So Let’s Talk About Escapism (And How We Can Make It Better)
Goodness me! It’s been far too long since my last blogpost. I haven’t felt in the mood for reviewing, plus I haven’t been able to get my hands on any new books (despite my New Year Resolution). Anyway, I’ve found that I really enjoyed writing my article on success as writer (found here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...), and I’ve been stirred to write yet another one! May it provoke thought...
So, what is escapism? Well, according to Wikipedia, escapism “is the avoidance of unpleasant, boring, arduous, scary, or banal aspects of daily life.” Basically, it’s a coping mechanism/boredom buster people use to endure the craziness found in this world. In the modern age, there are dozens of ways to step out of reality: video games, virtual worlds, cosplaying/roleplaying, books, movies, tv shows, music, and even… here it comes… social networks (shocker!). The list goes on.
Now, a healthy dose of escapism is good I think, but when you begin to neglect the real world… it kind of becomes a problem. With the seemingly constant negativity that appears to emanate from the earth by human hands (and mouths and minds), it can be easy to say “this world sucks, no use paying attention to it,” and tune it all out. But, that’s not the best practice, nor is adding to the problem.
But, what all this have to do with writing? I was just getting to that.
Have you ever read a book where a character’s profound musing spoke to you? Or how about a movie with a positive theme? When the credits started to roll, did you walk out of the theater with a bit more confidence or a new look at how to handle the real world?
Writers possess the ability to embed virtue into their fiction works whether through screenwriting, creative writing, even self-help or opinion pieces (like this one…?). For example, a fantastic adventure novel can be woven with themes of courage, teamwork, and tolerance, which for a reader, could benefit them as they struggle with these traits in a real life situation.
This is obviously a known fact, but I just wanted to emphasize the importance of bringing people up and together (especially these days), by giving them good, positive media to "escape" to, with the hope that they come back with solutions to our real-world problems, and have the courage to make changes. Don’t just write for entertainment; write for enrichment of the mind and heart of your readers.
So, what is escapism? Well, according to Wikipedia, escapism “is the avoidance of unpleasant, boring, arduous, scary, or banal aspects of daily life.” Basically, it’s a coping mechanism/boredom buster people use to endure the craziness found in this world. In the modern age, there are dozens of ways to step out of reality: video games, virtual worlds, cosplaying/roleplaying, books, movies, tv shows, music, and even… here it comes… social networks (shocker!). The list goes on.
Now, a healthy dose of escapism is good I think, but when you begin to neglect the real world… it kind of becomes a problem. With the seemingly constant negativity that appears to emanate from the earth by human hands (and mouths and minds), it can be easy to say “this world sucks, no use paying attention to it,” and tune it all out. But, that’s not the best practice, nor is adding to the problem.
But, what all this have to do with writing? I was just getting to that.
Have you ever read a book where a character’s profound musing spoke to you? Or how about a movie with a positive theme? When the credits started to roll, did you walk out of the theater with a bit more confidence or a new look at how to handle the real world?
Writers possess the ability to embed virtue into their fiction works whether through screenwriting, creative writing, even self-help or opinion pieces (like this one…?). For example, a fantastic adventure novel can be woven with themes of courage, teamwork, and tolerance, which for a reader, could benefit them as they struggle with these traits in a real life situation.
This is obviously a known fact, but I just wanted to emphasize the importance of bringing people up and together (especially these days), by giving them good, positive media to "escape" to, with the hope that they come back with solutions to our real-world problems, and have the courage to make changes. Don’t just write for entertainment; write for enrichment of the mind and heart of your readers.
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