Some people have a more active imagination than others but having space to imagine used to just be a natural extension of daily life. No that long ago you could not have filled your life with nonstop media consumption even if you had wanted to. We're the first few generations that actually have the option of giving up the space that would have been... See more

Part of why David Lynch was so imaginative is because he had an extremely dedicated meditation practice that he used to come up with his ideas. He consistently meditated for 40 minutes a day. You don't need to meditate to imagine, but if you want to make imaginative work you do need space in your life somewhere for your mind to wander imaginatively... See more

There another thing that limits imagination though, and that is the hypermodern environment most of us live in. It’s an environment that is sapped of the conditions that are needed to cultivate imagination.

People crave imagination, but imaginative, risky media is not what succeeds commercially or algorithmically. The imaginative stuff is out there if you look but most people don't have the time and space to go looking outside the mainstream channels for the art that will resonate with them and take them to new places because they have busy lives. Peo... See more

We don't create the economic and social conditions that allow imagination to thrive. Imaginative media takes risk. Corporatization is allergic to risk. I think it’s a mistake to blame consumers, because in traditional media so much of what's produced and how it's distributed is owned by a few corporate entities, and in new media the algorithms deci... See more

We've collectively become so enamored with a kind of nostalgia for media that is attached to what we already know that we'll forgive pretty mediocre screenwriting and the “money people” start getting the message that people just don't care. But I think audiences do care in the long run about the quality of screenwriting even if they don't conscious... See more

Trying to stay competitive with streaming, executives are trying to make larger profits and screenwriting is one way they can cut corners and (temporarily) hide that they cut corners. When an audience looks at a trailer they see the flashy costumes, set design, actors they love, crisp cinematography, or an IP they recognize, but you can't really ju... See more

Hollywood is in crisis. Streaming has created heavy competition. COVID really hurt theatrical box office. There's been a lot of corporate take-over in the last 20 years. Appeasing shareholders is a fast track to destroying creativity.

I think a lot of the lack of imagination and originality in TV has come from a devaluing of screenwriting. So much stuff now, especially in streaming TV and Blockbuster filmmaking has the trappings of high production value but absolutely horrible writing. I don’t blame the writers. Good writing takes a lot of time and investment. You can't force it... See more