It takes a human being to create a work of art — just for the pleasure of self-expression. And it takes a human being to create an elaborate network of lies. Over the last few years we’ve witnessed an extraordinary and possible unique series of political lies — woven into a network of simple falsehoods, unfounded accusations, bizarre conspiracy theories, and even messianic belief systems.
Perhaps one of the most fantastic of these is the Q-Anon belief system which incorporates not only political lies but also the doctrine that Democrats — far from being mere human beings with different perspectives — are actually reptilian beings from another planet!
The fact that human beings are as eager and able as they to learn about and espouse such obvious nonsense shouldn’t, perhaps, be surprising. Imaginative beliefs about the causes and effects of natural events have been part of our inner world since the beginning of prehistory. Pantheons of gods, superstitions, alchemy, belief in various forms of magic — whether under the respectable guise of “mythology” or the more questionable mantle of “conspiracy theory” — have a great deal in common.
Most of us would say that human imagination is a wonderful thing. Without it, we would have little or no culture or art. Even economists, engineers, and scientists would be lost without the ability to envision and imagine. Yet the price we pay for our imaginations is incredibly high.
To what degree is imagination responsible for the ills of our world — from human sacrifices to the gods to a rabid belief in reptilian invaders? If we understand imagination as dangerous, is it ethical to try to control the fruits of imagination? What’s your opinion?