Follow Christiane on social media:
What time is Amanpour on CNN?
Check showtimes to see when Amanpour is on CNN where you are. Or watch online.
Imagination under threat
By Mick Krever, CNN
Neil Gaiman is many things: A writer, a screenwriter, a storyteller. But before all that, he is first and foremost and defender of imagination.
And imagination, he says, is under threat.
“The imagination – it's a muscle,” he told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday. “It's a really important thing. If you want to build the future, if you want to create a literate generation, if you want to create a generation that is not criminal.”
Gaiman says that libraries – those endangered stockpiles of, yes, physical books – are a critical wellspring for imagination.
“I was a booky kid,” he said. “I will never forget the joy of getting my parents to drop me off at the local library on their way to work, and just going in and reading my way through the children's library, going and exploring in the card catalog back when they had card catalogs.”
“Pulling books off the shelf and then nervously edging out into the adult world” – and “discovering the joy” of the inter-library loan system!
It was – and is – “absolute magic.”
Penny pinchers and technologists alike, he said, are mistaken to think that we can do without libraries.
“You can have a million books on your iPad, so why would you worry about this thing? Let's close it and save money.”
“It misses everything I think that libraries are good for, and librarians are good for.”
Libraries, he said wistfully, are bastions of discovery.
Of course, imagination is not just about finding new books at the local library.
Parents, he told Amanpour, have an “obligation” to read to their children.
“The joy of reading to children, the joy of doing the voices, the joy of finding some time where you are not being distracted by telephones, by televisions, by all of the glorious distractions of the twenty-first century – you make some time and you read and tell stories – is huge,” he said.
“It tells children that they can go into these books, into these forests of words,” Gaiman said. “They can take these 26 symbols and a handful of punctuation marks and build them into stories themselves.”
One of Gaiman’s most well-known works was Coraline, a novella and later a movie that was nominated for an Academy Award.
But the name “Coraline,” he said, was the result of a mistake – not deep thought.
“I remember typing a letter to somebody named Caroline and looking down and I'd mistyped it into Coraline,” he told Amanpour. “And I thought, that should be a name – what a great name! I wonder what somebody like that will be like?”
It’s an important lesson for any aspiring artist, he said.
“There's nothing wrong with mistakes. Mistakes demonstrate that you're actually out in the world and you're doing something. You are active. You're engaged.”
For too many young artists he meets, he told Amanpour, the fear of mistakes is paralyzing.
“They're sure it has to be perfect; and that terror of trying to be perfect stops them doing anything.”
“What I try and tell people is use your mistakes,” Gaiman said. “Treasure your mistakes.”
@camanpour on Twitter
Imagination is sparked in many ways. I used to read both the Yellow and White pages as a child, because there wasn't anything much else to amuse me sometimes. I'd also read the dictionary, for the same reason: Boredom.
Eventually I grew up, and became a successful rock musician.
A man pour. I imagine.
Oh I have been saying that for a while now in the form of "creativity is a muscle and the more you use it the bigger and better it gets," It is wonderful to hear there are like minded people out there. As for books and libraries – part of the love of reading for me is the smell of the books and the peace of a library. Kindle will never replace that, for me anyway.
Wow, one would imagine such an interesting topic to be written with a bit more imagination.
Or was Mick Kreven intentionally trying to prove the point Neil Gaiman was making by writing such an uninspiring and unimaginative piece about it?
Hank, funny comment. I was thinking the exact thing!
Imagine it!
I agree completely.
Great inspirational speech by Neil Gaiman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI
Sounds like the laments of the digital immigrants under threat. I am perfectly happy to read off my ipad, I still own and use physical books and spend time in libraries and bookshops. Technologies hasn't threatened imaginations; it offered new ways to inspire and connect that so happens to compete with books. Ask Jane McGonigal if video games can provide valuable social time to engage parents and children. The child doesn't passively sit and listen, the child controls his own character and interacts with his family. It's like books, except better.
I don't buy that the disappearing library is what kills imagination. The Internet has more than made up the slack. The number one imagination killer, the slayer of creativity and independent thought and ultimate promoter of soul crushing conformity and hopelessness is what we call the public school system. Took me decades to throw off the mental shackles they put on me. You are lucky if you get one inspiring teacher and even then, you have to constantly dodge the loving social instruction from the lower primates.
I really was amazed to find this page. Thank you for making this terrific read!! I definitely enjoyed your content, have bookmarked it and will be looking for future posts. If you have a chance check out my web site. It's a work in progress, but I hope that someday it will turn out as useful as yours.
https://youtu.be/hcBp9XSQ6-Q
http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/ – Amoxicillin No Prescription Amoxicillin 500 Mg zac.lgio.amanpour.blogs.cnn.com.jme.zh http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/
http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/ – Amoxicillin Online Amoxicillin 500 Mg Dosage eqh.qnfh.amanpour.blogs.cnn.com.tmp.fw http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/
http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/ – Buy Amoxicillin Amoxicillin 500mg ecc.vqaj.amanpour.blogs.cnn.com.feb.ef http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/
http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/ – Amoxicillin Online Dosage For Amoxicillin 500mg juj.vbvm.amanpour.blogs.cnn.com.wwk.em http://mewkid.net/when-is-xuxlya2/
Great goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely great. I really like what you have acquired here, really like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read much more from you. This is really a wonderful website. xrumer
http://6dollarmillion.xyz
I think other web site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and great user friendly style and design, let alone the content. You’re an expert in this topic!
http://yourmatrixcashmachine.com
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
esenyurt escort bayanar bu sitede üstelik hepsi ücretsiz...
http://www.cuba.tc/escort-kategori/malatya-escort-bayan
esenyurt escort bayanar bu sitede üstelik hepsi ücretsiz...
http://www.elitescorthatun.com/ad-category/mersin-escort/
jqw8q fl655 dune
It¡¦s in reality a nice and useful piece of info. I¡¦m satisfied that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my site 🙂
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely return.
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
I really liked your blog.Much thanks again. Great.
https://www.secrettantric.com/
http://tinyurl.com/247xchanger
what is zithromax used to treat https://zithromaxes.com/ zithromax and uti
how much cheper is viagra in canada https://canadaviagrastore.com/ best viagra pills 25 mg canada pharmacy
side effects for vardenafil https://vegavardenafil.com/ vardenafil prices
erectile dysfunction when quitting drinking https://canadaerectiledysfunctionpills.com/ erectile cream for me
generic tadalafil 40 mg https://elitadalafill.com/ tadalafil 40 mg daily
injectable medication for erectile dysfunction https://alprostadildrugs.com/ erection injection medicine
buying canadian cialis https://canadacialisstore.com/ how safe and reliable are canadian cialis
sildenafil online purchase https://eunicesildenafilcitrate.com/ sildenafil us pharmacy
why does erectile dysfunction happen https://plaquenilx.com/ fix erectile dysfunction without drugs
new viagra in canada https://canadaviagrastore.com/ is it illegal to by viagra from canada
dapoxetine 100 mg dapoxetine brand name
do you need prescription for canadian prescription of cialis in usa https://canadacialisstore.com/ counterfeit canadian drugs cialis
best canadian mail order pharmacies for diet pills https://canadapillstorex.com/ canadian pharmacies ed pills
These programs tend to be a little bit more talky and a little bit more informational. Many people are attracted to these types of shows because they are not as dry and informative. Generally, the best free Internet radio to try is one that has both audio and video components.
https://bestproducts-4u.com/
avanafil 50 avana tablet
what is chloroquine used for https://chloroquineorigin.com/ chloroquinolone malaria
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a video game where you can do anything you want. sl is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://digitalnarratives.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusuf-hanafy-82493b183
I don't know about you all but I love airplanes. I have a friend in highschool that loves airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2009/07/aeroflot-plans-to-sell-its-tupolev-jets-buying-boeing-airbus/
http://www.donationto.com/nonprofit-organizations/washington/mukilteo/future-of-flight-foundation
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a online game where you can do anything you want. sl is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2009/09/make-your-own-point-and-click-games-not.html
I don't know about you guys but I infatuated with airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loves airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2009/06/video-united-airlines-interior-remodel/
http://www.washingtonbids.us/washington-contractors/naics-712110-Museums.htm
I don't know about you all but I am obsessed with airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2011/05/body-scanners-have-obvious-security-gap/
http://prlog.ru/analysis/futureofflightfoundation.org
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a online game where you can do anything you want. sl is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these Second Life authors and blogs
http://myvedana.blogspot.com/2010/04/digital-literacy.html?m=0
combigan eye drops generic combigan eye drops
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is basically a online game where you can do anything you want. Second life is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you would like to see more you can see these second life websites and blogs
http://herald.blogs.com/slh/2008/11/something-wicke.html?cid=138206618
I don't know about you all but I am obsessed with airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2010/03/video-aviation-jobs-in-1947/
http://urlm.co/g/c/f/163870
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is basically a game where you can do anything you want. Second life is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these second life authors and blogs
http://myvedana.blogspot.com/2008/11/google-empire.html?m=0
where to buy cialis without prescription https://cttadalafil.com/ – tadalafil where to get tadalafil cialis cost https://tadacipetadalafil.com/
cyclomune eye drop buy cyclomune uk
cialis without prescription cialis at canadian pharmacy generic tadalafil from uk cheap generic cialis for sale https://tadacipetadalafil.com/ – best price usa tadalafil
https://apcalisetadalafil.com/ where to order tadalafil tablets prescription tadalafil online tadalafil online cialis without a prescription
generic combigan combigan eye drops 2%
https://tadacipetadalafil.com/ cialis cost https://cttadalafil.com/ – tadalafil brands cheap cialis pills for sale
cheap generic cialis for sale https://tadagatadalafil.com/ – tadalafil dosage where to order tadalafil tablets where to buy cialis without prescription https://cttadalafil.com/
https://tadalafilol.com/ tadalafil without a doctor prescription https://tadalafilol.com/ – where to buy cialis without prescription tadalafil dosage
https://tadagatadalafil.com/ tadalafil online https://tadalafilww.com/ – generic tadalafil from uk generic tadalafil from uk
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a online game where you can do anything you want. SL is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these Second Life websites and blogs
http://adolit.blogspot.com/2008/10/school-financing-and-vouchers.html
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a game where you can do anything you want. sl is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you would like to see more you can see these second life websites and blogs
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2015/08/rewriting-mark-4-zephyr.html?showComment=1510974001515
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is essentially a online game where you can do anything you want. Second life is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these sl articles and blogs
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2003/04/what-video-games-have-to-teach-us-jim.html?showComment=1343480690765
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is basically a game where you can do anything you want. Second life is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these sl articles and blogs
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2008/09/more-new-books-to-review-dana-wilber.html
Have you ever heard of second life (sl for short). It is basically a game where you can do anything you want. Second life is literally my second life (pun intended lol). If you want to see more you can see these second life articles and blogs
http://rumblingstrips.blogspot.com/2006/09/definitions.html
tadalafil dosage cialis tablets tadalafil citrate
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
hydroxychloroquine sulfate 200 clozapine hydroxychlorquine
tadalafil generic india tadalafil cost walmart mg 18 tuf
This was great! I would like you to clean up all this spam though
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusufhanafy
chloroquine phosphate cvs warnings for hydroxychloroquine chloroquine tablet
hsq medical abbreviation buy aralen hydroxychlor 200 mg
tadalafil mechanism buy tadalafil canada generic tadalafil
I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loves airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff I don't know about you guys but I love airplanes. I had a friend in highschool that loved airplanes, so here are some airplane related stuff https://www.airlinereporter.com/2011/04/inside-look-at-san-fransisco-airports-new-terminal/
http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/2012/05/vale-doc-watson.html?showComment=1338904363570
hydroxyquine drug https://www.pharmaceptica.com/
chloroquine tablets https://pharmaceptica.com/
side effects of tadalafil https://www.pharmaceptica.com/