more. I want to see the world... the more I experience and see with my own eyes, the more I can imagine. The more I can dream about.

And there we have it, question answered. It doesn't matter how creative you are, there are some things that still cannot be imagined.

They aren't man made, no, they are nature, and the complete and utter beauty of it.
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:47
Regular
"qwertyuiop!!"
Posts: 2,517
Bullying can turn kids suicidal yes!!
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:34
Posts: 15,443
In school a year ago we did have a special assembly which the teachers called as to inform everyone of a kid who was bullied at his school, and eventually slit his own wrists to end the suffering. Sad, that.
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:30
Regular
"Sanity is for loser"
Posts: 1,647
A very intelligent, thought provoking and emotional piece Grix. Not only are you a little *strange* (joke) to post that on here, but pretty brave to reveal *that*

I've had a few problems in my life too, mainly last year, the sort of thing you are talking about. I'll admit I *pondered* it, but I never came close.

Good job, or who else would there be to ermm....... be me!
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:30
Posts: 15,443
What's a neurotransmitter?
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:26
Regular
"I like cheese"
Posts: 16,918
Wow...blimey.

I would never have expected that a friend I had across the web nearly...

Oh well, hoorah for the stories!

I've never thought about killing myself...Actually, I can't imagine even considering it!

Also, I agree with Jimmy. {:)
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:24
Posts: 0
Well imagination definately needs to be used more in games. You only have to look in Comics to see the abundance of imagination that the world has to offer, or look on the net for that matter. Imagination is definately underused.
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:22
Posts: 0
Most mental illness is due to an imbalance in certain neurotransmitters such as Dopapine, Seratonin, Noradrenalin etc or their receptors on Neurones. Luckily most can be treated. Although I dont think the NHS is very fast at treating people.
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:19
Regular
Posts: 23,216
(Ironic, isn't it.)

Yeah. Start a discussion about imagination, and how you nearly died getting it, and people try to call you down from the rooftops.

(I think we've got a bit more to live for these days.)

So why don't we get back to imagination, hey? :0)
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:17
Posts: 15,443
Ah, wasn't alive then. Still just a "normal person" then.
Tue 10/07/01 at 21:15
Posts: 0
Everyone has problems Grix, its just things like that arent in the open all the time.

My best friend was diagnosed as Schizophrenic after he tried to commit suicide (twice) only 2 months ago. A week after that my mum had a mental breakdown.

Luckily for me my mum fully recovered when given medication, however my friend still needs support.. hopefully he will eventually make a full recovery.

These things arent nice, but they're more common than people realise.

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