Internet, smartphones, laptops and e-books. Most of us use them every day or at least have heard about them. They are simply our tools. How come they’re mentioned in the books of Stanisław Lem from over half a century ago? In “The Magellanic Cloud” (original title: “Obłok Magellana”) from 1955, he wrote about a large database of publicly available data that anyone could access through a small TV set. Sounds familiar? It’s also hard not to be surprised by what he wrote in “Return from the Stars” (“Powrót z gwiazd”) from 1961: “It was even similar to a book, but with just a single page between the covers. When touched, subsequent passages of text appeared on it.” Did he not astonishingly accurately describe e-books and Kindles?
A monster under the bed
For children whose imagination has not yet been limited by knowledge and experience, everything seems possible. Flying on a dragon, a purple fox, Santa Claus and talking animals? Why not? But also, a monster under the bed, ghosts or menacing shadows could also be real. Thanks to our imagination, we can get anywhere, anything is possible. It’s our imagination that drives us and changes the world, because, quoting Lem, “If people had only been doing what seemed possible, they’d still be in caves today.” Therefore, let’s allow our imagination run wild, going as far as imagining something that our rational brain objects to. Who knows where it’ll lead us?
Pictures and wild imagination
Are you eager to check how it works? Find a picture in the newspaper or on the Internet. Now each of you has to look at it and activate your imagination, creating an incredible story based on it. What does the photo show, how did it happen, what happened next? Then share your stories and enjoy their diversity.