Imagination

Every now and then I come up with a hypothesis that sounds correct and has the added benefit of being totally impossible to verify. That’s almost as good as knowledge.

My hypothesis for today is that a person’s need for social interaction is inversely related to the quality of his or her imagination. In other words, if you have an excellent imagination, you might enjoy people, but you’re equally happy to be alone with your thoughts for large stretches. To put it bluntly, you fascinate yourself.

A key part of my hypothesis is the assumption that people have widely different powers of imagination. This seems likely. People are all over the map for every other mental ability. Whatever is happening inside the mind of the person with the worst imagination on earth is clearly very different from what’s happening in the mind of the most creative.

Presumably, if you have no imagination whatsoever, you need to get all of your stimulation from the environment, mostly from other people, or at least TV shows about other people. You wouldn’t want to be alone with your thoughts for more than two minutes because your thoughts would bore the living piss out of you.

On the other end of the spectrum, if your imagination is extraordinary, interaction with other people will just get in the way of the incredible experiences you could otherwise be having entirely in your head.

Your question of the day: Do you have an unusually good imagination? If so, do you enjoy being alone more than most people?

Comments

[gargamel]

Well I might have read it in one of scott's books...frankly I dont really recall if some of my most dogmatic opinions actually did come to me or I read it in one of his books, so if thats the case sorry for paraphrasing him.

I understand that in general terms, there are people's persons and ideas persons. Some people need to interact with people most of the time to fell happy, and talk most of the time about other people, what happened to them and so on.
Ideas persons on the contrary find most of the things that usually happen to people and/or what they talk about boring, so they are most of the time alone(or in very closed groups), thinking about whatever ideas they like to spend their time brooding about. It doesnt matter really what are them, they always seem absolutely amazing to them and absolutely boring and useless to other people!

Im the ideas kind, but try to become something in the middle. Its quite difficult, cause most of the time things that happen to people or the things they talk about are quite boring to me. Somehow I preffer to discuss the truthfullness of the coriolis effect intead of the mortage payments or the million absolutely incredible things that a two year old does (I spent 4 hours listening to that once...I had enough for a lifetime, I guess its like scott says powerpoints, it's pretty only to its creator hehehe...)
However to all those ideas guys out there, if you open up a bit and end up being lucky, you might find one or two people's person that are inteligent and funny, and if you listen to them...you might end up learning a lot of things that will rock your world upside down. It happened to me just this year! Best thing ever!

[alice]

for me; yes and definately so...but first of all i believe it would mainly apply to having enough time to one's self to get in the frame of mind - and/or a certain boredom with life. if there's a way of avoiding reality, then hey time suites well for some entrancing illusion to drown deep into, though most cases in life there's no allowance for it unless your job specially benifits from it. it is a shame because imagination is what makes the world uniquie.also i think lonliness is somewhat under-rated.

[Don]

Seems true to me that imagination and sociability are inversely related more or less. However, the issue is controversial probably because of the many possible meanings of both words. For example, imaginative people may have a more imaginative definition of imagination (and of everything else for that matter). Also, there are people who can be amazingly imaginative when prompted, but would never dream of being that way on their own. Also, I've found that everyone considers their imagination as excellent and are highly insulted if their ability is doubted. I find this fact especially interesting because I find most people actually extremetly unimaginative.

[Becca]

Imagination=Built-in entertainment system.
I like spending time with my imagination, but when I get the chance to follow some sort of storyline or anything, the people around me decide they need to up my meds.

[Ryab Habner]

when you are a social person with a good imagination they give you riddlin. I have a wildly vivid imagination but I refuse to use my Mp3 player in public because the people i meet fuel better adventures in this head of mine. Example of a man who's social interactions have fueled great imagination: Steven King.
Think about it.
The problem with your inductive reasoning on this theory was that you seem to be imaginative but you are making this blog to ineract socially. i bet that such interaction inspires your writing anc comics. Am I right?

[alta]

yes. YES.

[rjburchett]

yes and yes

[Melody]

I am now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town. A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself. -Emily Bronte, novelist (1818-1848)

[Skippy]

Funny you mention this. I daydream. ALLOT. Like when I was a kid, I learned to shut up about it. Even now, at 28, I have these wonderful experences of bouts of imagnination.

Of course I have a really bad case of ADHD, so while I can keep a dream alive for months, if not years, I can bairly start and finish a project. Some times I wonder what would be better:P

[Maurice Condie]

You missed a bit;
"a person’s need for social interaction is inversely related to the quality of his or her imagination", minus their need to show off .
Think about it....

[Liz]

I think that having a lot of time alone can spur you to be more creative. Penelope Trunk wrote about this in her blog. Right now I'm in social science grad school and spend a lot of time alone in my lab, and I think about different things, write, have the urge to create. Before I came to grad school, when I was working full time, with a commute, not a lot of unstructured time due to a sports team and language classes, this creative side was dormant.

In terms of people time, this confuses me. Do you mean time alone, no conversation, no one around, no tv, no book, no internet, just time that you need to fill alone with your thoughts, writing, art, other solitary activity?
My spouse for example always finds a way to break the ice, is very good with meeting new people. It seems to me like that requires a kind of creativity. I'm not the worst person at that, but a lot of time I can't think of anything to say when I first meet someone. That seems like a lack of imagination on my part.

Most of the easy ideas I had when growing up about imagination and creativity have turned out not to be true. I don't think, for example, that art, design, humanities are more creative or are done by more creative and imaginative people than science, math or engineering, or even business.

How can you measure imagination anyway? How do people know where they fall on the imagination scale? Can you measure it by creative output? By failure to understand simple orders because of creative thinking? Witty anecdotes? Maybe imagination is a big zone, and is differently expressed in different people. Some people can write a beautiful fantastic story from their imagination, someone else has a creative invention, someone else has a business idea that revolutionizes their industry, someone else imagines what would be the key to getting to the next level in a video game...

Very nice blog you have.

[Liz]

I think that having a lot of time alone can spur you to be more creative. Penelope Trunk wrote about this in her blog. Right now I'm in social science grad school and spend a lot of time alone in my lab, and I think about different things, write, have the urge to create. Before I came to grad school, when I was working full time, with a commute, not a lot of unstructured time due to a sports team and language classes, this creative side was dormant.

In terms of people time, this confuses me. Do you mean time alone, no conversation, no one around, no tv, no book, no internet, just time that you need to fill alone with your thoughts, writing, art, other solitary activity?
My spouse for example always finds a way to break the ice, is very good with meeting new people. It seems to me like that requires a kind of creativity. I'm not the worst person at that, but a lot of time I can't think of anything to say when I first meet someone. That seems like a lack of imagination on my part.

Most of the easy ideas I had when growing up about imagination and creativity have turned out not to be true. I don't think, for example, that art, design, humanities are more creative or are done by more creative and imaginative people than science, math or engineering, or even business.

How can you measure imagination anyway? How do people know where they fall on the imagination scale? Can you measure it by creative output? By failure to understand simple orders because of creative thinking? Witty anecdotes? Maybe imagination is a big zone, and is differently expressed in different people. Some people can write a beautiful fantastic story from their imagination, someone else has a creative invention, someone else has a business idea that revolutionizes their industry, someone else imagines what would be the key to getting to the next level in a video game...

Very nice blog you have.

[Danae]

Somebody probably already said this but I don't have time to read through six billion posts:

Yes, I have a good imagination. Yes, I enjoy spending time with myself more than with other people. But the reason isn't usually just so I can frolic in my own head; it's because people, in general, bore/irrate/drain the crap out of me. I can only take so much 'people' before I have to resuscitate myself with some good alone time. Some people get their energy from interaction with others and are drained by being alone; some get it from alone time and are drained by others. And it may not have a thing to do with imagination. (See the Myers-Briggs definition of the difference between an introvert and an extrovert.)

That said, here's my own personal impossible-to-verify hypothesis: A person's IQ is inversely proportional to their appreciation for country music. ;-)

[shryko]

I'm going to sit on the fence and say it's too close to 50/50 to be accurately determined...

I mean, I can dream up great wonders, but then I tend to thinkof the real world and how much it, well, fails to live up to this... this leads to depressing negative thoughts... however, other times, I'll look at a problem, and see so many great possible solutions I get excited/happy... quite optimistic... however, when dealing with people, it's normally in the middle, a bit on the happy side...

[Polymath]

Yes, and yes.

[DAN RATHER]

Sometimes when I ride in my car I pretend there is a human or pre-human (neanderthal) riding shotgun and I explain all the elements of living today (it helps me realize how silly and how much we take for granted). They are simply amazed at how far we have come. :)

[Simon]

I have an incredibly vivid imagination (probably due to 14 years of D&D) and could quite happily sit by myself daydreaming from now until the end of time :)

[Silly Sod]

Best of all is if you are in the company of other people with brilliant imaginations. Most of my best friends (one in particular) are perfect for bouncing crazy ideas off of. i often wonder how crap I find normal conversations and how everyone else puts up with them.

On reflection: brilliant imaginations that enjoy the same topics are best. Tangential conversations sometimes dont work too well (e.g. I'm not interested in what sociologists think about, except to ridicule it)

My mums a sociologist (and a good one) but she has some funny ideas about power. I prefer maths and politics.

[Caircair]

I once took one of those personality tests, and came out exactly 51% introverted, 49% extroverted. As a result, I enjoy being with people about half the time -- but really REALLY need some solitude as well. If I had to go all one way or the other, I'd prefer my own company rather than having to endure the company of humanity.

[Stentor]

Mr. Adams,
I consider myself to have an unusually good imagination, since I am quite an avid reader, and always have been since the time I was a young boy. But there are two components to consider in your hypothesis, and I think you're only thinking about one in this instance. First is the need for social interaction with others, which you are covering in your hypothesis, the need for which may be mitigated by an imagination that can fill in for that type of interaction. But the one you're not considering is the human being's need for physical contact, or touch. I can only be by myself for so long before I have to be around people, in some public place, or circumstance, because I feel the need to touch, and be touched, by others, even if it is in a casual, and not intimate, social setting.

Granted, this comment is over 400 down from the original post, so I don't expect you to ever read this, or respond, but I felt I had to let you know that this may be a bit of a false dichotomy. That there may be a third type of person with an unusually good imagination, but is gregarious or extroverted enough to not want to spend large amounts of time by themself.

I recently read the article on CNN about you, your work, and home life. Good separation in the way you devote yourself to your work, and the rigorousness you insist upon. That shows a level of professionalism I feel shines through in the quality of your comic strip.

I currently work for a large Aerospace/Defense Contractor out here in El Segundo, California, you can probably figure out which one it is, starts with an 'R', and sometimes I wonder if you have cameras inside the plant, because your strips seem to be so spot on about the circumstances here.

Keep up the very good work.

[M.Adkins]

I always equated the same rule about personal deities....we need/search for what is missing in ourselves. So, being imginative and centered requires less "fate" and religious hand-holding. Imagination often equals empathy, IMHO...

[Gimble]

Your post makes a lot of sense and seems very logical.

Personally, I feel my strongest when I have time to myself, but I very much enjoy time with other people.

Actually, experiences with others help add more to my imagination when I'm alone.

[Ben]

I embarrass myself, when I'm alone all the time. I'll catch myself singing to a stupid song and then tell myself (out loud) how stupid I must look singing to that, then I tell myself (out loud), how crazy I must be for telling myself out loud that I look stupid singing to a song.

It's a vicous circle that always makes my laugh in the end.

[Jens]

Actually, this seems very true for me. I do like to be on my own for remarkable time spans and I would say (and others do to) that I have plenty of vivid imagination. I actually sometimes write down those things I imagine if I find them especially fascinative.

Never thought though that the two facts could somehow depend on each other.

[Wolfger]

I think you're spot-on this time, Scott.

[naz]

I often fascinate myself. I'm sure everybody does it. Some more frequently than others.

[CKGO]

I like being alone and getting into imaginary universe when I am travelling (to work / long distances). Thats when you are not obliged to talk to anybody.

[Cathy]

No, definitely not. I have very little imagination and am not creative at all (analytical, yes) but I positively need to be alone for a decent proportion of my time. Don't watch TV either.

[John-Boy]

I tried my imagination //
But I was disturbed...

Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to?

I wonder how many people read the post and had the initial reaction of IQ=1/Creative?

Curious, not imaginative....

[DCM]

I'm glad to see so many other loners. I always knew I wasn't alone, though I prefer to be...

[Owen]

I got to this kinda late, damn!

I'm a security guard. I mostly guard construction sites, nights at distrobution centers, places where there isn't supposed to be anyone but me. Other than the dismal pay, I really dig it. The company has very high turnover, even though you don't have to actually do anything, and you only have to have a pulse to get hired.

I've long speculated that I enjoy my job because I am very good at entertaining myself, and most people can't keep their own company very long. I usually bring a lot of stuff to do, and more often than not I have an internet connection, but I *have* spent a few 12-hour shifts just thinking to myself. I usually spend a couple of hours every day just running through little projects in my head.

Every once in a while a worker will come to the site for a little overtime, and bore the shit out of me for an hour or two. They often actually seem to feel sorry for me. Poor ol' me, getting paid to do nothing except what I want to do, while they get to roll rocks up a hill or whatever.

Mark that up as anecdotal evidence.

[Listo Entertainment]

I enjoy some people a lot, specially open-minded beautiful girls.

I'm not so sure about my imagination, it's enough to draw my own comics (El Listo, in Spanish) and entertain other people, but it's not enough to entertain myself. When I'm alone I prefer to be connected to books, movies, comics or internet, non-stop.

[Unlucky Me]

When things get slow at work my imagination starts to kick in. I find myself in a world totally different (aka a world where I have lots of money and don't have to work). In my head I write the story of how it all happens. Sometimes I'm randomly picked to star in a movie, sometimes I get big bucks in a lawsuit, sometimes I kill someone for it. Wait, I did that last one last week . . .

[Tim]

Good imagination, usually don't have any trouble staying away from people for long periods of time.

[Michael]

Leave me alone. I'm busy.

:P

[patricia]

I don't have an unusually good imagination and I prefer to spend most of my time alone.

[Joe]

http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20070320-000001.html

[Cyrus]

I like the company of people, but sometimes I really enjoy being by myself for an entire day. Did I mention that I crack myself up a lot with my imagination. You might have something there Scott.

Cyrus
http://blog.uible.com

[Rol]

Scott, this really seems like the smartest thing I've read on the internet in ages. (But then...)

I've always been very happy in my own company, and never get bored because I've always got a hundred things going on, especially in my head (occasionally they even get out of my head and onto paper / pc, but not as often as I'd like).

My girlfriend on the other hand, despite being very intelligent, doesn't consider herself particularly creative (though I wouldn't say she lacks for imagination, she doesn't really get lost in it), and therefore has a far greater need for company than I do. She considers me antisocial (she's right!), but finds it hard to understand that I'm happy that way.

[Johnboy]

I like to be alone, but it's more my raging inner monologue than 'imagination' as such. My inner voice seems to talk independently, philosophying on various topics. I find it rather more interesting to listen to than other people.

Hold on, maybe this makes me a schizo....

[Jeorme]

Yes.

Now leave me alone....

[Tomas]

Interesting thing is that I never thought about it before as an opposite to many other social interaction ideas. But the answer is yes and yes..

Greetingas from Lithuania

[The One]

Perhaps you're right.

But then going by the long list of people nodding in agreement, I guess it is only a very flattering thing for misanthropes like me to think of our type.

[Carl]

I believe part of the reason I have such a freely active imagination was beause I grew up very alone with no siblings, parents at work all the time, and no friends. This coupled with a mound of comic books and the writings of JRR Tolkien, yes I read them when I was eight, left me to my own imagination. This has cuased me to become an adult who has a very strong imagination and allows me to go for stretches of time without social interaction. So it's really a question of what came first, the chicken or the exestential egg?

[Joe]

It may not have to do entirely with imagination. I think it is more likely an issue of thinking. I enjoy ideas and thinking and talking about ideas. My thoughts are the most fascinating things in my universe. I do often find myself drifting off during the day, but I zone out with my own thoughts and black out my surrounding environment. Someone who isn't good at think or doesn't like thinking about ideas wouldn't like to be alone.

[AviD]

Don't know if anyone else has made this comment yet (there are just too damn many, and they are not as funny as you)

But an "active" imagination is not necessarily a "good" imagination. That is, one can have a highly active, powerful imagination, that is busy dreaming up nightmarish scenarios or halucinogenic conversations which only take place in your head.
That type of person would actively seek out the company of others, for the exact opposite reason you hypothesize that "good" imaginers would avoid them.
So it's kind of an inverse bell graph: "good" imaginers are happy to be alone, whereas "bad" imaginers prefer not to be - and the level of activity of that imagination only serves to amplify that effect.

Wow, Scott, I really think you're on to something here - totally explains the difference between me and my wife...!!

(Alright, all together now - IAWYAOYH!)

[Emy L. Nosti]

I've freely gone weeks without human interaction and enjoy spending time alone, but I'm not sure I have an incredible imagination. I certainly can entertain myself for hours, but usually I'm thinking about things I've read or new ideas I've had or my own oberservations. I can't visualize well enough to get absorbed in that sort of thought, and my thoughts aren't too far out of real possibility, so I'm not sure if that makes me imaginative. I'm good at thinking outside the box though, if that qualifies.

[Hoppitygibbit]

Yes. Yes. I can spend hours daydreaming all by myself. I often need to get away just to be alone with my thoughts. Mindless drivel from induhviduals drives me nuts.

[Wendy]

Finally! Thanks for pointing this fact out Scott.

My sister is one of those who always has to be doing something and have some kind of outside stimulation while I am one of those who is content to spend hours staring out into space.

I always thought it must be because my sister had a imagination deficit or something but our culture tends to approve of people like this while looking down on people like us.

Now the cat is out of the bag and I hope it's claws puncture a few over-inflated egos. ;)

[Lari]

Well Scott, you might be onto something.

But how would you measure people's imagination reliably?

[Romby]

*poof*
That's the sound of your theory bursting. We have Dilbert... we don't need imagination anymore :)

Yep. Cartoons, books, movies, games on computers, chat-rooms... Your theory would have been great if you made it in mideval times... oh... no, it wouldn't work then either... it would work even worse. In mideval times you either work your ass off all day (99%) or being invited to more social gatherings than attendable for one person (1%). The last number includes the king of the country (0.0000001%)

[Argenbert]

totally.

[Duncan Stibbard Hawkes]

You're assuming that having an interesting time 24/7 is always what you want.

[Cally]

I have a very expansive imagination, I also like people. The fact that I like people makes other people think that I do not like being by myself. I do enjoy being by myself, it's just that I can do that at any time, at but I can only talk to this particular person right then. This has earned me the reputation amoung my peers as:

That wierd social artist girl that will never talk to you again if you tell her that she is too social.

...Did any of that make sense?

[LJP]

This question strikes me as being too much like those supermarket astrology guides that say: "If you're a __________ [fill in your favorite zodiac sign], then you're more imaginative than most. You enjoy being around people, but often enjoy being by yourself." And every __________ [fill in your favorite zodiac sign] who reads it says, "Wow, they're right! That describes me perfectly!" So, in actuality, Scott, what you've created is the PERFECT hypothesis -- a self-proving one!

[malignor]

I'm extremely imaginative & creative. I can also spend hours and hour alone with blank paper, scribbling down ideas and doodling pictures & technical diagrams of the things I'm pondering.

I bet if I had just one day a week to myself like that, I'd have come up with something profound. Not necessarily the cure for cancer, but you never know...

[Nick]

Huh,? Did you say something? I wasn't listening.....

[TW]

I have a very active imagination and often amaze even myself with some of the preposterous ideas I come up with. I do like being alone with my thoughts, but I also enjoy being with other people. I humbly admit to them that I find myself endlessly fascinating, and derive great pleasure in sharing my stories and thoughts to stimulate their otherwise boring existence. Captive audiences are most fun, I can build up their enthusiasm and motivation slowly, throw out some illogical premise just as I have them at their peak, then intersperse wisdom with nonsense for a roller coaster ride conclusion, and leave most of them scratching their heads wondering if I inspired them or insulted them. It's amazing how many people compliment me afterwords for my articulate interpretation of whatever issue I've addressed. Public speaking then becomes another reinforcement for remaining fascinated with myself.

[Pedro]

Scott,
I don't see much correlation there.
But I live in Brazil, so it's probably a cultural difference.
Your hypothesis is as verifiable as any psychological hypothesis. The trickiest part would be measuring “imaginativity”. But I’m pretty sure we could come up with reasonable definition and measuring methods for it.

[Amber]

Scott, you're right on target. I like being with people, but sometimes I wish they'd shut up so I could get on with my daydreaming.

[Erich Neubert]

I have an amazing imagination, and I can't stand being around people. I also think Intelligence plays a factor.

[Dossy Shiobara]

Scott: Chicken vs. egg. Perhaps people with vivid imaginations weren't interacted with as much as children, thus being forced to find amusement within their own heads.

I love to interact with people, but I certainly have a very active imagination--ask anyone who knows me, they'll tell you I practically live in an alternate reality. However, no matter how bizarre or unusual my imagination, it's not very interesting because I already know what's coming: it's coming from my own head, after all.

Interacting with others is interesting because no matter how boring and predictable they are, I always stand a non-zero chance of being surprised every now and then. That, to me, makes it worth the effort.

[Dale]

fully agree, a good imagination can simply create people and conversations at will. Now going back into my hole filled with amazing things and people...

[Dale]

fully agree, a good imagination can simply create people and conversations at will. Now going back into my hole filled with amazing things and people...

[Gene]

Proof of people having poor imaginations is the prevalence of Reality TV programs

[Simon Jester]

"Do you have an unusually good imagination?"

I have no idea. Mine is the only one I have access to, so I have no way of telling how unusual it is.

[sunflower]

The truth is nothing less than an obvious lack of an ellaborate immagination-
Garak, Star Trek DS9

[E]

Scott,

I probably do have an over-active imagination, but I'm not sure that I enjoy being alone more.

When I was a kid, my extremely vivid imaginary friends just ignored me and played among themselves.

So, while alone quite a bit, I'm not sure I enjoy it :)

My theory is that irony has a hard wired genetic component, either you have it or you don't.

[Cathy D.]

It is imagination only that occupies one's mind, or is it a lively inner life of any kind? For example, I don't make up imaginative stories...but I do like to ponder problems, examine the nature of life, delve into the mysteries of the universe. It that imagination, or some ability of complex thought?
I certainly enjoy the company of others...but I really like being alone.

[pierre]

I do

[Taffy]

I'm so dull and boring i was the kid next doors imaginary friend...

[Dalebert]

I go nuts if I don't have a certain amount of alone time. I do feel a need for some social interaction but only a very measured amount and then I'm ready to get away from it, particularly in crowds like clubs or parties. Recently I've gone on a long sabbatical to write a fantasy novel so I would say that yes, I do have a good imagination.

This anecdotal evidence is proof. Your theory is as good as confirmed!

[Thomas Crisp]

Thats pretty spot on. But conversing with people who have the same level of crazy imagination beats having some quality time alone, but it's finding those people.

[Thomas Crisp]

Thats pretty spot on. But conversing with people who have the same level of crazy imagination beats having some quality time alone, but it's finding those people.

[Vikram]

I often have witty simulated conversations with varied characters (real and fictitious)in my head. The real world conversations always seem a downer compared to them.

[Prashant]

I figured this out way before you did. Just FYI.

[Kim]

I find that I over think a lot of things, and make up stories for myself about people that never match up the real ones.

And I have, throughout my life, had to work on keeping friends, or else I just allow us to drift apart as I sit happily at home by myself.

[Chester]

I've had that same thought before, and I think it's true. I'm very imaginative and other people just tend to distract me from the cool ideas I have.

[Praetorian]

I have a bombastic imagination.
I used to ahte being alone, now I find if I do not get some quality alone time I get very stressed.

I do not enjoy being with people just for the sake of mingling with the herd. Listening to people drone on about dreary mundane things such as sports, American Idol or their clueless political or theological philosphies is tedious (Not to say that I do not enjoy the same conversations with informed intelligent people! I love being with my friends and talking about both weighty issues AND how cool Spiderman 3 was or discussing the new Terry Pratchett book.)

On the flip side, my imagination is DARK. Stephan King/Edgar Allen Poe/H.P. Lovecraft sort of dark, so too much time alone breeds very morbid visions.
I find that an occassional healthy dose of "My baby threw up three times yesterday. Wanna see the pcitures?" or "How 'bout them Broncos?!" and "Isn't President Bush doing a great job of persecuting the devil worshipping godless heathens" or "Baby Jesus loves you unless you are gay or Mexican" just the thing to drive the night visions away! So at times getting back to the "real world" is the perfect garlic for my imaginary vampyres.
Praetorian

[jamie, derby]

I have a terrible imagination but 99% of the people I meet bore the piss out of me - so I hate the company of people. That doesn't fit your theroy.

[Ascii King]

The big imagination argument is just a rationalization. We both know it is neurotic fear that keeps you holed up in your office.

[Ian Ferguson]

I agree, within reasonable limits. Consider autism - a very autistic person will be more than happy in his own thoughts, and not see the need for much human interaction; and (in the vast majority of cases) be capable of enormous imagination and attention to detail, expressing itself in creative ways or collection of knowledge.
I find autism interesting - in that it's a spectrum, not a specific condition that one person has and another hasn't. It correlates with your theory, but whether it is a cause or an effect is a matter of some debate.

[Brett]

I imagine myself in social situations being the life of the party.

[S@ns S@nity]

I think an important perimeter in this is...

How many people below who claim to be extremely imaginative, have smoked weed for a significant period of time in their life (you might have left it now). People who do pot for a while seem to develop a view that they are very imaginative, and it may not be a correct evaluation. If you feel like your imagination is incredibly heightened by pot, then probably without it ur just average in imagination.

But for once I agree with your hypothesis completely, scott. People who can't live without talking to other people for 2 minutes are either bored or scared of their thoughts

[Billy B]

I enjoy the monkey people, but I'm okay with being alone also. My amazing mind keeps me plenty busy.
Billy B

[anon]

I enjoy being alone more than I enjoy most people.

[Michael]

Do I have an unusually good imagination? There is no scale by which I can measure this however I do enjoy my own company more than most people I know (I don't really know the other people like me.....they are busy avoiding myself and everyone else to enjoy the party in their minds). I can entertain myself with my own thoughts, ideas and subsequent outlets for hours on end without giving thought to another person. I don't dislike people, I just don't rely on them for entertainment and self-justification. My wife who can't be alone for more than about 2 seconds has always said that I'm comfortable in my own shoes. I like my own shoes and they show no sign of wearing out.

[Jersey Girl]

Your hypothesis is true for some, but not all. My prospective husband has a great imagination, and isn't very sociable. He's mostly preoccupied with the ancient world, warfare, LotR (he actually knows a little Elf-ish), Star Wars, Nazis, etc.

My imagination isn't so much as great, but overly active. I see people or a situation, and I come up with a story that sets up or concludes the scenario that I had witnessed. Because I want to see how something actually pans out, I'm a bit more extroverted.

Perhaps subject matter of the imagination should be factored to create a model that predicts levels of introverted-ness.

[Joe]

I have an excellent imagination. I also value others who do as well, and spend time reading books they wrote or playing music they wrote as well as my own. I believe we all have potential for a rich imagination but many have allowed themselves to become so socially engineered that the playgrounds of their imaginations have been bulldozed over and replaced with a generic virtual strip mall.
These are the people that get all Hallmark greetings sentimental over friends and such, but I find them extremely shallow as they've all molded themselves into one or another archetype that;s been defined by the control grid.

[Ibid]

I used to be in the gifted class. Those classes ended when I started high school. My senior year they finally started a gifted program in the high school and wanted me back in. There was a meeting of me, my parents, my teachers, the administrators, and the woman in charge of the program. She started listing all the stuff she hoped to accomplish with me over the year. When she said "We want to improve his creativity." half the teachers and the vice principal screamed "NO!"
I've always preferred being alone. It made punishing me a tricky task.

[What's that?]

That would make xenophobes (AKA programmers) the MOST creative people. My ideal vacation is a week alone in the basement. Sisyphus was right.

[Jeff]

public decency laws being what they are, when my imagination really gets going, it's best that I'm not around other people if I need to be facinated with myself...

[Beckieo]

Yes, my imagining gland is functioning quite well. I'm usually happy to spend time with myself.

An active imagination is sometimes a curse. Sometimes the little bits and pieces of overheard conversations lead to the oddest story lines.

Also, if you have a vivid imagination, can't you just imagine that you are comfortable keeping your own company?

[Mirky]

I hate how right you are.

Theres another interesting angle here tho, that talking with people is fascinating to see how (1) people with worse imaginations cope with life or, rarely but far more intriguing, (2) how other peoples imaginations work. The later also helps to stop seeing yourself as the sole centre of the universe.

[Greg]

"You wouldn’t want to be alone with your thoughts for more than two minutes because your thoughts would bore the living piss out of you."

What happens if imagination is inversely correlated with boredom threshold?

[Marc]

Did anyone admit to not having a good imagination?

Also I think you may just conducted an inadvertent poll of the sociability (and therefore stereotypical internet nerdiness) of your readership. They haven't scored well.

Finally it would be possible to verify this; just because you're too lazy and/or not smart enough to think of a way doesn't make it fudamentally impossible. Props on the narcissism though...

[Steve]

What I have noticed is that people tend to prefer being around intelligent people, someone smarter or as smart as themself.

[Nick]

Did you say something. Sorry, I wasn't listening....

[uPoduh]

I am a technocrat, winning awards for various innovative products i develpoed. Besides work, I am an poet and a writer, so i guess i should find myself in the higher layers of imaginative spectrum.

I love meeting with people and talking to them, but I do like spending time alone too. So, where does it leave me ?

Its not the right thing to generalize human behavior and u seem to do that an awefully lot Scott.

[Ray]

Everyone must believe they have a good imagination as they would find it impossible to imagine a better one, no?

[uPoduh]

I am a technocrat, winning awards for various innovative products i develpoed. Besides work, I am an poet and a writer, so i guess i should find myself in the higher layers of imaginative spectrum.

I love meeting with people and talking to them, but I do like spending time alone too. So, where does it leave me ?

Its not the right thing to generalize human behavior and u seem to do that an awefully lot Scott.

[Jim]

I've no idea about my imagination... not being able to get into other peoples minds I have no point of reference to measure mine against. But it seems pretty good to me.

Regarding people. I generally dislike people and I always assume new people fall into this group. I find the majority of people tediously dull and most of the remainder are interesting only in the "car-crash" sense. I know that interaction with people is always important, and I prefer the company of just a few people at a time but I am very happy on my own. I don't watch much TV as 99% of it is mindless junk.

I wonder if the theory works the other way? If you can assess the capabilities of a persons imagination by their interest(or lack of) in other people.

[PaulyB]

I'm far to busy imagining things to wash.
For some reason I don't get on well with other people.
I think you're onto something.

[Josh]

I can't read fiction or watch most movies because of this - I constantly daydream while I'm doing it because the crap in my head interests me more than the crap in someone else's. I consider myself to have a pretty good imagination, and I hate talking to people, but I'm nearly autistic, so, you know, it may be related to that.

[Devin]

Hi Scott,

While I know it will probably irritate your many readers that I bring up the topic of free will, I was interested to see what you thought of the following article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070516/sc_nm/flies_freewill_dc_1;_ylt=AoBOD6YoC_s3OP6HHdIFJmwE1vAI

Tht title is "Defending free will: A fruit fly makes choices". It contains two references to scientific experiments on free will. I was interested in your take on both of them. For the record, I'm uncertain on what I believe in regards to free will, but I enjoy reading your thoughts on the subject.

So what do you think? Go!

[William Skyvington]

King Louis XIV of France was rarely alone. He even invited members of his court into his bedroom every morning to accompany him while he was sitting on his chamber pot.

Maybe certain readers of this blog might be tempted to reply to Scott's questions: "I'm a really dumb bastard. I have zero imagination, and my brain stops functioning as soon as I'm alone. I'm so terrified by the idea of not being surrounded by other people that I even ask my wife to stay with me and talk to me while I'm defecating on the bathroom throne."

But most readers are likely to say: "I'm an imaginative genius. I don't need friends."

Scott's little blog games often give me the impression that we readers are participating in the lab sessions of some kind of a psychology class based upon the books of Dale Carnegie and Robert Cialdini. Or maybe Scott Adams is simply using us as guinea pigs to help him in writing his own book, to be called "How to Write Blogs and Indoctrinate Readers".

[SJ]

I do have more active imagination than average. I also love hanging out.
Active imagination helps me to have better *Ahem* self help sessions. I've written my own porn and then jerked off to it.

[Jan]

I don't have much imagination, but I do tend to live in my head and am a compulsive information collector and integrator.

While I need a lot of time alone, I appreciate interaction:
1) when I've had enough time alone to wind down,
2) on my own terms,
3) with selected people.

Are introverts born or made?
I'm INTP. As a kid I was rejected by my peers, so maybe I just got used to being alone and learned to enjoy it. Or maybe I was already relatively introverted to begin with?

[Rosemary]

A good imagination, yes, and I adore being alone. I would be quite happy to live the rest of my life in my own company.

[wonderchops]

love the irony

contributing to a blog is a sure sign of needing to belong to a community, interact, etc

thus, when your loyal readers answer "yes! yes!" they actually mean "no! I'm too ugly to be seen in public!"

[SiggeLund]

I have infamous imagination. I mainly use it to bother my environment. This means that I need and enjoy the company of others.

[Linne]

I'll have to ask "Chucky", my alter ego, and get back to you. Thank you for your patience.

[zed]

to those who wrote with the blanket criticisms of other readers comments and called them out as trying to be special or be something they're not based on their comments, i ask you: isn't the only thing more pretentious than people giving themselves too much credit is people like you for thinking you have any inkling of what goes on in other peoples minds?
maybe it's You that's trying to be more than what you are for claiming to know diddly squat about others and trying to blow the whistle on it.
and perhaps, as i believe, far more people are imaginative and special than many would guess ..although with the attitude you have re: claiming to Know people you'd never meet them.
zed

[Marxist]

I have an imagenation of scientist on LSD and hash.

[jim geraghty]

In my imagination I am hugely sociable; outgoing, friendly, popular - it is a social whirlwind. Trouble is, it is so good there that I have no real friends...

;-)

[Lag]

You forget that social interactions are not the only way to get hold of the best output of other people's imagination.
I have a really crap imagination: never had a single good idea (although I have been accepted by Mensa - never went to a single meeting by the way - as a member), but I don't need anyone. I can just enjoy myself with books.

[Dmitry Z]

You seem right on that connection. I have a wild imagination and really don't care how much time I spend without other people plus I can't watch TV shows of any sort. I am thoroughly fascinated by myself, although good books come in handy, as well as good-looking girls.

[Neeraj]

Well...I think a lot...and i keep a thot in my mind for long...without discussing it with neone...so by ur hypothesis, i shd be an extraordinary thinker :)

[Adam]

I dunno. I'm not most people.

[GeoffB]

There was a character in Dirk Gently's Detective Agency who left long messages on people's answering machines because he needed to talk out his ideas and using a recorder would be like talking to himself. I understand this completely. I like to tell myself that I'm reasonably social and enjoy talking with other people, but it may be that I enjoy talking TO other people, which is slightly different. I always laugh at the cartoons where people are trying not to be part of the boss' hallucination, but I suspect I'm the boss, not his victims.

[rusty]

what can you be thinking????

Like people with big imaginations don't like f*cking with other people, and I'm not talking about SEX here.

Hey our president has a giant imagination - as nothing he does is helping our country and he isn't f*cking the country by himself.

[Michael A. Banks]

I have an excellent imagination. Certified by my therapist. She also notes that having such a fine imagination is what makes me think of other women during sex.

[Detton]

A bit late but yes, I think I fit well into that theory. I'm creative, and I don't get along well with most people.

Or perhaps they don't like hanging around me because they think i'm too wierd...

Either way.

~Detton

[Robby]

I'm always wary of anything that seems like an oversimplification. Obviously, some people enjoy being alone more than others do, but, given how complicated the human mind is, to say that this tendency is entirely dependant on imagination seems incredibly foolish.

That said, I can't prove that you're wrong.

[ZF]

Yep, I have a fantastic imagination and I hate being with ppl.
Whenever I'm alone, I start imaginating myself killing you. Neat.

[Donizen]

Very much so. I was discussing this with a Netfriend just this morning. She said she is so bored and feels something is missing in her life, namely someone to come home to and talk about her day, and to be held and told that she means something to someone.
To me, being bored is an insult to yourself. I adore time to myself, and also thoroughly enjoy time with my friends.
I also believe that your happiness comes from within, and find it of concern when friends say things that imply their happiness depends on other people.
I have always been told that I think differently to everyone else. And also asked why am I so happy all the time.
I enjoy reading this blog for the insights it gives me and the new ideas that I can float around in my head. We all need some inspiration occasionally.

[Kevin Kunreuther]

[Your question of the day: Do you have an unusually good imagination?]

Yes

[If so, do you enjoy being alone more than most people?]

Yes

Ah, but there is a qualifier:
There are times when I hate hate hate being alone with my thoughts by myself, so I go out and mix with people, even if I sit in a Starbucks, Arby's, city park or a local bar and don't say boo to anyone, just being around others, still alone with my thoughts, is enough.

[Kevin Kunreuther]

[Your question of the day: Do you have an unusually good imagination?]

Yes

[If so, do you enjoy being alone more than most people?]

Yes

Ah, but there is a qualifier:
There are times when I hate hate hate being alone with my thoughts by myself, so I go out and mix with people, even if I sit in a Starbucks, Arby's, city park or a local bar and don't say boo to anyone, just being around others, still alone with my thoughts, is enough.

[Jonathan]

"I do not like the human race
I do not like its silly face"

and I have a wonderful imagination.

[James R. Mitchener]

I must admit, I do enjoy my company more than the company of others. I am far from antisocial, but there are just so many things I come up with that I can't be bothered to explain to those without an imagination. It is fun, however, to watch those who need to feed off others in order to be happy.

[Sondra]

Yes.
Yes.

[Adam James]

The problem with your hypothesis is that you're not taking into account optimism/romance vs. pessimism/cynicism/realism. If someone is an optimist or a romantic they will enjoy their imagination because their ideas and fantasies will be enjoyable, while pessimists, cynics, and realists will have ideas and fantasies fitting with their view on life and will end up depressing or frightening themselves. So if someone is content or happy with their life they will enjoy being alone with their thoughts. Given that ignorance is bliss this means that people who will be most likely to be entertained by their thoughts are those who are ignorant and yet have an amazing imagination.

Please note that ignorant is not a synonym for stupid. Ignorant refers to a lack of knowledge in a particular area while stupid refers to the incapability to apply the knowledge that one does have.

[D. Mented]

WOW! Spot on, old man!
Real humans rarely entertain me as much as my imagination (of course, when they do, imagination is suddenly a far distant second, but that's very rare. Usually when someone's being silly)
If I'm off work, I can spend my time between meditating and daydreaming all week and be irritated when somebody calls me up on the weekend. I don't pine for company at all.
I used to like people more and my imagination less until I realised that I don't have much of a knack for finding people who are more entertaining than I am (I'm not very, and I know it)
I have an observation about how much people like socialising, though; some people are just good at it. They find humor in about anything and can communicate this to others. I try to learn from them when I have the chance, but I certainly don't have the talent, so my interactions with others drag unless somebody else picks things up.
D. Mented

[Amanda]

I do think that rings relatively true. I know of a friend who has an insane imagination, and is ALWAYS content being alone. I, on the other hand, have a pretty vivid imagination. I feel I need people around me, but enjoy my time alone just as much.

[KiwiAtaahua]

Regarding introverts, here is a vital source of information: Caring For Your Introvert: http://www.jonathanrauch.com/jrauch_articles/caring_for_your_introvert/index.html

As the motto says: "I'm okay, you're okay - in small doses."

[kevin]

Yes and yes, to both questions.

[Vinceland]

"Every now and then I come up with a hypothesis that sounds correct and has the added benefit of being totally impossible to verify."

Scott, I call these "Grave Generalizations", and they are awesome and always right on.

VRL

[KiwiAtaahua]

“A fair bit” and “yes”.

To butcher a quote:
“Small minds talk about people. Medium minds talk about events. Great minds talk about ideas.”

To talk about great ideas – from physics to social theory – you’ve got to have a mountain of imagination to drive the hypotheses.

Which is probably why I mostly talk about events.

[Seth]

I have a good imagination, but it doesn't take much to fascinate me: I'll spend hours inspecting tiny details on mundane objects. Other people tend to get my imagination exercised.

[Chris Honkala]

I agree with your hypothesis.

I definitely have a good imagination, and enjoy having time to myself regularly.

...you ARE talking about masturbation right???

[Peter C. Hayward]

I have a ridiculously large imagination, and have lived alone for large periods of time, however I get very, very lonely. After about 4 days with no real-person contact, I go nuts.

So I would argue that I am an exception to the rule, if it is a rule. I could be wrong though.

[Claire]

Could imagination/loner-ness be related to birth order? I'm the youngest child and can't stand to be alone (no fascinating imagination to keep me entertained - but lots of older siblings to do the trick). My husband is the oldest and could live on the proverbial deserted island pefectly content.

[Karl]

There could be another factor at work in this hypothetical correlation: overly imaginative people often can't control their imaginations -- I know I can't always control mine.
This can lead to, for lack of a better term, "social awkwardnesses."
IE, people speaking directly to me for minutes on end, only to then ask my opinion and find that instead of listening to them I've been trying to figure out how turtles could have evolved shells.

So, while some overly imaginative people may avoid social interaction, other overly imaginative people may find social interaction avoiding them!

[kL]

I'm a proof that the reverse is certainly false.

I have no imagination. I can draw very well, but only when copying reality, I'm totally incapable of creating any original art (fruit bowl = great, dragon = wha?)

I work as a programmer. You could think that there's some creative thing in it... no-no. All the little creative things are called algorithms (think: big, boring books) and all the big ideas are called programming patterns (even bigger books that almost look like written in a human language), and the rest is patented by Amazon and Microsoft already.

Programming (alone) can keep me entertained, even if there's no imagination or creativity involved (as long as you remember those big boring books).

[Rick Bell]

That is a dead on observation. At the risk of sounding arrogant I have always been known for being extremely imaginative and creative. My ability to entertain myself even from an early age led my mother to write a poem about the little boy who wasn't lonely on his solo walks to school. Though I don't recollect it, I said something along the lines of "I'm not lonely, I have my mind."

Too this day I enjoy social interaction at times, but often prefer time alone. Drives my wife crazy--the dullard. :)

[Kelly]

Although I read the blog every day, I think I've only posted once before. Mostly I agree with what you say and figure that with the several hundred other comments, my brief "Right on!" post would be superfluous. But I just can't pass this one up. Of all your hypotheses, I think this one's the most accurate.

If I committed some horrendous crime, solitary confinement would hardly count as punishment for me. I can spend hours upon hours upon hours alone and be perfectly happy, because there's never a shortage of things to think about or imagine. The workings of my own brain are in fact the most fascinating thing in the world to me. It's not that I don't need social interaction, but I can only take it in small doses, and preferably not in large groups. Most of my super imaginative friends are the same way: they either avoid most interaction with other people or can simply take it or leave it, because their own company is always as or more absorbing than anyone else's.

On the other hand, I've known people over the years who couldn't conjure up a speck of imagination if their lives depended on it, and solitude terrifies them. I worked with one of them today, in fact, and came close to strangling her a dozen times because she WILL NOT SHUT UP. She never even says anything worth hearing, just repeats mundane inanities. Truly, this woman is constitutionally incapable of imagination or critical thinking of any sort, and she despises solitude. She'll sit next to a perfect stranger and jabber his ears off rather than face her own company for two minutes.

So, right on, Scott! I think you summed up the phenomenon perfectly.

[KidZee]

hmmm.. but yes, I do have a decent imagination, and I like to spend time by myself. And I do notice that someone on my team is itching to be with people. She does seem to lack imagination. Good theory. I will forward her this link

[RocketSurgeon]

The comments here are surprisingly creepy. I often enjoy solitude, but I only think of myself as slightly above average in creativity, but it is possible that I am just overestimating other people on a creativity scale.

[Yitzi]

Yes, and yes.

[tom]

yes and yes

[Adrian]

yes
and no

[le Big MAC]

No one here has asked, but do you have a good imagination? Everyone daydreams. Everyone thinks of ideas. It's why we're better than porpoises. I offer some clues:
Did you answer Yes/No and Yes No to this post? If so, your imagination may be lacking.
Are you very lonely? Actually, when do you feel lonely? If you're like me, at work and in your house/apartment (if you're single). I feel lonely in places where I don't know anyone or feel safe/motivated to start a conversation. In a social activity I like, or among peers at my intelligence level, I'm king.
If you work in the creative world, are you really creative? I write, play and write music, and I've dabbled in drawing and animation. My job is tech support because I don't want to live with my parents. But I dream of a creative career. So am I being creative because my instincts are true in that direction, or am I just jonesing for a more exciting, warm/fuzzy workplace? Look at TV or advertising (if you can). This is not a definition of creative. David Lynch is creative.
What questions can you ask yourself to test your creativity?

[Caitlin]

Yes and no. Like Andrew, if I'm left to my own devices for too long, I loose the ability to interact normally with other people. My perspective on life begins to become detached, and I end up creating my own reality.

It's not schizophrenia, but if I'm not forced to interact with people enough, than I become pretty much absorbed inside my own imagination.

[Dave]

I bet you don't get many people claiming they've got a crap imagination.

[Selene]

Dear Scott~

I really, really, really want to thank you for this post. I have (by my own lights and according to feedback from others) an extraordinary imagination, and I have often felt like some sort of freaky hermit because I spend so much time alone. You have opened my eyes to what I think might be the truth of the matter: I fascinate myself! I couldn't help laughing when I read your words today, and I now see what I often fear will be perceived as flaw in a more positive light.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

~Warm regards,
Selene~

[Richard]

I have no imagination and I don't spend lots of time with people. So I'm just a loser and a idiot.

[Joshua Jacobsen]

I enjoy spending a lot of time alone, which is a major impediment in friendships and relationships. I don't think of myself as having an especially active imagination, but... then again I don't talk to people a whole lot to give myself a frame of reference.

[matthew]

my imagination isnt a whole lot better than anyone elses, but i do enjoy being alone a lot. imagination is probably a big factor in how much a person needs to interact with their environment, but there's definitly some things missing from your theory

[Jeff Asselin]

"a hypothesis that sounds correct and has the added benefit of being totally impossible to verify."

That's not knowledge, that's religious dogma!

[Mat]

A lot of people with here all writing the same thing as each other. So much for their "amazing imaginations."

Interacting with people is a challenge, one that I find stimulating. That's a good enough reason for me.

[Jon Garland]

Not only do I like spending time with myself, I talk to myself as well. Sometimes it's the only way to get an intelligent conversation.

[Jon]

I like being alone. Maybe its because I like developing software and being inside my head. Mind you, I have grown more and more anti-social in the past months. To the point where I find excuses not to meet with friends. Scary. Thankfully I'm getting married.

[Borjan]

Yes and yes.

I fascinate myself with the way I'm adaptable to the different circumstances. It's almost like I'm myself evolving into a higher being. Posiblly a Vulcan or Romulan...

[br]

I think it's more about being comfortable with your personal demons.

[ishmael]

I think that everybody thinks that they have a better than average imagination. I do too and I know that i am an introvert. So, yes and yes. A better benchmark is needed for determining who has a good imagination and who does not.

[Al]

Yes, and yes.

I wouldn't go as far as judging whether I have good imagination or not but it must be at least average to enjoy your blog properly :-)
But more to the point - I really enjoy being alone, I don't need people surrounding me. Don't be mistaken - I have a girlfriend, friends and so on. But I always try to keep balance between being alone and with somebody. After every period of time spent with someone - I need to stay alone.

I hope you'll conclude in your next post that generally everybody needs social interaction for a limited time (mayb