Personally speaking, my favorite Olympic opening ceremonies I have ever seen was of the 2012 England Olympics. In that show, called Isles of Wonder, they intertwined their history, geography, culture, literature, and art. Rather than a demonstration of modern technology. The unfolding of the wings of imagination was visible in it. The trails that led a nation through reading, imagining, and dreaming!
In Western countries, children used to be raised by their parents with stories related to the myth of Santa Claus, which is imaginatively created from the historical Saint Nicholas. When they grow up, surely they would realize that it was a fantasy. But by then, their imagination would have taken them far. Santa Claus, who spends eleven plus months at the North Pole in his house, making their favorite toys for children around the world. Santa Claus, who rides on a sleigh drawn by flying reindeers at night, comes down the chimney and leaves gifts for kids in the living room. A white-bearded Grandpa figure who loves chocolate and milk like children, loves children immensely, and can tell at a glance whether a child is a nice child or a naughty one. Many elves are there to help him make toys and gifts in his huge house at the North Pole that is always covered in snow. Elves are benevolent creatures little children with pointy ears, never aging, with magical abilities.
I have a friend. This man who told his little nieces and nephews who thought that the Santa had come and brought them Christmas gifts, that Santa did not exist, making them upset. To prove his point he even produced from his pocket the receipt from the store and showed it to them as proof of purchasing the gifts for them, shattering their world of stories and myths!
All over the world today, people feed their children with only reason and logic. Stories, poems, riddles, and proverbs have been discarded by adults as old-fashioned. People have thrown away positive fantasies and tales of angels. One stubbornly said, 'My child should not grow up listening to such nonsense.'
Then what? What did we give them instead? Imagination of shooting and violence through the computer games. Even though we only destroy evil and demons there, we have done them a great disservice by not informing them that there are other ways to peace. Isn't it indeed amazing that despite destroying their positivities and giving them polluted imaginations, they are still giving wings to good and new imaginations!
The number of action movies that require huge financial capital has decreased significantly in the United States. Hollywood and many studios are in a production slump. It is said that the movie sector will not move forward without artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality. Naturally, among the films released in these years many are horror movies and fantasy movies. After the Harry Potter sequels, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Marvel, Lord of the Rings sequels, most of them coming out and making profit are horror movies of various genre. The same trend is evident even in Malayalam movie industry. Our generation has tried with all its might to make the world a world of mere logic without color and wings.
We tried to mechanize the world. We taught that everything is metal and machines.
And yet!
In the 1994 fantasy comedy "The Santa Clause", business associate Scott, who is picked up by Santa Claus and his six-year-old son and transported to the magical world of his home in the North Pole. Scott tells Judy, an elf there:
"I see it. But I don't believe it."
"You are missing the point."
"What's the point?"
"Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing."
