Tim Winton
Tim Winton is one of Australia's best, most loved, and iconic writers. Some of his books are perennially on school curricula; others are almost embedded in our national psyche. Some I love, others I just don't get the whole deal, despite reading them three times!
He visited Maleny a few years ago to promote a book and I noted this quote down as he spoke as it felt full of wisdom and rich for exploration.
What this short sentence says to me is that in order to be a decent human, we pretty much have to be able to imagine the plight of others; try to understand their life experiences, and not assume that everybody is just like us
It seems if we are unable to empathise "put ourselves in their position; walk a mile in their shoes" or whatever, then we can't really pretend we are living a moral life. If our only point of view is our own; and we base our understanding and decisions on simply our own lived experiences; then we are not particularly good people.
It is a bit along the line of the notion that fiction teaches us empathy.
Using our imaginations, takes us out of our own lives and helps us consider others and their lived experiences, which can be so vastly different from our own. I often say there are so many worlds out there, when I slow down and realise how differently lives are lived for so many reasons.
So yes to Tim Winton's idea of using our imagination enabling us to live a moral life.
This huge tanker was carried 6km inland by the water surges and just left in this field. How so many people recovered and got on with their lives was an astonishing learning experience for us as we tried to imagine what it was like to recover from so much loss and devastation. B's friend Jeff (alongside me) led a lot of the Australian re-building effort.
I read about aphantasia some time back and still can't imagine (sorry, there's no other word that fits better) how there are people who literally cannot form an image in their minds ...
ReplyDeleteit's interesting how imagination and empathy seem to be so intertwined ... which leads to me wondering if imaginative (read artistic) folks are more inclined to be empathetic by virtue of their ability to mentally visualize, and even to see into the future of something they are making ... to literally use their imaginations ... perhaps that also explains why so much art is a commentary on morality (or the lack thereof)
I remember reading about that on your blog and thinking that maybe I have a bit of it? I try to close my eyes and see things; but the more I try the less I see. I imagine feelings and circumstances well; images not so much! I may investigate further. I do think that people who can't imagine, can't empathise. I am not sure that just because people can imagine, that they do empathise (I can think of a few grand artists who I doubt empathise much). It's a tricky link, but it is one thing I think about the current world of politics - so few can imagine a life other than their own privilege that I think many in positions of power can be described as immoral.
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