Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

Term Paper On Escapism in Modern Western Culture

by Alexander Wall

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

Contents
Purpose & Method Introduction How is Fiction a Form of Escapism? The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy How did Escapism become so significant in Western Culture? Slaughterhouse-Five How does Escapism affect us? Closing References 3 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

Purpose and Method The purpose of this presentation is to discuss and analyze signs and the role of escapism in modern western culture. In addition, the impact of escapism on individuals and on society at large will be elaborated on. The study in order to obtain relevant information on these issues is based on two typical escapism novels The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Slaughterhouse-Five and scientific articles on the significance of escapism in culture. Information on modern history and computer games are mostly based on Internet sources.

Introduction In the beginning, at the dawn of humanity, what made our ancestors differ from those before was, among other things, their imagination. The possibility of escaping the realm of reality and travel to an unlimited world of ideas and fantasies. The famous paintings from the Cave of Altamira are only but one example of the impact of this to the development of early human culture. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_Altamira)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/AltamiraBison.jpg/591pxAltamiraBison.jpg)

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

However, if you told a joke about a talking mammoth asking for trunk-quilizers to a Neanderthal this would not be understood since it was beyond their capacity to imagine irony or anything surreal at all. (Walking with Cavemen, 2003) For them a mammoth was mostly only potential food. This mental phenomenon has introduced surrealism to our culture and has mostly been used in literature, films and art as a form of escapism. As the term suggests it is a temporary psychological escape. Still, escapism is not limited to pleasant distractions and diversions from reality. There can always be cases where one wishes to escape to, rather than from, reality. (Forster, 2006: 81-82) In our society this could be rendered through such familiar and minor undertakings as the weekend camping trip to the forest and, more permanently, the return to a rural commune way of life. (Tuan, 1998: 18)

The human mind is the most efficient and productive factory known to man. It fabricates ideas out of nothing. For thousands of years we have told and spread stories about mythical beings and divinity, some of whom still exist to this very day. One could wonder if this seemingly inexhaustible well of fictitious characters will ever dry out. Where reality fails our mind prevails. Using our imagination we can visit any place, travel to any time and accomplish anything. This amazing human characteristic is as astonishing as the ideas it gives birth to. This term paper is mainly about what is referred to as escapism in our modern western culture.

How is Fiction a Form of Escapism? When it comes to fiction the writers have to produce more than a common everyday story. The story must be filled with epic adventure, entertaining humor or lascivious romance, i.e. circumstances people rarely encounter and mostly long for. Yet, were one to examine other genres in literature, such as realistic novels you will never find them on bookshelves labeled escapism novels. However, there is still a tendency to make reality more dramatic through literary mechanisms such as twists or sudden changes. In addition, writing a book is very similar to writing a newspaper article. You have to make the story interesting in order to
4

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

attract the reader. Also, not every event is worth a spot on the front page. This is seen in The Things they carried (OBrien, 1990), a collection of stories about a platoon from the Vietnam War. After all, how interesting would it be to read a flat story of mundane realism?

When reading a bestseller it is extraordinary how connected one becomes with the plot and its characters. When they face challenges we cheer them on. When they laugh we rejoice. When they suffer we sympathize. Not all tales are satisfactory to ones preferences. The plot and its characters may be decoded differently with respect to ideals or opinions of the reader. Embedded in the story there is also a message which the reader can choose to accept or ignore, or even configure according to opinion. Moreover, the reason why a story is always more powerful than a simple message is because it engages us emotionally; it speaks to the soul and not just to the intellect. Thus, the answer to the question is; fiction, like all fabricated stories engages the reader in a fantasy. The world is designed mostly by the author, but to some extent also by the reader. This can offer guidance, comfort or adventure depending on what the reader desires momentarily. Through this world, the reader can escape the boundaries of reality.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy When searching for an escapism novel this is one of the best you can find. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is the first volume in a science fiction series written by Douglas Adams (1979). It is a story about a human named Arthur who tries to prevent bulldozers from demolishing his house, a futile effort since the entire planet Earth is destroyed shortly afterwards. Luckily Arthur manages to escape the disaster together with an old friend Ford Prefect, who - until now - kept it a secret that he was from a planet called Betelgeuse and actually doing research on Earth. Together with his friend, Arthur embarks on a journey through the galaxy that will change his perception of life forever. In The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy the protagonist experiences the adventure of a lifetime. To travel through the universe is something we earthlings can only dream of, perhaps this is as close as we can get. Understanding that concept, it is no wonder that this masterpiece is a typical escapism
5

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

novel. But what kind of an adventure would it be without laughter? Douglas Adams uses comedy and absurdity in an amusing way. You know, said Arthur, its at times like this, when Im trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space, that I really wished Id listened to what my mother told me when I was young. Why, what did she tell you? I dont know, I didnt listen. (Adams, 1979: 65)

Douglas Adams portrays a world where humans are extremely insignificant to the rest of the universe and earthly modern science pales in comparison to the development of other alien civilizations. Humans are not even the smartest specie on their own planet; our intelligence is outranked by dolphins and mice. Yet, in the midst of all this super-advanced technology and ultra-evolution there is one thing that humans and the rest of the universe have in common. This is the search for the meaning of life, the universe and everything as well as the failure to find it. Through this Douglas Adams shows that even if humans were to progress and become able to examine the farthest reaches of the universe it will not bring us those answers.

How did Escapism become so significant in Western Culture? If there was a time in history when escapism flourished, that time would be the romantic era. It is not surprising that one of the factors that inspired romanticism was the industrial revolution. As the factories and cities grew larger there was a group of people, mostly poets and artists, who feared this development. A typical method for a romanticist to escape was by writing about utopian nature or by worshiping the time before the industrial revolution. Whereas science and knowledge were the central subjects during the enlightenment era romanticists rejected rationalism and their artistry were mostly dominated by personal dreams, natural exoticism or nostalgia of the past. (http://www.ehow.com/info_8472892_elements-romantic-period.html) However, as ridiculous as it may sound science is, in many ways, very similar to the ideals supported by romanticists. Modern science follows many complex models never actually perceived by the

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

naked eye, but mentally visualized through fantasy based on loads of experiments and calculations. The point is that societal progress seen in, e.g. science, technology and medicine are all products of someones imagination. Thus, what we consider fiction today might be science in a hundred years from now. Humanity, as far as we know, alone possess this gift of thinking outside the box and whether or not we use it to create stories or unique ideas it contributes to society and its people.

(http://www.usernetsite.com/humor/how-evolution-happens/eat-survive-reproduce.jpg)

Interestingly, it is at a time of socioeconomic development that escapism becomes more valued. The industrial revolution made production and traveling more effective (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_during_the_British_Industrial_Revolution), just like modern products are designed to make our lives easier. Does not that satisfy us? The philosophical novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Kundera, 1984) might give us an answer. Tuan (1998: XIII) claims that the unbearable lightness of being can be described as a state in which an individual living a life of luxury wishes to climb down the ladder of success and learn what life is like on the bottom step. In Tuans own words: Success in modern times has introduced unprecedented predictability and plenitude into human life. This quote is directly referring to modern society, which has aspired only to make our lives more

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

comfortable and less challenging. On the inside we yearn for adventure. When reality fails to provide us with it we seek it out through forms of escapism. Although escapism can be a response to passiveness and boredom, it can also be a result of the exact opposite. A perfect novel that renders this situation is Slaughterhouse-Five (Vonnegut, 1968, 1969).

Slaughterhouse-Five

The narrator and protagonist is named Billy Pilgrim, a name that suggests that he is on a journey to find an answer. The name is not entirely misplaced since he is, or at least thinks he is, a time-traveler. Whether or not Billy has been to a planet called Tralfamadore and therefore can perceive time as a fourth dimension is entirely up to the reader. This returns us to the previous statement above, different readers perceive the book differently. This is one interpretation of it. Slaughterhouse-Five is a typical example of how the destructiveness of war can cause people to escape reality and invent their own. The severe traumas, including the bombing of Dresden, that Billy has to go through during his service in World War II, leads to all sorts of fantasies. He thinks he has been kidnapped by aliens known as Tralfamadorians and put in a Tralfamadorian zoo. On this new planet he learns that time is not something chronological, any moment in any time can and will replay over and over again. It is from this perception of time that the famous phrase used by the Tralfamadorians when somebody dies comes from: So it goes You know what I say to people when I hear theyre writing anti-war books? No. What do you say, Harrison Starr? I say Why dont you write an anti-glacier book instead? What he meant, of course, was that there would always be wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers. I believe that too. (Vonnegut, 1968, 1969: 7) There is no doubt that Billy Pilgrim undermines the importance of free will by telling this story. To him nothing can be changed, for everything that has happened and will happen will keep on happening, hence it is a pointless struggle to change fate. It is not surprising that it is of comfort to accept this view of life if you have survived such a terrible event as the bombing of Dresden. However, to view war and all terrible things as a part of this world that can never be changed is also escaping our responsibility to act against it. Then, towards what direction will our world turn?

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

How does Escapism affect us? Above, we have discussed that escapism is something normal that comes as a result of our imagination. Under these circumstances, escapism comes naturally and stimulates our emotions in a positive way. However, as Slaughterhouse-Five shows, escapism can also be a protective mechanism that the mind puts to use when reality is simply too hard to comprehend. This is the case with Morad, a young teenager, who one day suffers severe abuse by adolescents in his home village in the north of Israel. After the attack he completely disconnects himself with reality and is unable to respond, even to his family. As a last resort before hospitalization in a mental institute his father spends all the familys savings to take Morad to a dolphin treatment center. After some time Morad starts to talk again and gradually becomes restored to his old self. But it takes many months for him to remember and accept what actually happened to him. (Dolphin Boy, 2011) Who would have thought that dolphins could have that miraculous healing power? Maybe Douglas Adams was not bluffing when he said that dolphins are smarter than us humans.

The tale of Morad and the story of Billy Pilgrim show that if you do not keep a firm grip on reality it can slip through your fingers. In these cases escapism was forced upon the individuals to make them able to cope with life, but it does not have to be forced upon the individual to have a huge impact. Books and movies are tools of escapism. However, today they cannot compare with computer games that engage an increasing numbers of new players daily. Even among grown-ups video game addiction has become a serious issue. Partly, this is because so many adults are overwhelmed by their duties and the relaxation that video games offer can function as a very sufficient anti-stress agent. But, gaming several hours per day on a regular basis can even cause troubles with eating, sleeping and emotional outbursts. (http://www.video-game-addiction.org/internet-addictionsadults.html). When it comes to adolescents Griffiths and Hunt (1998) reported that computer games results in an augmentation of intelligence, motivation and problem-solving but is also very addictive. The addiction to computer games is strongly related to the escapism that is associated with gaming experiences. One of the most popular computer

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

games is World of Warcraft and the game offers the player to control an avatar and grow stronger by battling vicious opponents and other players. It is an adventure taking place in the land of Azeroth, a digitalized world of adventure distinctly different from Earth. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Warcraft) Very similar, if not identical, to the fake world readers of a fantasy novel visualize and dream they are a part of. Escapism is harmless as long as it is not taken to its extremes. There is a difference between enjoying something, and being obsessed with it. Forster (2006: 80-81) believes that the definition of escapism found in dictionaries are very often describing it as a negative activity only exercised by those with feeble psyches. On the contrary, escapism can be regarded as a process fundamental to all humans, in fact our entire society. The progress of civilization that has allowed us to evade many of the severities of nature indicates this. Furthermore, an important yet often ignored component of escapism is the physical escape, not just the psychological. Mental processes are always guided by something physical, if we have more physical stimuli it increases the sensation of escapism derived from it. While words in books might be entrancing, the fantasy world of a role-playing game is far more captivating for it sends out a higher amount of stimuli. Clearly, escapism can be both positive and negative. Still, it is difficult to blame something that is so endemic to humans. The problem often has its origin in the dependence developed by the individual. It is under these circumstances that an individual exposes itself to an overdose of escapism which can even have the tragic result of death. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/05/korean-girl-starvedonline-game), (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20021079-504083.html)

Closing To summarize, escapism is a fundamental part of human nature that has been exercised ever since the first story was told. But we must not ignore the impact that the industrial revolution had on all aspects of life. Today humanity, in relation to our predecessors, lives far from our natural habitat. The modern materialistic lifestyle might be regarded as alleviating in many aspects. Yet, it lacks most of the natural conditions that influenced our senses and spiritual life that is also of importance to our wellbeing. There are many means by which our modern western culture enables us to escape problems and concerns that we
10

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

have to face in the future, clearly there is a risk that this might cause passiveness towards solving future issues. We cannot solve anything by escaping reality nor by being in a state of gloom. A failure of our culture is that when we finish the novel we often have not learned anything. To believe that life does not offer the same opportunities as fiction is not correct. As presented above, fiction can become reality given the time. While it is important to accept reality we must not be afraid to question it. Picture in your mind a paradise so serene and beautiful and harmonious, a utopia. A world where there are no killings, a world where justice always prevails. Our politicians and realists claim that this world is not possible. Crime can only be fought by imprisonment and supervision. For the poor people of the world remains inevitably only pain and misery. But how do we know, if we have not even tried to imagine this? (Lennon, 1971) Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world

References
Adams, D. (1979), The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Oxford: Picador. Cave of Altamira, [Online], Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_Altamira [4 Feb 2012]. CBS News (2010), FarmVille Playing Mom Admits She Killed Infant Who Interrupted Facebook Game, [Online], Available: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_16220021079-504083.html [6 Feb 2012]. Dolphin Boy (2011) Directed by Dani Menkin and Yonatan Nir. Hemisphere Productions: U. S. [video: DVD].

11

Engelska C

Hvitfeldtska Gymnasiet

VT 2012

Forster, J. (2006) Commodified Evils Wayward Children: Black Metal and Death Metal as Purveyors of an Alternative Form of Modern Escapism. M. A. thesis, University of Canterbury. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/AltamiraBison.jpg/591pxAltamiraBison.jpg [4 Feb 2012]. http://www.usernetsite.com/humor/how-evolution-happens/eat-survive-reproduce.jpg [3 Feb 2012]. Kittmer, L. (2011) Elements of the Romantic Period, [Online], Available: http://www.ehow.com/info_8472892_elements-romantic-period.html [2 Feb 2012]. Kundera, M. (1984) The Unbearable Lightness of Being, US: Harper & Row. Lennon, J. (1971) Imagine, Apple, New York. Mark D. Griffiths and Nigel Hunt, 1998, Dependence on Computer Games by Adolescents. OBrien, T. (1990) The Things they carried, London: Flamingo. The Guardian (2010) Girl starved to death while parents raised virtual child in online game, [Online], Available: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/05/korean-girl-starvedonline-game [6 Feb 2012]. Tuan, Y. (1998) Escapism, London: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Video Game Addiction Signs of Gaming Addiction in Adults, [Online], Available: http://www.video-game-addiction.org/internet-addictions-adults.html [3 Feb 2012]. Vonnegut, K. (1968) Slaughterhouse-Five, Denmark: Sangill Bogtryk. Walking with Cavemen (2003) The Survivors. London: BBC, 1 April 2003, [video:DVD]. Wikipedia Transport during the British industrial Revolution, [Online], Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_during_the_British_Industrial_Revolution [3 Feb 2012]. Wikipedia World of Warcraft, [Online], Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Warcraft [3 Feb 2012].

12