I remember standing in line in Marin County, California, at 10 years of age, when this movie first came out. Within an hours time of my arrival back home, I had taken a cardboard box from downstairs, cut a side so it displayed four floppy sides on the floor, then propped it up around me like I was surrounded by four walls. I then pushed any and all plastic, metal, LEGO, wire pieces, etc. into the cardboard so as to make it an enormous computer console which was my interior of the Millennium Falcon. I envisioned the Tie Fighters around me as I pushed this and pulled that in my attempts to save the galaxy. That was back in 1977.
I think the world of fantasy is an extremely healthy one, and quite possibly the most important. By mid life, most people have lost the value of day dreaming as work and money have crept their way into the chaos of life. There are so many things we would not have been able to create or think of if they weren’t some form of prior mental fantasy at some point.
But in looking at fantasy worlds, I can only speak from my own thoughts. I believe that by still retaining that inner dreamer, you get a rush from allowing yourself to believe what life would be like if you were placed in such a scenario, be it temporary or life long. Living in a space station on a distant planet, surrounded by a hostile environment, or possibly right here on earth, at the bottom of the sea, in a fantasy colony that was all that is left after the apocalypse.
However free we are, we are still confined to the world which has been created around us. I think that a large degree of mental freedom is found through allowing the mind to find a connection with an alternate life, which for some, with a touch of creativity involved, is more real than the present life absent from fantasy. Growing up playing cops and robbers, or being a ghoul on Halloween, all had their roles in the development of the mind, and I cannot see the mind wanting to stop development for any reason, lest it die.
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ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with you about how confined we are to the world nowadays. People are always worried about things that revolve around money, work and school. They don't always have the time to be themselves and escape the chaotic lifestyle. I think more people need to go back to their younger years and experience the same happiness they did when they were younger. It would help with stress levels and make their life better. I was always the happiest when I was pretending. So for me, my biggest escape from the world is watching The Walking Dead and other shows that are completely not real. It always be to relax from the world and just enjoy myself. I can also relate to them because when someone dies in the movies, I know how they feel and it just makes me hold onto the people I love even more. I enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I didn’t so when I was younger was play with cardboard boxes, but I blame that on my mom for not having any of them hanging around the house. It seemed like you was having a blast. Having a healthy world is important to me too. I also said I would like that in my fantasy, and to bad we can not actually have that happen in the real world. That is very true that we would not have most things that we have not if it wasn’t for dreaming or fantasizing. I think when I was younger I use to pretend to invent things. I should of tried to make one of my fantasies a real life thing. This was a really good post. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI loved your approach to this! I believe fantasizing with what your life could be is healthy, you need to fantasize to be able to make a goal for yourself otherwise you will not be able to move any further. I wrote about how I like realism and do not dwell in fantasy, but after reading your post it made me realize that I should have stepped back and looked at this a little longer, because I agree that fantasy with realistic ideas is good! Thank you for this post, opened my eyes to my beliefs on the question!
ReplyDeleteI thought your approach to this was very interesting and nostalgic at the same time. It reminded me of when I was a kid and played in boxes. Your point is right in target in my opinion. Imagination is key to a growing society and you have only further proved that point
ReplyDeleteI have never been a fan of Star Wars because I cannot connect to it, but I do see your point and agree with you! I think imagination is extremely important, especially in children. Living in a fantasy world is necessary for a healthy mind, at least in my opinion. With the introduction of the newest technology, our imaginations are handed to us on a tablet, there is no more making things out of boxes as you have mentioned....and I think that is very unfortunate! I have seen some people even discipline their kids for being creative, which is so horrible! New inventions and innovative ideas arise from daydreaming in a fantasy world!
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