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Change Through Imagination and Fiction: we need to communicate our ideas & visions to make them real.
I have been fascinated by the way how ideas and visions, especially related to new technologies, are communicated in real life (TED Talks, scientific conferences, academe) and in fiction (science fiction, cyberculture). I want to explore certain aspects of creativity, fiction, and technological utopia -- visions of the future, fuelled by innovation, new technologies, gadgets, visions, dreams, rumors related to high-tech and small-scale technologies.
One of my hypotheses is that we need imagination and fiction to communicate our visions in order to foster change; for better or worse. Every innvoation starts as pure fiction, so the more we imagine and envision, the more we will be able to innovate and to channel our imagination for positive change.
A commercial example: Steve Jobs had a very particular idea about personal computers and gadgets; the systems he built (as opposed to the ones Steve Wozniak favored) were (and are) "closed" systems, communicating a vision of completedness and a certain digital lifestyle.
A cultural example: TED Speakers use the TED platform -- and bend to the TED rules -- to communicate their ideas. Many Speakers have had special presentation training, many of them have stunning visualizations of their ideas -- impressive slides, fascinating computer animations to communicate their ideas and partly their fiction of what might be possible -- to share their visions and to help them become reality one day.
A scientific example: scientists come up with theories based on observations, then they try to make them real by experimenting, by observing, by comparing, by publishing papers, by talking to peers and eventually by finding evidence (at least in most cases).
Do you think fiction has the power to provoke change? Do you think we need fiction to give our visions more substance and to push them towards reality? Is fiction in everyday life settings powerful? Is fiction dangerous? Can fiction foster innovation and change?
Gloria Felicia
Communication is the key.
If the idea generator does not communicate it (including through active forums/sites/even TED talks), then that idea will become like a hidden flower with its own beauty which actually never fully bloom.
We want a better world, don't we?
Two minds are always better than one.
They can have this barter process so that it can fulfill each other's weaknesses so that they altogether can form into one strong idea. :-)
Take the example of Sherlock Holmes' series in which the situations and details in the plot story is possible to turn into reality.
Iqtadar Raja
-- Albert Einstein, Physicist
"Imagination grows by exercise and, contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young."
-- Paul McCartney, musician
"A strong imagination begetteth opportunity."
-- Michel de Montaigne, writer
"The world is but a canvas to the imagination."
-- Henry David Thoreau
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
-- Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist
James Turner 10+
James
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Walter Radtke
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Erich Kreppenhofer
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
R Victoria Jodis
Kasey Gee
Albert Hong
I think that we not only need to have a concrete vision, but we also need to accept that our vision isn't prefect and be open to changing aspects of it.
We need to share these visions with others, let them build upon it and make it their own.
It is crucial to have a physical copy of all of your ideas: good or bad, feasible or unrealistic.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Walter Radtke
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
I agree that the visual impression has a greater impact on our perception. But a photo -- or a painting -- is an object of personal interpretation, as there is no "truth" about it, whereas the words written down in a text (given they are written in a code or language you can read) cannot be neglected or denied.
Terry Reece
Thousands and Thousands of people are hurting, within this national and Global economies. here we are, a small Company trying to do our part to Create jobs, and forget about all of the other under-lying reasons, I have revealed to you... Many, many of the public says "Help Create Jobs, and regrow our way of life for the middle class" WE are doing that! Then there is always an "element" of people who try to undermine, any others, like Us Creating better lively-hoods for people, and enjoying what we do/are doing while working together for The Betterment of people of the world.
Why does these "Elements" of people, wherever-whoever they are speed every minute of their days and nights seeking to try to destroy US, or anyone, who aspires to Create, Help, Grow, and Inspires others to achieve. I know, That is the GREAT Question of all Times....LOL
It is just so Ironic that in knowing That Some of US are out here trying to pave better ways of life for many, and YET, CERTAIN "Elements" try to keep Monopolies clamped down, upon us and many small businesses, therefore limiting the Vast Potentials of Economic growth probabilities for many, many people who could benefit.
IN the end, IF These "elements" keep people from economically growing or achievement, then WHO can afford to buy & Purchase their goods and services??
IT all just seems so Criminally arrogant, and selfish, that it also Limits their own possibilities of their own economic lives.
Do you see my Points? "Checks & Balances" that is a Poem, which I wrote, a long time ago.. and it always has, and always will seem to be so, so TRUE! I'll send you a Copy som day, if You like?
Much Love & Friendship,
Terry, AKA "the Warrior' Super Hero
Terry Reece
A couple of months ago, I was approached by a former Government "Counter Intelligence Agent" about possibly utilizing OUR Comics, Animations,Toys, Films, etc... to Possibly help Fight against Terrorism. I received a complete Plan outline, of how what we were/are doing with Our TDM Comics International/Family Media Company "BRANDS", could be utilized to help Change the mindsets, and cultures of children who are being recruited into terrorist organizations, to perhaps give those children alternative types of aspirations and goals.
I Mean, Really what Child starts out from birth imagining "Blowing themselves up" when they grow up??
So, the facts that we were/are already doing this type of Missions, and Visions, is ironic, that I was so very honored to attend the viewing at the Dearborn, Michigan Arab American Museum, on Thursday, September 29, 2011. That was such and educational and learning experience. "The 99" Comics Creators and Animated Series Film producer, are doing works, right in line with our own Goals and missions. Invited by the Detroit Public TV Network and the Arab American Museum to that Showing and to meet the Creators of "the 99" Comics series, and the Animator Film Maker, Added to my Experiences of What we are doing IS "On-The_Right-Track"
Lastly,
Being "BULLIED" as a Child, inspired a lot of my materials, yet to me in the future of several other Series. I/WE have been in Contact with national "ANTI-BULLYING" organizations, and will reconnect with them, as we grow bigger and bigger. That very day in which their Vice President met with President Barack Obama, I talked with their co-founder, on the phone, and have talked with her a couple times since then.
So, as You can see we have many Inspirations for what we are doing, and its a passion, not just for money.
Reece
Terry Reece
Lon ago, when my youngest Son, Jeremy was only 2 1/2 years old (He is NOW 24 years old, soon to be 25) we purchased the 1st Super Mario video games for Christmas, and the Gifts were actually meant foe his older brother, Brandon. BUT, Jeremy played that game, m did, all that Christmas day, and he Conquered it, by 7:30-8:00PM that Christmas night, even before i could...I was ashamed that my 2 1/2 year old son beat me at that video game (LOL)
But, In admitting That to myself, I gained a Very Visionary Creative Vision of Creating the ©REECENETRICS "Brand" of FUN & Educational Comics, Animations, Videos, Video games, Toys and other "spin-off" items. So, I copyrighted the ©REECENETRICS "Brand". I began to write and Copyright so much materials, that the Library of Congress, imply sent me a whole File and Business registration packet, and so WE have had that Business account since 1992, and have developed so much materials that NOW, we are getting to the point of Being able to Publicly release Products to the Public markets. The Big Comics monopolies, NOW owned by Disney turned us down, about 3 years ago..I look at the denial letter, every time I walk by it upstairs as even more powerful inspiration, They, the Disney machine, then pro to Steal some of our Ideas and change them to use for their own brands, and yet, just as a parent knows a child, I/We know our Material, ("WE know our baby") Just as a parent knows a Child, no matter how a thief or kid-napper tries to change 'em up or disguise them.
WE are not even Publicly Released yet, and yet many, many of their Artists/Illustrators, Animators, and writers have been "FRIENDING" us on all of the Social networks, which we have accepted.. To me it is not just an Honor that they are watching us, but a certain Morale Vindication, of how they "FLICKED-US-OFF" a few years ago, probably thinking that we would simply go away, or never do
Terry Reece
Although WE are Creating the Comics, as Our/MY Passion for "The Telling of the Stories" and my lifetime love of reading and writing; The Conclusion that You have imagined is So Smartly Correct in Your Assumption.
Our Creations, of The Comics and Novels is to help Change the World's mindset of People all over the World, to be as A Positive Spreading of Images for People of All Colors; Black, White, Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, Mongolian, Italian, African, etc...
Whenever Children see Super Heroes, who look like themselves, and their Cultures, it Gives them Positive images of Visionary Models of Courage, Power, and Helps aspire them to seek to Achieve Greater Positive things life. IT means so very, very much to be able to Have Toys and Gadgets, and Action Figures, Comics, Animations, Films, Video games which depict Positive Super Heroes, and Positive Images for Children, and IT is Established that These Types of Positive Images inspire Hope, and Dreams, which can give rise to NEW Scientific and Technological advances. the sci-fi aspect within the Comics help spur Imaginations towards the Futuristic NEW Discoveries that can be achieved.
So, Yes YOU have Our Missions and Goals really Correctly Observed. YOU are a Very wise and Smart Person.
Much Love & Friendship,
Terry, AKA "the Warrior" Super Hero
I am very honored to be your friend. Thanks! we "HONOR" WOMEN & MOMS: http://theSIBORG.COM/ http://FamilyMediaSite.com/ http://TDMComics.com/
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Erich Kreppenhofer
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Rob Hansen
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Rob Hansen
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Richard White
As a quick example of the "Bible" being fiction, Science has now proven without a doubt or question, that based on DNA coding, there is absolutely no way that todays populations of the world could have come from one set of biological parents.
Evolution is interesting in that water animals (i.e. tadpoles becoming land based/living Frogs) are known to evolve into land animals. A worm turning into a butterflie.....a maggot into a fly...see.....this is just an example of evolution and change.
The ideas and morals of the Bible are very important in a society being able to function, yet many examples of society going array (sp) is evident....Cain killing his brother,, the tower of Babel, Fathers having their daughters babies....you would never believe it but the Bible is filled with ficitional tales of lust, incest, bestality, murder, rape, thievery (sp) etc....
Our American author Mark Twain wrote some of the best "fictional" antics of growing up as a boy that million's have loved throughout the ages. Poetry is a really good example of fiction. Lyric's to songs is another. Your doctor trying to explain an illness to you yet another.....what you tell your children in order to get them to understand life is another....ever hear of a father trying to explain where babies come from to his inquisitive 6 yr old son or daughter?
Fiction opens the mind to the realities of life. Pre-supposing leads to supposing, and that gives you the end result of learned factual knowledge.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Jeff Viers
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Jeff Viers
Steve Cho
The crazy ones are the ones who told these "lies" but turned these "lies" into realities.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Steve Cho
But here's how I think of it: reading about an epic fictional tale of some hero overcoming struggles to save the world or whatever evokes the same emotions of hearing the story of your favorite athlete who became number 1 after all this hard work, sacrifice and whatever. 2 stories... one is real, one is fake, but the end result -- the experience being shared and people reacting to it -- is the same. I don't know, something to ponder about.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
R Victoria Jodis
Dream it then DO it. This is how we encourage invetors and entrepreneurs
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Debra Smith 200+
PS I think it even goes further than that. I think that many many of us are inspired by the view of earth from Star Trek. We want that kind of egalitarian, positive, fair societies.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Regarding the view of earth from Star Trek: that is something worth considering... especially because the Enterprise crew never (or rarely?) visits earth, so there is always a certain distance between the "reality" of their lives and life on earth. Maybe even a certain longing to partake in the society they protect? We never really see what life is like on earth in Star Trek, do we? There is room for our imagination and for our hopes that whatever kind of life it is the crew is protecting is actually worth being protected. Quite interesting from a semiotic point of view.
Debra Smith 200+
PS I always love the creativity you bring to your questions, Simone. Thanks for being here with us on TED!
Fritzie Reisner 100+
I wonder whether you have read, or would be interested in, Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The fundamental theme is that there are stories from across cultures from the earliest times that have the same basic structure, which he felt arose from psychological needs innate to humans.
If his thesis holds (and I have not done it justice here), stories would be maintained regardless of smaller changes in a society's accepted values. The story might go underground until it can arise again, just as people of faith in political climates that deny the right to personal belief keep their stories within their private circles.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Linda Hesthag Ellwein 50+
When I saw your post last night, I immediately thought of my dear friend, Dale Cosper. He was an English Literature professor at Whitman College, a student at La Sorbonne and is an old cowboy and amazing soul. I sent him the link here hoping he'd sign on and participate. He didn't sign on, but did send a response which I'd like to share with you.
First, let me say I do not like science fiction or even fantasy literature. I am commenting here largely because I KNOW that fiction can alter one's way of being and knowing and doing. I learned this at the feet of Jean-Paul Sartre when I was a student in Paris, and, even more, from Albert Camus who died just before I got there. The remarks above about philosophy and literature are pertinent here. Sartre's NAUSEA dramatizes the EXPERIENCE he had at Le Havre as a lycee professor years before he wrote his treatise BEING AND NOTHINGNESS. Similarly, Camus's THE STRANGER engages us to experience in our sensibility the absurd. The fiction of these two French writers changed the way an entire generation thought of freedom and agency. Cormac McCarthy's work transports us into other worlds that we come to recognize as our own. (One can do nothing to change the world until one authentically apprehends the world.) THE ROAD (and I think the film is entirely faithful to the novel) transports us in a straight-line projection from where we are today to where we will inevitably be in the not so distant future if we don't change our culture. Shimmering behind the world we live in are the worlds that were, the worlds to come, and the worlds that could be. Fiction, better than any other means, reveals these worlds to us. I think Wendell Berry's novels, as good as his essays are, surpass everything else he wrote as the exposition of a world he knew, he saw passing, and he hoped to could once again be, if only we could subscribe to "membership" in the human/natural community.
Debra Smith 200+
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Terry Reece
YES, Yes, Yes, and More yeses!!! As A Sci-fi Writer, and Comics Creator, I have vivid Creative Ideas, Theories, Opinions, and Views. I have always been an "All the Way OUT-OF-THE-BOX" type Thinker, and so it natural that I am Now Finally utilizing my Ideas within my Comics and my Novels. OUR Future Films, Animations, Video games, also can give Birth to NEW Toys, Action Figures, New "Spin-offs" and as i have watched many past Creative Films, TV Series, and Suggested Items which would/could be developed in the Future; For many of those, "The Future is NOW" as we have seen many of those from the past come into REAL LIFE Modern Products.
Yes, Certainly Fiction has the Power to Creative NEW generations of Change and Developments.
I am very honored to be your friend. Thanks! we "HONOR" WOMEN & MOMS: http://theSIBORG.COM/ http://FamilyMediaSite.com/ http://TDMComics.com/
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Please don't get me wrong, I think entertainment for the sake of entertaining people is a very important element in pop culture -- and being entertained, laughing, or just having a good time without being confronted with morale or values is perfectly fine. But I'm just really curious if there is something more behind your ambition.
Nat Strafaci
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
What you say makes sense, as life definitely can be surprising every day, probably due to the fact that each of us has a history covering more time than any work of fiction ever could. At the same time, questions like "does everything happen for a reason?," arise -- but I believe that luck and coincidences exist... and that fiction or the things we imagine every day somehow fit in somewhere as well.
Terry Reece
They Control The Major Distribution Companies, and Networks, also.
So, in Our Quest to get NEW, EXCITING "BRANDS" to the Industries, we are fighting these Hugh Multi-National Companies, and the Bankers just look at us with these "Dazzed, out-of-space" type stares, and give us the "NICEY-NICE" treatments, before escorting us out the door, never to be heard from again. And that Sort of thing happens with private, and Angel Investors.....
Yet, we are still making growth steps, small as they keep coming, WE keep making them using our Own Money from daytime jobs to "FUND/Finance" our Operations.
How Can WE, Create Jobs and Growth, if the Same old Gigantic Companies are the only ones who keep gettingh all of the opportunities?
Terry
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Walter Radtke
Yes, the word "delusion" has a negative context, but I thought "fiction" did as well, so I felt I was working with the same categories as you were working with. In plot structure literature, fiction often refers to a lie or an imaginary story meant to deceive.
"...even a true story told can (and will) be altered by the storyteller." can be applied to say, a video of an event. depending upon the point of view of the videographer. But with more than one point of view, more than one video, you begin to add more and more "realism" and realism is always to be desired in problem solving.
I think imagining the future is the one mental activity that lifts us out of our animalism. A desert coyote might seek the shade of a rock but it will never make a parasol. Imagining the future helps us to invent and is far more creative a motivator than inventing simply to escape immediate discomfort.
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
So I don't quite agree with the fact that fiction necessarily can be categorized as the communication of lies, but I strongly agree that the storyteller alters the story. One question French semiotics targets is how eye-witnesses tell stories of events to the media and that even those witnesses already change what has happened (e.g. to make themselves look like heroes) and that most of the media coverage is not based on events directly witnessed by the media, but on stories of events. I also agree that different angles on one event -- videos, photos, reports -- add more realism to it... but not necessarily more truth!
I really like your definition of imagining the future (or future solutions for a problem) as a mental activity that distinguishes us from animals. Very inspiring thoughts indeed.
Alex Mero
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Terry Reece
It seem so very difficult to get the attention of Funding Sources, Venture Capitalists, Angel Investors, Investment Partners, and Banks for NEW Innovative ideas, UNLESS the Ideas come from the Same old Companies and Monopolies..That dramatically Stunts Growth, and Dramatically restricts Our Creative Minds, within This Country.
IT is NO wonder, we are Behind, within the World Global Economies, and Global Innovative NEW Products ... Our Leaders Argue over, such "Small-minded" "Silly" Political things, That WE, as a Nation Suffer, from lack of NEW Developments, because of Political Hatred of each other...
Much Love & Friendship,
Terry "Warrior" Reece
Founder/Chairman/CEO
Reece Enterprises/Family Media Company/TDM Comics International
I am very honored to be your friend. Thanks! we "HONOR" WOMEN & MOMS: http://theSIBORG.COM/ http://FamilyMediaSite.com/ http://TDMComics.com/
Simone Lackerbauer 100+
Nat Strafaci
Simone Lackerbauer 100+