Adults need more imaginary friends | Andrew Roblyer | TEDxTAMU

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. In his talk titled "Adults Need Imaginary Friends Too" Andrew Roblyer discuses the idea that stories live within us, all we have to do is let them out.
Andrew Roblyer took the stage in his first lead role at age 6 and made his directorial debut in his backyard the following year. Even at that young age, the power of storytelling fascinated him. Nearly two decades later, Andrew's love of theatre is rivaled only by his passion for exploring the nature of communication and the power of story. This passion has expressed itself in many forms throughout Andrew's life, and while some may seem unrelated, they all contribute to his unique perspective on art, storytelling, and relationship.
Andrew graduated from Texas A&M (Class of 2011) with a degree in Theatre Arts. During his time at Texas A&M, Andrew founded The Honorable Bards, an entirely student-run theatre company which provided an artistic outlet for students in technical and otherwise time-consuming degree programs. He was selected as a student director for the inaugural Texas A&M Student New Works Festival and premiered his first short play, Collage: A Trilogy at the same festival two years later. Andrew has also studied classical ballet and ballroom dance and was both a competitor and coach in competitive forensics at the high school and college level.
Outside of theatre, Andrew's interest in intercultural dialogue and communication led to his selection as the Secretary General for the first Model Arab League conference held at Texas A&M University. He was also the first Texas A&M student to be accepted to the U.S. State Department Critical Language Scholarship Program, allowing him to travel abroad to study Arabic and learn about Middle Eastern theatre along the way.
Andrew is a founding board member of Homeschool Alumni Reaching Out, an organization that uses narrative and storytelling to empower those who grew up in abusive homeschooling environments. The empowering nature of storytelling has also led Andrew to be actively involved in organizations such as the Texas A&M GLBT Resource Center, where he was an active member of the Speakers Bureau, and the Gay Christian Network (GCN), where he volunteers as an official GCN Ambassador to promote healthy dialogue and relationship.
Currently, Andrew is the Founder and Artistic Director of This Is Water Theatre, the first and only professional theatre company in Bryan/College Station, TX, where he is working to challenge how the "Facebook Generation" thinks about theatre.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@lady-dm5os]

I have an emotional attachment to my characters I write about. I imagine them doing all kinds of things.

[@JourneyWithHavi]

Same here.

[@tan_the_man]

I absolutely love this and it was kind of reassuring as someone who still has imaginary friends.💖

[@selenaandthebears4610]

I have Imaginary friends too, and yes! I’m 18 years old.

[@mystery5098]

Selena and the Bears I’m 12 and I can’t can you pls tell me how and I try so hard

[@nunyabuissness8058]

I'm 14 and I have imaginary friends too

[@jamiecee4960]

I'm 100 years old. And I have them.

[@snowqueen24]

@@jamiecee4960 Wow. God bless you for living longer while having imaginary friends.😮

[@najeeblade89]

Me too. And I am 32 yrs.

[@ridealongwithnicolle1581]

I have 5 imaginary friends. I call them tulpas. I got my friends through books mostly. And i give them a face. Often a celebrities face. The perfect celebrity that has the right look and the personality of my imaginaary friend/tulpa.

[@dawnqwerty]

That is really mind blowing

[@crazisinger4008]

WOW what a great speech!! 👍👍

[@denimbug]

Yes! I've realized recently that many of my current favorite ideas to write about have spiraled out from my favorite video games and tv shows, especially from when I was younger. I used to think that made it "unoriginal" but I've actually seen that most of my favorite artists do the same thing, using ideas that spiraled out of things that came before it. God I love art I love culture I love innovation and iteration

[@GenuineEncountersCo]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@najeeblade89]

My imaginary friend Sarahe Sonyah Archer was the best thing that has ever happened to me. She is married with two children. She lives in a city named Caillou.

[@shirawise2318]

The crowd is so awkward

[@frankmontague7544]

MORE COMMON is Self Delusional EXAGGERATION of one's real life connections --- to help us cope with isolation. ❤IF IT HELPS we should employ every act of imagination to help us. SPIRITUALITY was probably born of this search for comfort. ❤

[@willow_dearest08]

The corleone’s from The Godfather are my imaginary friends, as well as some original characters!!

[@gradingterminal807]

do we then even have a posessive relationship to them if we describe them features them thereby behave to their way do how being that a what make so characteristics? ..

[@kittykat8177]

what???

[@slurm3124]

im loosing all my frriends bc theyre all toxic, so instead im going to replace them with imaginary friends that ill talk to on a rotary phone, im lucky ima a schitzo with DID so being lonely is impossible so no friends is nothing

[@mystery5098]

There is a girls Chanel called as good as you she has 18 imaginary friends sub to her she is amazing

[@aldaynewisdom9269]

I'm a tulpamancer, 24 tulpa Cecilia Wiseman

[@snowqueen24]

I had imaginary friends when I was 12. Now two of them are my imaginary brothers-in-law, and one is my imaginary husband. I have an emotional and physical attachment to them because I want to keep them in my life. However, I don't know what happens to our imaginary friends when we die.😐

[@pinkzdraws4511]

Same man , I actually love a fictional character and he makes me feel a lot of different emotions, I'm attracted to him ,he talks to me and interacts with me and he makes me very happy well my mind was like will this stay forever and will I be bored or Idk will I be fed up with him or he disappear which I never want becuz he bought me so much joy and truthfully I don't feel attracted to anyone but I m doubtful I'm scared of future scared of changes ,he says he supports me no matter what choice I make well I just want to be with him and our kids yes I married him and we got two kids , well I think they die along with us becuz they only alive with our hearts u know ,well I been artblocked maybe that's why I doubt idk but one thing I want is to be with him forever and never be in relationship becuz I'm already happy as I'm with him our kids my art , well I only pray I get to live this way and overcome it as I have done always

[@snowqueen24]

@@pinkzdraws4511 Shut the heck up. Are you serious? I didn't know you married your imaginary friend and had two kids with him. Are we like mom buddies?😮

[@snowqueen24]

@@pinkzdraws4511 What do you and your imaginary family do on a daily basis? Do you guys go to the movies or go to amusement parks?

[@snowqueen24]

I got to see my imaginary children today. They are about 2 foot 4 inches tall now. The last time I saw them, they were very little toddlers. They turn 7 in December. They also gave me some pictures before they went back home and started on their homework.

[@pinkzdraws4511]

@@snowqueen24 well we do all sorts of things ,go shopping, chilling at house , basically everything a family could do it's great when I get to see them really I feel happy

[@dawnqwerty]

4 million subs. 2,000 views

[@GummyBearRecords]

fanfiction!

[@zanemelvin5258]

Resist the urge to make an edgy religion joke

[@taneekasmith5782]

I can't do it I rather be sane

[@kittykat8177]

no imagination, not quite there!

[@Cheerleader644860]

You're not necessarily insane for having an imaginary friend a lot of people who have them are very intelligent