{"id":2292,"date":"2010-01-03T17:16:56","date_gmt":"2010-01-03T17:16:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/\/?p=2292"},"modified":"2010-01-03T17:16:56","modified_gmt":"2010-01-03T17:16:56","slug":"the-limits-of-imagination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/the-limits-of-imagination\/","title":{"rendered":"The Limits of Imagination"},"content":{"rendered":"
Power of Imagination characters, like U.S. President Barack Obama, believe they have a big message or urgent call to inspire belief in others. \u00a0They want others to embrace the unity and common good that they so clearly see. The power of this character\u2019s idea, message or dream gathers others (who would seem to have little in common) in a common quest.<\/div>\n
That certainly happened during the 2008 election cycle as then candidate Obama’s campaign workers transcended race, gender, age and economic differences to deliver a decisive victory for someone who seemed the unlikeliest of candidates.<\/div>\n
During the campaign David Brooks (a conservative columnist) commented on candidate Obama\u2019s ability to bring people together in his January 8, 2008 Op Ed piece in The New York Times: \u00a0\u201cOut of (Obama\u2019s) perceptiveness comes a distinct way of seeing the world. Obama emphasizes the connections between people, the networks and the webs of influence. These sorts of links are invisible to some of his rivals, but Obama is a communitarian. He believes you can only make profound political changes if you first change the spirit of the community. In his speeches, he says that if one person stands up, then another will stand up and another and another and you\u2019ll get a nation standing up.\u201d<\/div>\n
Power of Imagination characters prevail by riding a wave of rising common feeling and desire for unity. \u00a0These characters depend on something (some \u201cForce\u201d or vision) greater than themselves to carry them to victory. \u00a0They try to find areas where people (or fictional creatures) who are divided can agree and unite against a larger evil or greater dark force.<\/div>\n
Examples of well-known fictional Power of Imagination characters are: Luke Skywalker in Star Wars and Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings. \u00a0Luke brings together a space pirate, a wookie, a droid and a robot to help save the galaxy. \u00a0Frodo helps bring together a wizard, hobbits, elves, men and \u00a0dwarves to save Middle Earth.<\/div>\n
The Power of Imagination leadership philosophy might be stated as: \u00a0\u201cWe all must be inspired to work for the salvation of the whole.\u201d \u00a0Or, more succinctly: \u00a0\u201cAll for one. \u00a0One for all.\u201d<\/div>\n
Leadership, for these characters, is demonstrated by building consensus, seeking reconciliation and facilitating harmony and unity. \u00a0They lead by empowering others. \u00a0Power of Imagination characters lead from behind, urging the crowd forward. \u00a0Their challenge and their leap of faith is to get ahead of the crowd\u2014 \u00a0To stand in front of others and directly challenge evil themselves.<\/div>\n
Frodo does this by acting unilaterally at crucial times in the story, culminating in climbing Mt. Doom and tossing the Ring into the fiery pit. \u00a0Luke Skywalker makes his leap of faith by flying his jet fighter on his own (“blind” and without technological backup) to blow up the Death Star. \u00a0Luke must trust his personal to the Force to prevail.<\/div>\n
Stepping out in front of the crowd, acting unilaterally and staring down evil oneself, is the real challenge for these characters. \u00a0They are unlikely heroes who seemingly come from nowhere and appear naive, shy, dreamy or quixotic at first. \u00a0In the end they must command and go out on a limb alone to prevail.<\/div>\n
Can President Obama make the Power of Imagination leap of faith? \u00a0Is an inability to do so a fatal flaw which could bring down his lofty goals? \u00a0 Read a deeper analysis of the Power of Imagination Character Type and how transcending his type presents a risky challenge to President Obama.<\/div>\n

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