In the realm of imagination, anything goes. We've all experienced outlandish, crazy or bold concepts that seemed a bit far fetched because they're so divorced from practical reality.
Sometimes however, these experiences can challenge our preconceived notions and urge us to poke the boundaries of the seemingly impossible.
I think during the old times, people were quick to dismiss what is deemed impossible. But nowadays, with evolving societal attitudes and openness to disruption, 'impossible' is no longer viewed as a final verdict, but a starting point for reimagining what's possible.
In a way, humanity is more bold and daring, which generally is a good thing. But how do we psychologically stay the course from 'possible' imagination to 'impossible' reality?
The Gap Between Imagination and Reality
In as much as there might be a way to bridge the gap between imagination and reality, the journey is far from being easy. At the heart of it is that they're both different worlds with different set of fundamentals and structures.
A hallmark of reality is its rigidity, it isn't easily bendable or changeable. This tells us right from the start that that any attempt to mold our imagination(s) onto the solid framework of reality will naturally encounter friction and resistance.
The realm of imagination is less concrete and substantial, especially when compared to reality. This lack of rigidity in imagination allows us to think outside the box. Perhaps, to envision impossibilities that reality may not yet accommodate.
It's within this flexible landscape that we can experiment, iterate, and refine our ideas, making them more palatable to the rigid structure of reality.
Nowadays, it seems there are a good number of impossible ideas that have been brought to reality. Two favourites of mine are self-lacing shoes that Nike created and CRISPR gene editing technology.
Although a self-lacing shoe might seem trivial, it sparks an interesting set of questions in my view. For example, where do we draw the line between convenience and necessity? Are we entering an era where even the mundane becomes technologically augmented, are there no limits to what can be augmented?
Given that we're about to begin editing our genes through CRISPR technology, I guess the answer is an affirmative yes. Reality is about to be augmented in ways beyond our collective imagination.
Despite the blurring of boundaries may seem chaotic, I believe it holds immense potential, for good, of course. Since we're in an age where rigidly defining what's "possible" or "impossible" is becoming increasingly hard, we can look towards exploring the grey area in between.
Interestingly, It's within this grey area that innovation thrives, where seemingly outlandish dreams can be nurtured into tangible realities.
Only a few decades ago, self-lacing shoes were a sci-fi trope, featured in a sci-fi movie called Back To The Future. Yet here we are now, debating the merits of convenience versus human effort. Who knows what technological marvels await if we dare to explore the edges of possibility?
Of course, with this boundless potential also comes a critical responsibility. I tend to agree with the view that technology ought not to be weaved into the very fabric of our lives, lest we wake up one day and find ourselves indistinguishable from it or have nothing of us left.
But this is just a view. When we keenly observe reality, it seems we're already on that trajectory. So the best thing we can do at this point is becoming aware of its impact.
Thanks for reading!!