Tariq Mahmood Awan
Humans are superior. The fundamental cause is imagination. Imagination is the instinctive drive of humans. Imagination leads to creation, and the latter is the end of all means of human activities. Imagination is the unique insight of humans that transcends from matter to ideation. Imagination may be fantasy, inventiveness or ingenuity; however, it always leads to originality and creativity. Imagination may be the faculty or motion of constructing new visions, ideas, images, or notions of external objects not attending to the senses. Hence, it is a process of transcending the senses and constructing a far superior thought process. Hence, imagination is the foundation of a functional state and society. Then, art of imagination is far superior to imitation and replica.
Imagination is the foundation of the art of creation. A creative brain is an asset to a functional society. A productive community always celebrates the process of creation. However, imagination is intuitive and requires facing particular social, cultural and political challenges. The fabric of society is always inherently conservative and, therefore, does not accept the imagination, especially when it challenges the core of social, political and cultural dogmas. Hence, all creative humans have faced the wrath of social behaviors from their fellow humans. Then, creative people are free souls and lead the life of their choice. Imagination is always unstoppable despite facing multiple obstructions.
Creation is far superior to imitation. Creation is originality and founded on imagination, vision and superior faculties. Imitation or replication implies copying another person’s words, facial expressions, or actions. Thus, it entirely depends upon the other person’s imagination. Hence, it is inferior to the superiority of imaginative creation. Therefore, people should only encourage imagination and creation. However, it is not the case in conservative societies. The societies, states and systems which lack imagination and hinge on imitation lag in the social, cultural, political and even scientific aspects of individual and collective life. Imagination and creation are not only limited to art and literature. Instead, it covers all the individual and collective aspects of individual and collective life. Imaginative creation is critical in governance, politics, science, technology and education. Imagination helps boost the social, emotional, creative, physical, linguistic and cognitive development of individuals and society.
Unfortunately, the state and society in Pakistan hinge on imitation than imagination. To begin with, the educational syllabus, alongside activities, is more imitative than imaginative. Imitation develops more traditionalism than creativity. If Pakistan is to grow imaginative, it must ensure a creative syllabus. Imaginative creation should be the core principle of all educational activities, including lecturing, demonstration, testing and examination. Even the public recruitment processes must ensure imaginative creativity than imitation. The foundation of schools, colleges, and universities may be developed on creation, innovation and imagination. The superiority of imagination, if translated into educational transactions, shall ensure productive and effectual results. How can Pakistan’s state and society allow the development of the whole social, administrative and governance system on mere imitation and replica? Imitation of international social, cultural, and administrative designs is the negation of inherent talent, aptitude and knack. The state and society in Pakistan require original imagination in all aspects of individual and collective life.
Pakistani society does not accept imagination, as there is a conservative monopoly in all aspects of life. A new idea is often rejected out rightly. The first social response to the imagination is negative. Therefore, it is almost impossible to ask questions. There are social, cultural, religious, political-administrative and behavioral monopolies. Free thinking is discouraged socially and structurally. The fundamental reason to curb imagination is the insecurity of the powerful elite. The social, cultural, and political elite is fearful of their conservative and imitative roles. Society must realize that an enlightened and imaginative society can cope with the challenges of decay, fundamentalism and stagnation. There is a dire need to reform the behavioral tendencies of society so that imaginative work shall be encouraged. A behavioral change is an evolutionary process. The enlightened souls must carry on their mission. Although the challenge is daunting, however, persistence can make headway for imagination, originality and creativity. The day the art of imagination is replicated in the individual, and collective domains of Pakistani society, the process of development, growth, invention and creation shall begin immediately.
Then, creative souls are always unique. They face all the challenges and provide poetic justice to their imagination and creation. They are the torchbearers of change and transformation. Their spirits are always courageous. Society and the state must respect them and allow them to grow to their fullest imagination. A society that cuts the imaginative wings of creators is not healthy. Creative people are always an inspiration for people. At the same time, they are negated by the state and society, especially in developing societies. It is the primary reason Pakistan has yet to emerge as a functional state and society. The biggest challenge to imaginative creativity is the commercialization of the thought process. Hence, commercialization is not evil if regulated by professional ethical codes.
It is the imagination that provides us with visions of divinity. It connects us with our soul and transcends our sight beyond our senses. Therefore, it is the essence of human faculty and thought processes. Imagination is a unique insight and a process to invent, discover and reveal. Hence, the purity of imagination must be conceded, not discarded. We need to employ it in our individual and collective life. The social organizations in Pakistan, including society, should organize and replicate the process of imagination in all aspects of life. Then, it is also critical that state organizations, including legislature, executive and judiciary, adopt it as a way of the administrative, legislative and judicial mechanism to ensure better governance modules. There is a fundamental question, why is Pakistani society not producing national heroes from all walks of life? Why do we not have inspirational heroes in politics, governance, science, technology, sports, arts, literature and society? It is because the social, political and educational processes need to be more imaginative.
Hence, the art of imagination is the way forward for Pakistani society. An imitative society shall never grow. Therefore, Pakistani society must respect originality, creativity and innovation. Furthermore, we must respect original ideas, creative imagination and innovative ideation.
