What is the effect of aging on the imagination?
Anjum59 asked:
When I was young I was pretty quick witted. People also used to praise me for looking at ‘ordinary’ things in surprising ways (that is the basis of humor I suppose). I am keenly interested in literature, and I have been trying to write. I found that not only has my ability to play has diminished, but my perception has become quite blunt.
I wonder whether this is the effect of aging or because of the extremely stressful life I lead.
AGNES
When I was young I was pretty quick witted. People also used to praise me for looking at ‘ordinary’ things in surprising ways (that is the basis of humor I suppose). I am keenly interested in literature, and I have been trying to write. I found that not only has my ability to play has diminished, but my perception has become quite blunt.
I wonder whether this is the effect of aging or because of the extremely stressful life I lead.
AGNES
December 27th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I still have an imaginative streak and I still look at things in surpising ways. My body may be slowing down a bit, but my mind still sees the world as a mysterious wonder place. I think stress can affect your perception though.
December 29th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
A good analogy for what you have just said is your pool game. You go play pool every day, you get really good, you’re hustling and having fun at the same time. But then you start to get busy and don’t have time, pretty soon, your skill diminishes. Same with imagination. When you’re young, you have a better imagination because you don’t understand as much going on around you, so you make up things to fit it together, but as you age and learn more, imagination becomes less and less useful, therefore, less used, and finally, more blunt. Now add that to a stressful life and that can also take away from your imagination by continually making you focus on reality and not allowing you to slip away in your dreams.
But, like your pool game, it can be regained, just like pool, it takes practice: read fantasy novels, talk with younger children, and give yourself time to goof off and play some video games. Pretty soon, you’ll be telling stories like when you were a kid and have a NYT best seller on your hands.
Good luck