Is imagination a muscle? A scintillating book seeks to teach readers the ways of the creative mind. For its writer, imaginative genius is something any of us can have — if only we train hard enough.
How to win friends and have more good ideas
Is imagination a muscle? A scintillating book seeks to teach readers the ways of the creative mind. For its writer, imaginative genius is something any of us can have - if only we train hard enough.
Many of our earliest myths warn against the dangerous power of imagination.
The ancient Greek TitanA family of giants in Greek mythology, used today to describe a person or thing that is very strong or important. Prometheus was said to have defied the gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity, allowing them to develop new knowledge.
His gift - read by many today as the gift of imagination - led to a punishment of eternalLasting forever. torment from the enraged gods.1
Many of humanity's origin stories have the same themes. Imagination is at the centre of what it means to be human, but it can also be a dangerous tool.
In a hallmark book, writer Albert Read has a refreshing new take, describing imagination as a "valve easing the crush of reality", as well as a skill that can transform the world, bring personal success, and make you feel closer to others.
And he is optimistic that any of us can master it. Much like you might go to the gym to develop your biceps, Read says that imagination can be grown with dedicated training and hard work.
Read also has some commonplace advice for enhancing your imagination. He advises taking a walk, reading widely and with pleasure, or sitting in on a religious service - the method used, apparently, by the inventor of the Post-it Note.
And it is tempting to believe him. Read, the managing director of Conde Nast which oversees a number of businesses such as Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair, appears to be a model of success. But his thesisA long essay involving personal research. that imagination can be trained by anyone challenges centuries-old ideas.
In antiquityThe ancient past, especially before the Middle Ages. , imagination was not even considered a component of one's own intellect. It was believed that new ideas and theses were a result of "inspiration", a term translated literally as being "blown into" by the gods.
During the EnlightenmentAn intellectual movement of the eighteenth Century that ruthlessly criticised religion, traditions and inherited privilege. period, imagination was regarded as unnecessary. Francis Bacon scorned it for its uselessness in the pursuit of science, whilst DescartesRene Descartes was a 17th Century French philosopher, scientist and mathematician. derided it as "in no way necessary to my essence".
With Romanticism, imagination was the principal quality of the artistic genius: "the artist's feeling is his law," asserted Caspar David Friedrich.
But imagination has rarely been viewed before as something both practically useful and egalitarianBelieving that everybody deserves equal rights and opportunities. . Many have seen creative genius as mysteriously predeterminedDecided in advance, and unable to be changed., rather than as a skill that any of us could gain.
<h5 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong>Is imagination a muscle?</strong></h5>
Yes: We can train ourselves to do anything, and training the imagination is no exception. Just like with other muscles, some may have a genetic advantage, but with hard work any one of us can improve our imaginative capabilities.
No: It is in the nature of creativity that it should be spontaneous, and not carefully manufactured. You can train your intelligence to learn more ideas, but in reality it is just imitation.
Or... It is neither one thing or the other. Some are born with a greater propensity for imagination and may not need to train it, but it is important to appreciate that even if you are not naturally imaginative, everything is not lost!
Titan - A family of giants in Greek mythology, used today to describe a person or thing that is very strong or important.
Eternal - Lasting forever.
Thesis - A long essay involving personal research.
Antiquity - The ancient past, especially before the Middle Ages.
Enlightenment - An intellectual movement of the eighteenth Century that ruthlessly criticised religion, traditions and inherited privilege.
Descartes - Rene Descartes was a 17th Century French philosopher, scientist and mathematician.
Egalitarian - Believing that everybody deserves equal rights and opportunities.
Predetermined - Decided in advance, and unable to be changed.
How to win friends and have more good ideas

Glossary
Titan - A family of giants in Greek mythology, used today to describe a person or thing that is very strong or important.
Eternal - Lasting forever.
Thesis - A long essay involving personal research.
Antiquity - The ancient past, especially before the Middle Ages.
Enlightenment - An intellectual movement of the eighteenth Century that ruthlessly criticised religion, traditions and inherited privilege.
Descartes - René Descartes was a 17th Century French philosopher, scientist and mathematician.
Egalitarian - Believing that everybody deserves equal rights and opportunities.
Predetermined - Decided in advance, and unable to be changed.