Is Escapism a bad thing?

[Popadoo]

Recently, I've been feeling rather sad.
I've been thinking about how dull and uninteresting our world is compared to the innumerable universes of every T.V show, book, film... hell, even pieces of artwork. Maybe I've been spoiled by all of this media, all the different adventures I've watched and read about, but I can't help feel like I can, no matter what, experience anything like it. Our world has been explored head to toe, there's no where to go for an adventure, no magical goings-on. And if we ever were to be in those exciting, life or death situations... let's be honest, you wouldn't come out on top against million to one odds, defeat the big baddy, and ride into the sunset with the girl. You'd probably just die a painful death, and that sucks.
Obviously, we'd all like to go on these big adventures (unless you're Rincewind), and thinking about them, reading and watching them, and creating them is fun as well.
So what I'm asking is, do you think that Escapism is a good or bad thing, and worth it? It allows us to create adventures of our own, with limits unbound by reality, but we have to live with the fact that it'll never happen to us, and be reminded how dull and generally awful this world is.
Man, I'm such a happy guy today.
EDIT: Inb4 this is the Escapist, dummy.

 

[BrassButtons]

I think that like most things escapism is good in moderation, but harmful if overdone. If you're constantly trying to escape the real world, then something is wrong and needs to be dealt with. But as a way of occasionally de-stressing from daily life, escapism is a good thing.

 

[pilouuuu]

It's good as long as you don't start confusing it for reality or if you start having problems in real life. If it weren't for escapism we probably wouldn't have many inventions that were imagined first in science fiction and our life would be much more dull.

Imagination is a great thing, escapism is good because it may help us function better in the real world.

 

[Vault101]

the real world works very differently to that of fiction what may seem awsome in fictoinland would probably give you PTSD

 

[HardkorSB]

Recently, I've been feeling rather sad.
I've been thinking about how dull and uninteresting our world is compared to the innumerable universes of every T.V show, book, film... hell, even pieces of artwork. Maybe I've been spoiled by all of this media, all the different adventures I've watched and read about, but I can't help feel like I can, no matter what, experience anything like it.

Seriously?
Go climb a fucking mountain or have someone drop you in the middle of an African jungle with no gear whatsoever or move to Israel and try going out in the night with no weapons.
And don't forget to say one liners every couple of minutes.
Or, if you want to be the villain, just straight up murder some people

Our world has been explored head to toe, there's no where to go for an adventure, no magical goings-on.

Bull shit.
Show me one person who's been to the bottom of an ocean or to the center of the Earth.

And if we ever were to be in those exciting, life or death situations... let's be honest, you wouldn't come out on top against million to one odds, defeat the big baddy, and ride into the sunset with the girl. You'd probably just die a painful death, and that sucks.

The outcome doesn't have anything to do with the excitement level of that adventure.
It seems like, even if you would end up in one of those situations, you would still complain because "In the movies it's fun but in reality it's scary and it hurts when they punch you and when they're going somewhere, they cut out the long walk and go straight to the action or do a montage instead of showing the hero training for years in real time and you can't do that in reality" and stuff.

So what I'm asking is, do you think that Escapism is a good or bad thing, and worth it?

It's not worth it if you're going to use it to justify your whining about reality, instead of actually doing something to change it.
If you really want excitement and adventure, there's plenty of that in the world.

Check out all the cool exciting shit you could be doing right now AKA real life escapism:

 

[Vault101]

Check out all the cool exciting shit you could be doing right now AKA real life escapism:

I agree 100%...I also think that the OP's attitude is slightly sheltered/harmful...belving there can be no world as good as the fictional universes is going to lead you into dissapointment and blocking out the real world

 

[Sean Hollyman]

While I do always think how much better it would be to live in a fictional world, like say Pokemon.. how...awesone...it...would....be...!

I don't really get distracted from the shitty real world

 

[TWRule]

Recently, I've been feeling rather sad.
I've been thinking about how dull and uninteresting our world is compared to the innumerable universes of every T.V show, book, film... hell, even pieces of artwork. Maybe I've been spoiled by all of this media, all the different adventures I've watched and read about, but I can't help feel like I can, no matter what, experience anything like it. Our world has been explored head to toe, there's no where to go for an adventure, no magical goings-on. And if we ever were to be in those exciting, life or death situations... let's be honest, you wouldn't come out on top against million to one odds, defeat the big baddy, and ride into the sunset with the girl. You'd probably just die a painful death, and that sucks.
Obviously, we'd all like to go on these big adventures (unless you're Rincewind), and thinking about them, reading and watching them, and creating them is fun as well.
So what I'm asking is, do you think that Escapism is a good or bad thing, and worth it? It allows us to create adventures of our own, with limits unbound by reality, but we have to live with the fact that it'll never happen to us, and be reminded how dull and generally awful this world is.
Man, I'm such a happy guy today.
EDIT: Inb4 this is the Escapist, dummy.

I wouldn't call it a good thing in and of itself. Think of it more like a defense mechanism. It might protect you in a certain way from harsh realities, but it's not a permanent or ultimately healthy solution. Eventually, you need to try to find a way to improve the shared (i.e. "real") world - just distinguish creativity from fantasy in doing so.

Yeah, magic has been retreating from the world as science's onset continues to affect our experience of nature. Perhaps it's not possible to bring it back in the same way either. However, there might be a way to bring surprise from and/or trust for nature back, like it was in the days of magic - or perhaps something different but equally satisfactory. It's your responsibility (and everyone's, working together) to create that sort of shared world though (which means coming out of your own world from time to time and really working with others).

 

[Vault101]

While I do always think how much better it would be to live in a fictional world, like say Pokemon.. how...awesone...it...would....be...!

I don't really get distracted from the shitty real world

you may find that if you really think about it alot of thease worlds arnt as great as they seem

like what kid didn't want to live in Harry potter?

you know, excpet that the systm is rascist, corrupt..and just generally inompetant..when wizard hitler shows up for the SECOND TIME the solution is "keep calm! carry on!..nothing to see here! V...V..who? there is no...EVERYTHING IS FINE"

not to metion the whole world is in technologial and cultrual stagnation...how many jobs can you think of in the harry potter universe? teahcer?...owning a store in diagon alley?...working in the ministry? auror?...the goblins own the finance sector..and really you don't learn useful skills because all you know is magic
and magic is dangeroud

oh and if youre born a squib?..have feen being miserable for the rest of your life

 

[Logiclul]

Recently, I've been feeling rather sad.
I've been thinking about how dull and uninteresting our world is compared to the innumerable universes of every T.V show, book, film... hell, even pieces of artwork. Maybe I've been spoiled by all of this media, all the different adventures I've watched and read about, but I can't help feel like I can, no matter what, experience anything like it. Our world has been explored head to toe, there's no where to go for an adventure, no magical goings-on. And if we ever were to be in those exciting, life or death situations... let's be honest, you wouldn't come out on top against million to one odds, defeat the big baddy, and ride into the sunset with the girl. You'd probably just die a painful death, and that sucks.
Obviously, we'd all like to go on these big adventures (unless you're Rincewind), and thinking about them, reading and watching them, and creating them is fun as well.
So what I'm asking is, do you think that Escapism is a good or bad thing, and worth it? It allows us to create adventures of our own, with limits unbound by reality, but we have to live with the fact that it'll never happen to us, and be reminded how dull and generally awful this world is.
Man, I'm such a happy guy today.
EDIT: Inb4 this is the Escapist, dummy.

Wow. Grow up.

You sound like a spoiled brat whose parents couldn't buy him a flying unicorn with teleportation powers. You want to win against impossible odds, beat a bad guy, and get some hot girl? Here's how you do it: You go to school and work your butt off. Go into something innovative, some science probably. Work hard at that and try to do great things. Every day you'll be going at impossible odds that you'll discover something relevant and worthwhile.

You won't do anything great right now because you're just a kid who plays too many games and watches too many movies and whines on the internet that he isn't Link.

There's tons to discover in this world and even more in this universe. There's lots of bad guys to beat, girls to get, and disheartening adventures to have. You just have to get off the computer/couch and work.

I'm really offended that people who feel ENTITLED to a life of biblical proportions exist. If you want that legacy you have to work - that's how it SHOULD be.

 

[The Funslinger]

Check out all the cool exciting shit you could be doing right now AKA real life escapism:

I agree 100%...I also think that the OP's attitude is slightly sheltered/harmful...belving there can be no world as good as the fictional universes is going to lead you into dissapointment and blocking out the real world

Agreed. There are hundreds of awesome things to be done in the world, with a little thought.

Hell, there's a screenplay I'd like to write taking place in a mental ward, and in preparation for that (whenever I decide to write it) I plan on replicating the Rosenhan 'Sane in Insane Places' experiment to give myself insight.

Basically talk my way into a mental ward, and see if general staff realize I'm not utterly butterly. If that fails, give the illusion of getting better and get let out.

 

[Mikeyfell]

The difference between you and me is that I've accepted that the world is a shitty place. So I don't feel sad about it.
You'll never take my delusions away from me!

And if we're lucky the world'll just stop spinning on December what ever 2012, but if not, then I'll have to get a real job! Oh no!