Making Special

Why Art Will Save Us

There are several ways to start this article. I could talk about the neuroscience of aesthetics.

I could discuss attention, focusing on hemispheric differences, and how they pay different kinds of attention to the world.

I could cite recent studies about the cognitive decline associated with social media and smartphone use. How simply quitting their use for thirty days provides the equivalent of weeks of successful behavioral therapies.

I might choose to focus on the cultural divisions emerging from people’s inability to entertain multiple truths simultaneously.

Instead, I’ll write about the benefits of moving your body imaginatively because it is easier to implement. Think of it as a micro-revolution.

Imaginal Movement

I first discovered the joys of movement at age six as a young gymnast. Throwing my body around with giant mats to cushion the blows was a phenomenal way to explore the limits of movement without severe consequences or instructional repercussions. However, I did still get rou…