Imagine coming up with a creative idea. Where did it come from? Did the people around you help inspire it? What about your environment? Now imagine a book that provides all the explanations for the process of coming up with creative ideas. Well this book really exists and is called Imagine: How Creativity Works. Before reading this book, I was skeptical about what I was getting into. I did some research and found out that the author, Jonah Lehrer, had been accused of numerous 'crimes' in the writing world such as self-plagiarism and fabricating quotes. Even though reviews like this flooded my Google search page, to my surprise, an almost equal amount of reviews were positive and praising the content for being so engaging. Now, after finishing this controversial book, I can't help but praise it myself. Although there have been accusations of scientific inaccuracies, everything he says just seems to make sense. Lehrer uses examples and people from history to simplify the neuroscience behind creativity. While serious scientists may scold his attempt to teach such a complex subject in such an elementary way, it seems to work. His writing style is easy to read and it helps that the information is just so fascinating. While reading, I often found myself making connections to my own experiences and was so captivated when I could understand more about myself.
"It's only at this point, after we've stopped searching for the answer, that answer arrives. (the imagination has a wicked sense of irony.) And when a solution does appear, it doesn't come in dribs and drabs; the puzzle isn't solved one piece at a time. Rather, the solution is shocking in its completeness. All of a sudden, the answer to the problem that seemed so daunting becomes incredibly obvious. We curse ourselves for not seeing it sooner."
"But here's the mystery: if you've forgotten a person's name, the why are you so sure that you can remember it? What does it mean to know something without being able to access it? This is where feeling of knowing prove essential. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when it comes to problems that don't require insights, the mind is remarkably accurate at assessing the likelihood that a problem can be solved. You can glance at a question and know the answer is within reach if you put in the work. as a result, you're motivated to stay focused on the challenge."
"The neuroscience of sleep reminds us that, every night, we temporarily turn into improv artists. Once we start to dream, we stop worrying about truth or logic or common sense. Instead of deleting our errant thoughts, we embrace the sheer freedom of our associations. And so we amuse ourselves with a set list of made-up stories and melodies, finding new connections amid the confusion."
All of these passages were particular moments where I felt like I could make personal connections to what was being written. In the first quote, I felt that I experience the moment being described very often. I can't think of a solution so I stop thinking about it and that's when it comes to me. In the second quote, the author describes another common experience I tend to have but this one requires more thinking. If you put in enough concentration, it comes to you. Lastly, I feel as if the third quote is most relatable to me. I often find most of my motivation at night when I'm trying to fall asleep. Suddenly I think of plans and solutions to everything that has been on my mind for a while. Some nights I can't sleep because my mind is just being flooded with ideas.
This book is intended for anyone with a brain. It is so incredibly relatable that anyone who thinks would be interested reading it. Lehrer persuades the reader by reading his/her mind in a sense. He can pinpoint specific occurrences that happen to everyone when they think and explain why it happens. He can connect well-known historical figures and their creative process to any common persons mind. He makes the reader feel as if they have the ability to be imaginative, insightful, and creative because they can.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely interested in the human mind. In fact, I would even recommend this book to someone who isn't. You don't realize how enthralling the subject is until you actually begging to read about it. You get pulled in once you are able to make even the slightest connection to your own life and want to find out more. It's hard to put the book down when you feel like your just digging deeper and deeper through the mysteries of the human mind. You don't need to be a neuroscientist to understand this book, but you'll feel like one after you finish.
No comments:
Post a Comment