Imagination

Lectures often squeeze out my imaginative skills from my brain. Lol. But I wouldn't say my imagination shrank. It may depend upon our field of study and on the method of teaching that was used to educate us. The course that I took up in college required us to think of new ideas in order to address certain problems. I think we can call it "technical creativity".

Yes Joules, your topic is very correct! What I feel is that common education system has no space for 'Imagination'! But what the education system carries today, is the out-come of imagination and effort of many scholars and thinkers of the yester years! Present system of education is designed only on remembering earlier recorded information, with / without understanding! No such paper is there that touches the imagination of any student in some creative way! Perhaps students designing art or sculpture may be using their imagination more than their books! But is common education system, this is in a shrinked position, making education a process of book related! For this, the major part of educated people are less or nil creative in nature as their imagination part of mind remains unutilized! I think, an education system focusing more on 'Imagination Approach' and 'Experiencial Knowledge' than literature in books may help to improve the condition! An education based on experience as well as imagination is the real and effective education for all and that is the undeniable process of Nature everywhere in this world! Thanks for your nice discussion and my imagination is that future education system may take this course of 'Experience and Imagination' in priority for a better world in real sense!!

Yes! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who feels that my education has in a lot of ways limited my mind and stunted my vivid imagination. I've felt for quite a while that college is not actually about expanding your own thoughts, but about subscribing to and regurgitating your professors' thoughts. Once in a while I've had a professor who truly values the individual and original ideas of students, but most of them want you to write papers about ideas that are already accepted in the academic community. It hasn't only limited my imagination in terms of ideas that apply to my field of study- I feel like my creativity overall has suffered. During college I pretty much lost interest in my music, found myself unable to come up with decent stories to write, and even stopped having my own personal fantasies on a regular basis. I'm currently taking a semester off for financial reasons, and have begun to feel more creative and imaginative again. Unfortunately, I start school again in another month.

Hi Jules, I remember back in uni, I encountered different types of lecturers. Right before writing a particular assignment, many students would discuss what types they are and what they want in our assignment. There were the ones who would look for something unique, a new theory of sorts in our writing. But there were those who were looking for a regurgitation of their own thoughts, basically everything they have taught us. So, we gave what they wanted. We catered our writing to their needs. So, your question set me thinking, as to whether my imagination has been restricted through years of education. The answer would be yes and no, I guess. I see my daughter grow up now. I never wanted to restrict her imagination in any way. This morning, my MIL was commenting on how my daughter ate her bread. She said to my daughter that she was eating from the wrong side. My thoughts were - Is there a right side to eating bread? To me, I ate the whole bread, thus whichever side gets into my mouth is the right side. I let my daughter be, eating as she likes. To me, unless there is a serious moral issue here, I really don't see the point in telling her what is the right way or the wrong way. She is still so young - 3 years old. Let her explore! Exploration is one of the ways we expand our imagination.

For me, it actually depends on the field of your study. Actually, I thought of the same thing few months back. My course is economics and it requires you to think and learn a lot of theories. Research is also tedious. I realized that since they are developing my research and thinking skill, my creativity skill was left behind. Right now, I'm trying to bring back the creativity but it is difficult.

I spent many years in education.I just find that the more i studied,the less i knew.while,imagination?....... i don't know if it shrank .Maybe. I didn't think about this ever.