CREATIVE ADVENTURES — 8

Imagine You Can Perfectly Execute Any Physical Action You See

Would You Use This Superpower? How?

Imagine you can perfectly execute any physical activity that you witness. This superability is called ‘adoptive muscle memory’ — the ability to execute any physical action you see flawlessly. This might be acrobatics, dances, or martial arts.

So, let’s say you have seen a stunt performed once. You can replicate this physical action yourself. Seeing it once, even on a screen, is enough to have this superpower. Imagine you can replay and enact these images and movements even if it is normally outside your normal physical capabilities. You do not even have to think about it and your body simply remembers how to do it using muscle memory.

This superpower is particularly impressive for me, as I am a dyspraxic person who bumps into objects and causes small accidents all the time. I would have loved to use this superpower occasionally:)

Anyway, please respond to the following questions:

1. Would you like to use this power? Explain why or why not.
2. Imagine that you have only three chances to use this superpower. Think of three occasions where using this power would be very handy. Please write down three short stories on how and why you would use this superpower.
3. Imagine that you can use this power without any limitations. Please think of at least five jobs that you would try out to showcase your superpower. Would you do stunts at a circus, for example?
4. Imagine that you have seen a world-class diver perform high-diving. Having observed the dive, you execute an impressive high-dive. However, you realize that you have made a stupid mistake: You have not observed the diver swimming and you do not know how to swim. Write a story on what happens next.
5. Imagine that you are using this power illegally for a higher purpose. Write a story on how and why you use this superpower. What happens next?
6. Imagine that you have used this power and there has been an unexpected consequence. You are surprised at the turn of events. Think of a twist and write a short story about this.
7. Create your own questions and imagination experiments using this theme and its variations.

Fahri Karakas is the author of the Self-making Studio. You can explore more here.