Imagine if ... ''you could read people's minds''

Hello once again everybody. I apologise for not having written in a while, but I was at a loss of inspiration. I can't say I feel overly inspired now, but this is just a thought that popped into my head and I thought, 'why not write about it?'.

Can mind-reading be considered a super-power? I really don't know, because as of yet, I really haven't met anyone capable of achieving such feats. I know fortune-tellers and various magicians may have skills of predicting your future (or so it may seem), but have they truly grasped the ability to identify what is going through our heads? For one thing, I feel sorry for any poor soul who has to attempt and read my mind, it is not something I would recommend. But, is it truly possible? Can anyone's mind be so evolved that they are able to make sense of the rapid electrical impulses passing between neurones and crossing synapses in another person's brain? I sometimes find it difficult to understand my own brain, so much so that I can't even begin to fathom how complex it would be to interpret other people's thoughts.

I know that Edward Cullen can do it (just trying to brighten your day with some Twilight trivia) and that certain twins are telepathically gifted, but what about you and I? I find that I can sometimes tell how a person is feeling, due to their posture and facial expression, but there's no knowing whether those feelings correlate with the thoughts running through their mind. If someone's seems sad, because either they're more hunched and their facial expression depicts it, then I would presume that they were upset about something (crying would also be a useful hint). But, I could only possibly guess at the cause of the sadness. That kind of information is secured within the mind of the particular person in question and unfortunately, I can't access it.

But think of all the tragedies and deaths we could have prevented, if we were capable of reading each other's minds. People would never be able to lie about something and the awkward first stages of trying to identify whether someone likes you can be avoided. Think about those situations when you try something on for the first time and you ask others on their opinion and they unanimously agree that it looks great on you. Have you ever wondered how despite each person having their own unique style, they still all have positive remarks on whatever it is you are wearing. This kind of scenario could apply to all sorts of different situations. Honesty between people would soon cease to be a problem.

However, in order to ensure that this is a balanced argument, I should mention that this power could also very easily fall into the wrong hands. People could be cruelly manipulated because of their deepest secrets and people could become constantly paranoid about the thoughts crossing their mind. You would become more conscious than ever about your opinions and judgements on various people or even other things. I like to think that our minds are a like a bank (you know, like HSBC or Barclays), but unlike the more common banks, our minds are completely impenetrable. The biggest banks in the world have such high quality security systems and yet, I don't think they are any match for the invisible system of protection we have for the wealth that is contained in our minds. But, if even one person manages to break that protection by acquiring the ability to read each other's minds, then aren't we all going to be compromised? And think about how annoying it would be, to be able to know each and every thing somebody is thinking. You might just like to enjoy the peace and the quiet of your own thoughts, without having other people's love lives or their intended dinner menu constantly resurfacing amidst your thoughts.

Anyway, those are just some of my ramblings. I would love to know what you think about the idea of mind-reading. Are you against it or for it (not that this is some sort of petition for a new type of technology that I'm developing)? I just think it would be interesting to delve into what other people think, without being overly intrusive. You never know, it may surprise you when you realise what others are truly thinking.

Adios. xxx