As the virtual world of electronic communication becomes…
““As the virtual world of electronic communication becomes the world many of us inhabit all the time, in turning to imaginative literature we may not be seeking mere reassurance nor be impelled by mere nostalgia. To enter with heart and mind into the world of the imagination may be to head deliberately and directly toward, or back toward, engagement with the real world. In one of T. S. Eliot’s poems a bird sings, “Mankind cannot bear very much reality.” I’ve always thought that bird was mistaken, or was talking only about some people. I find it amazing how much of the real world most of us can endure. Not only endure, but need, desire, crave. Reality is life. Where we suffocate is in the half-life of unreality, untruth, imitation, fakery, the almost-true that is not true. To be human is to live both within and beyond the narrow band of what-happens-now, in the vast regions of the past and the possible, the known and the imagined: our real world, our true Now.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Imagination bridges reality and possibility, preventing stagnation in a mediated world.
In simple terms: Imagination keeps us engaged with reality.
Key Takeaway
Use imagination to enrich real-life decisions.
Themes
imagination
reality
engagement
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- education
- technology design
- mental health
Key Concepts
existentialism
media theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What reality do you avoid through imagination?
- How can imagination improve real-world problems?
A Different Perspective
Imagination can distract from urgent issues.