One of the unique abilities that human beings possess is the ability to imagine. Other animals are generally limited in their imagination as they typically only respond to survival instincts. Humans on the other hand, can creatively imagine themselves in a distant future.
Animals live in the moment and can only imagine things related to their immediate survival. For instance, an animal once it gets its food may not think much about the next meal until it’s hungry.
But humans are not only capable of thinking about what they will eat five years from today, they are also capable of spending much time creating an imagined future.
That sort of creative imagination has helped us make progress and dominate the earth as the human species.
Our greatest accomplishments, from the invention of vaccines to rockets, artificial insemination to artificial intelligence, invention of contraceptives to building skyscrapers are all feats achieved because humans creatively used their imagination.
Through our imagination we have created realities.
Now, this gift of imagining ourselves in a certain future is also laced with some poison.
It is hard to imagine a dog thinking about its next meal while having sex.
On the other hand, a human being who is having sex, is capable of, at the same time, thinking about his due rent, how the government taxes will affect him and whether arsenal will ever win the premier league.
We can agree that thoughts of your wicked landlord will not enhance your sexual experience. Neither will your thoughts of your next meal allow you to savour the meal at hand.
Our imagination helps us to miss the moment.
And the moment is all there is.
Fabio