Reality Status: Escapism

How fandoms have become the closest thing to medicine for a sick world.

In the barrage of Twitter (X) content that is a mixture of news, misinformation, memes, and a general stream of consciousness, this tweet made me pause.

https://twitter.com/tasshinfogleman/status/1713000283494621244

My answer was at once incredibly obvious, but also sad. I grew up reading science-fiction and fantasy novels. Loving Tolkien, the corruptive tendency of power, and the importance of friendship just feels like the answer to most things. What does it say about me and others that we have to find the answer outside of the realm of reality? We have been raised on fictional monsters, hoping that it helps us fight the real monsters we’ll face in everyday life.

What do we see heroes do when it looks like the battle is lost? They tend to leave and get reinforcements so they have a better chance of beating the villain. Us mortals, armed with books, comics, and video games do the same.

We borrow hope.

No matter how we try to describe ourselves with our strengths, we don’t have the superpowers we see in the latest Marvel or DC movies. We don’t have the ability to turn back time or wield a magical hammer to beat our enemies, and yet we still face struggles that feel insurmountable. These stories give us a core sense of hope; that even when bad things happen, good can overcome. Heroes can win.

It’s hard to see that in the real world, yet for us to show up every single day to fight to be good people, we need to know that it’s possible. We borrow this hope from these fictional heroes who represent small nuggets of ourselves. They might be nerdy like us, athletic like us, sarcastic like us, but they exist as the optimal us. The one that makes a difference.

The Holidays and movies as a diversion

The holiday season often serves as a beacon of light, drawing people together to celebrate love, togetherness, and the spirit of giving. However, it's no secret that the world beyond the tinsel and twinkling lights can be challenging and demanding. In response, many of us turn to the comforting embrace of holiday movies and shopping — to step away from the complexities of life momentarily.

We each have our personal choices for what it takes to get us into the spirit. It could take Christmas at Hogwarts for the Harry Potter fan in your life or seeing Alan Rickman fall from the Nakatomi Tower, but either way, the fan in all of us needs that extra push to make it official each year.

Those movies become an outlet. The silver screen has an unparalleled ability to transport us to worlds beyond our imagination. From heartwarming holiday classics to epic adventures, movies offer a visual escape that captures our senses and momentarily allows us to forget about the world outside the theater.

Sometimes, however, the best way to escape is not from but through. When the pandemic occurred, views for the movie Contagion soared, with many seeking to watch and potentially understand what could happen to the world.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but watching scary movies can be therapeutic for people trying to deal with past traumas.

It’s the middle of December, and Godzilla is winning the box office. With all the ups and downs of the movie industry, one thing remains clear. We want to spend hours getting lost in a different world. One that makes us forget or gives us hope that the world can be better. Either way, immerse us.

Music as therapy.

This has undoubtedly been a tough year for many. It’s also, I would argue, not coincidently the year of music. Fans across the globe have shown their fandom with their wallet, paying a staggering amount of money (read BILLIONS) to see Taylor Swift alone.

Music, with its evocative power, has the ability to transport us to different times and spaces. Whether it's the familiar tunes of holiday carols or the soul-soothing melodies of our favorite artists, music provides a soundtrack to our escapades, offering solace and respite.

For Swifties, Taylor’s music encompasses the entire human experience, from joy to heartbreak to anger and love. Her songs, even with the saddest lyrics, reinforce that fans feeling those emotions are not alone.

A once devastating moment becomes a communal cry of understanding as you sing the same lyrics with thousands across a packed stadium.

Escapism is under attack.

This communal cry of understanding is getting harder and harder to be a part of, though. We understand that the world is a tough place. That we are all trying to cope with years of unprecedented (dear reader, I hate that word. Please let me know if there is a more fitting alternative) trauma and loss.

The problem is now that the ability to escape is becoming elusive for those without the resources to pay for it. Concert tickets that would have been $45 are now $500 and harder to get because of reseller programs that basically bless scalpers (thanks, Ticketmaster).

New York City public libraries will close on weekends due to budget cuts, not only removing an opportunity for children to gain access to books but also a safe place to congregate and meet others.

This points to a greater problem that we are seeing: the erasure of third places. We don’t just try to escape and find solace in fictional worlds. We try to find solace in spaces that offer a safe place to congregate, outside of our first and second places, home and work/school, respectively.

The running joke is that it costs money to leave your house/apartment, and it certainly feels that way for many of us. It seems everything is monetized to the point where the traditional third place is removed, only to be replaced by something that requires money.

"In the absence of informal public life, living becomes more expensive. Where the means and facilities for relaxation and leisure are not publicly shared, they become the objects of private ownership and consumption."

- Ray Oldenburg, urban sociologist and writer of The Great Good Place

This is a problem because if fandom and escapism are only accessible for those who can afford it, the people who need it most are left with even fewer ways to cope. This makes a dark world only darker.

Do you have suggestions on how to fix the third place problem, or do you want to share your favorite ways to escape? Let us know in the comments.

Wishing you all a lovely and relaxing holiday season!

CG