Imagination

Imagination by Wolfgang Hasselmann

Imagination |
Thursday – January 22, 2026

Is imagination important? Well, the short answer is yes, but the longer answer requires more nuance. Is imagination important? Yes, but sometimes imagination can distort reality, and this is a topic that I have mentioned in my post on "imagination enhancers". I do like to escape into imaginary world, and I believe that for the most part doing this is helpful, because it can provide me with a sense of security. The problem, form a metaphysical standpoint, is this: it's not good to allow imaginary world to become your home; if you don't live in reality then you will constantly set yourself up for failure, but of course in modern times it is easier and easier to live in an imaginary world because the means of doing so, technological, have increased our ability to allude reality, and this is, indeed must, be feature of the material order. I believe that playing games is a great example of living in an imaginary world, but I do believe that there's nothing wrong with playing video games, because the whole reason for the video game is to get away from reality, and this means that the person playing the video game is, or at any rate should, be aware of the imaginary component inherent in the video game; of course, there are certain very real aspects, at least materially real, when it comes to video games, but those are outside the scope of this post, so do excuse me for failing to mention them. Of course, another issue that I tend to run into with imagination is the fact that people often allow imagination to only be perceived as that, imagination, without any connection to reality; the fact is that your imagination is very much a product of who you are and the forces that have shaped that "you". In a sense, I guess one could regard imagination to be merely another expression of individualism, and sure this is true, especially in the context of artists and other people who are supposed to rely on their mental faculties, but it's also an expression of individualism because imagination, at least in the modern context, only, or often at least, allows itself to be a reflection of one man. Of course, in tradition, imagination was something that was shared and often more than that, imagination was shared and experienced collectively or on a societal level; this aspect of imagination is certainly lost in modern times, or at least in Western civilization. I believe that this topic of imagination ties into reading and language, that I mentioned the other day: it is the case that language is much more than merely an individual expression; language is a point of view, a way of understanding and relating to the world that is unique, and language is a shared expression; without shared imagination language would be meaningless, but this seems to be lost on most modern men. I believe that this lack of skillful imagination, if you will, is one of the cornerstones of the humanitarian assertion made by westerners: it is always assumed that in his primordial form, striped of context, meaning, and metaphysical relation, man is fundamentally liberal, which really is a totalitarian claim and the justification for Western encroachment and imperialism; even with all the material reasons for this enterprise, it is just as well that all men should tend towards this same character, the liberal man. In this liberal and individualist context, imagination only matters as far as it can be said to serve a material purpose, anything other than that is a nonsense figure to the sensibilities of "reasoned" men. Of course, this means one more crucial thing for Western civilization and its prospects: without a shared cultural imagination, there are no myths, no legends, no tails, no heritage, no authority with which real knowledge and legitimate power can be derived; thus the Western world is no longer anchored to the primordial, and this cultural revolution, this rebellion against sacred order, can only have one end, destruction as a means to cosmological restoration, really divine justice.

    When every man has been satisfied. When every crime has been forgiven. And when every last sentence has been uttered, division will reign supreme, at the close of this era. In the meantime, I can only encourage men to seek out their better selves in their imagination, but I will also warn you: beware of your own delusions and about the temptation that imagination can bring. If you allow your temptations to show their true self in your imagination, then you will truly know what motivates you, and that can be a very dark and scary place indeed. Tread lightly in your own shadow... Yes, be yourself but more importantly, know yourself first. From this point of view, even if you have merely a mechanical and materialistic interest in your own imagination, you should use your ability to imagine yourself to the extent that this can help you on your journey, and yes again this does apply even if you're merely a fellow traveler in mortality. Yes, the delineation between real, as in reality, and imagined isn't so easy to make, and the further you ascend above the material, the more you will come to realize this; this is surely an effect you will understand when you engage in deep contemplation.

Reginald Drax – January 22, 2026.