Wherein I Continue Rambling

My next thought on dystopian/apocalyptic fiction may seem a bit cynical, but here it is: many readers enjoy such material simply because we are bored and these scenarios are the opposite of our real lives. Yes, there are people in the world who live in crime-ridden areas, even in war zones, and I would never dismiss the anguish of that, but those aren’t the people I’m talking about. Actual refugees and crime victims don’t buy apocalyptic novels. They don’t have to.

The people buying apocalyptic and dystopian novels are comfortable residents of developed nations. We read about struggle and starvation while surrounded by peace and plenty. We shudder at some horde of filthy zombies while ensconced in our tidy gated communities. Essentially, we want to read/watch dangerous and challenging conditions because there is so little real challenge or danger around us.

When our lives frustrate and disappoint us, we can invent conspiracies to explain it away. Failing school? It couldn’t be because you stayed up all night playing video games and slept through classes. No, it’s the teachers conspiring against you. (I’ve had this conversation with one of my kids, can you tell?)

Or maybe you took over an isolated wildlife refuge and expected the whole U. S. population to rise up in revolt against the evil government, but then nobody showed. It can’t be because your conspiracy was all in your heads! No, the American public have become sheeple.

This is just mental masturbation. It’s manufacturing an adrenaline rush because our daily lives are so totally without adrenaline. Remember how I said the teen heroes in dystopian novels act to change their worlds? You don’t see that so much in apocalyptic and conspiracy stories. Once there’s an apocalypse, it’s too late to change anything, so why try? And a great conspiracy can never be put to rest. There will always be some new factor to weave into the scheme.

Tons of people enjoy these stories, and I’m sure you all think I’m just a cranky old broad who’s panning what she doesn’t understand. But I do wish that some of those who dwell in apocalyptic dreams would occasionally wake up and spend a little time in the actual, physical world. It’s a pretty cool place, too.

Now, am I done rambling? Heck no! See you on Tuesday.