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IF you've spent hours lost in your new CD, just sitting in your room listening to it over and over again, you'll know what I mean. If you've found the hours spent sitting in a cinema go like a dream, you'll know what I mean. If you have seen hours flash by while reading a great book, you'll know what I mean. Yes, even if you spend countless days sitting in from of your PC or PS2, you'll also know what I mean.
Escapism.
It's something that I'll bet we all do, in some little way. Something we've all expierenced, at least. I thought of this post last night when I was babysitting. I had taken my current book - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - and two videos, The Rock and my poorly taped Chasing Amy. I intended to watch Chasing Amy, but I opened my book first and started reading, just for half and hour. Next thing I knew, they had returned and it was half one. I'd been reading steadily for five and a half hours. Surprised me, too. So why we do this?
I've heard plenty of theories from "intelligent" people, about it being a method to escape the world that we hate and loath. There might even be a bit of Freud in there too. But my personal theory is that it's just a bit of light relief, if we're are bored or depressed. Especially depressed. What, except sodding off and getting drunk, do you do when you are depressed? I go read a book or watch a Kevin Smith film, because they always cheer me up. I usually get lost in them too. I've had times where I've picked up a Goodkind book while depressed and read the whole thing in one go. One occasion I remember clearly is last summer, when the pressure of GCSEs was getting me down a bit. I just grabbed Lord of the Rings from my bedside table and went outside, sitting underneath the weeping ash in my garden. It was warm and I had a good book, and I read for seven straight hours. I only stopped because it was getting dark.
Which genre do you use for escapism? I've used all, in some way or another:
Games
I got lost in Devil May Cry a couple of weeks ago, and when I played the first Command and Conquer on the PC I remember playing it for hours, but it's not really my way of escapism. I can see it being other peoples though, especially complicated platformers like Jak and Daxter.
Films
Films are a great relaxant, but I don't think they're are the best for escapism. Sure, time has flown while I've been in the cinema, but it's always got a time limit. Lord of the Rings is the best example, because thats a huge film. 3 hours just flew by for me, every time I've seen it. But, in the end, the lights are always going to come up and you have to file out, leaving your empty Coke cup in the seat pocket, for some reason.
CDs
Music can be all sorts of things. Relaxing, happy, angry, or even "I hate the world so I'll thrash my guitar" nu-metal. But it's easy to lose yourself in every one of these. A new CD is great, you rush to your room and stick it on, lie back on the bed, and just listen to it all the way through, maybe twice over. It's easy to lose yourself in the lyrics of your favourite group. On a side note to music, I've heard from my friend who's in a group that it's easy to lose track of time when rehearsing. I don't know about that, Goatboy? Oh, by the way, he's heard of Parker.
Books
Aha, the kings of escapism. Books were around before nay of that other rubbish ;-). I feel sorry for people who don't read. It's not that I consider them any less intelligent, but they're losing out in some way. I can't describe how, they just are. Anyway, books are great for the escapist for one simple reason - they force your imagination to work. In films and games, your imagination is dictated for you. That's the problem with book-based films, no-one imagines the same thing, and therein lies the beauty of books. You can imagine whatever you want, and get lost in your imagination for hours. Can't put a book down, sometimes. It's great, though, and I wouldn't give it up. Books rule, and I'm allowed to ramble on about them now.
So, escapism. I love it. It's not the repression of my inner child or something like that, it's just what happens when you read. It's great. Heres to escapism.
So, opinions? I'm crazy, aren't I?
Cheers for reading
Stryke - Gone strangly emotional for the post.
Escapism.
It's something that I'll bet we all do, in some little way. Something we've all expierenced, at least. I thought of this post last night when I was babysitting. I had taken my current book - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - and two videos, The Rock and my poorly taped Chasing Amy. I intended to watch Chasing Amy, but I opened my book first and started reading, just for half and hour. Next thing I knew, they had returned and it was half one. I'd been reading steadily for five and a half hours. Surprised me, too. So why we do this?
I've heard plenty of theories from "intelligent" people, about it being a method to escape the world that we hate and loath. There might even be a bit of Freud in there too. But my personal theory is that it's just a bit of light relief, if we're are bored or depressed. Especially depressed. What, except sodding off and getting drunk, do you do when you are depressed? I go read a book or watch a Kevin Smith film, because they always cheer me up. I usually get lost in them too. I've had times where I've picked up a Goodkind book while depressed and read the whole thing in one go. One occasion I remember clearly is last summer, when the pressure of GCSEs was getting me down a bit. I just grabbed Lord of the Rings from my bedside table and went outside, sitting underneath the weeping ash in my garden. It was warm and I had a good book, and I read for seven straight hours. I only stopped because it was getting dark.
Which genre do you use for escapism? I've used all, in some way or another:
Games
I got lost in Devil May Cry a couple of weeks ago, and when I played the first Command and Conquer on the PC I remember playing it for hours, but it's not really my way of escapism. I can see it being other peoples though, especially complicated platformers like Jak and Daxter.
Films
Films are a great relaxant, but I don't think they're are the best for escapism. Sure, time has flown while I've been in the cinema, but it's always got a time limit. Lord of the Rings is the best example, because thats a huge film. 3 hours just flew by for me, every time I've seen it. But, in the end, the lights are always going to come up and you have to file out, leaving your empty Coke cup in the seat pocket, for some reason.
CDs
Music can be all sorts of things. Relaxing, happy, angry, or even "I hate the world so I'll thrash my guitar" nu-metal. But it's easy to lose yourself in every one of these. A new CD is great, you rush to your room and stick it on, lie back on the bed, and just listen to it all the way through, maybe twice over. It's easy to lose yourself in the lyrics of your favourite group. On a side note to music, I've heard from my friend who's in a group that it's easy to lose track of time when rehearsing. I don't know about that, Goatboy? Oh, by the way, he's heard of Parker.
Books
Aha, the kings of escapism. Books were around before nay of that other rubbish ;-). I feel sorry for people who don't read. It's not that I consider them any less intelligent, but they're losing out in some way. I can't describe how, they just are. Anyway, books are great for the escapist for one simple reason - they force your imagination to work. In films and games, your imagination is dictated for you. That's the problem with book-based films, no-one imagines the same thing, and therein lies the beauty of books. You can imagine whatever you want, and get lost in your imagination for hours. Can't put a book down, sometimes. It's great, though, and I wouldn't give it up. Books rule, and I'm allowed to ramble on about them now.
So, escapism. I love it. It's not the repression of my inner child or something like that, it's just what happens when you read. It's great. Heres to escapism.
So, opinions? I'm crazy, aren't I?
Cheers for reading
Stryke - Gone strangly emotional for the post.
Sod off Shaneo.
I think that many get it wrong when they classify ALL games, films, books and music as toys to distract us from the 'real' world and help us forget. Yes, a lot of the time this is true, but it's unfair to say that the entire time. For instance, you may simply just be immersed in the game, which probably IS a form of escapism again, leading back to the first point.
Nice post Stryke, possibly a Gameaday winner!
Citzen
Nice post Stryke, possibly a Gameaday winner!
Citzen
IF you've spent hours lost in your new CD, just sitting in your room listening to it over and over again, you'll know what I mean. If you've found the hours spent sitting in a cinema go like a dream, you'll know what I mean. If you have seen hours flash by while reading a great book, you'll know what I mean. Yes, even if you spend countless days sitting in from of your PC or PS2, you'll also know what I mean.
Escapism.
It's something that I'll bet we all do, in some little way. Something we've all expierenced, at least. I thought of this post last night when I was babysitting. I had taken my current book - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - and two videos, The Rock and my poorly taped Chasing Amy. I intended to watch Chasing Amy, but I opened my book first and started reading, just for half and hour. Next thing I knew, they had returned and it was half one. I'd been reading steadily for five and a half hours. Surprised me, too. So why we do this?
I've heard plenty of theories from "intelligent" people, about it being a method to escape the world that we hate and loath. There might even be a bit of Freud in there too. But my personal theory is that it's just a bit of light relief, if we're are bored or depressed. Especially depressed. What, except sodding off and getting drunk, do you do when you are depressed? I go read a book or watch a Kevin Smith film, because they always cheer me up. I usually get lost in them too. I've had times where I've picked up a Goodkind book while depressed and read the whole thing in one go. One occasion I remember clearly is last summer, when the pressure of GCSEs was getting me down a bit. I just grabbed Lord of the Rings from my bedside table and went outside, sitting underneath the weeping ash in my garden. It was warm and I had a good book, and I read for seven straight hours. I only stopped because it was getting dark.
Which genre do you use for escapism? I've used all, in some way or another:
Games
I got lost in Devil May Cry a couple of weeks ago, and when I played the first Command and Conquer on the PC I remember playing it for hours, but it's not really my way of escapism. I can see it being other peoples though, especially complicated platformers like Jak and Daxter.
Films
Films are a great relaxant, but I don't think they're are the best for escapism. Sure, time has flown while I've been in the cinema, but it's always got a time limit. Lord of the Rings is the best example, because thats a huge film. 3 hours just flew by for me, every time I've seen it. But, in the end, the lights are always going to come up and you have to file out, leaving your empty Coke cup in the seat pocket, for some reason.
CDs
Music can be all sorts of things. Relaxing, happy, angry, or even "I hate the world so I'll thrash my guitar" nu-metal. But it's easy to lose yourself in every one of these. A new CD is great, you rush to your room and stick it on, lie back on the bed, and just listen to it all the way through, maybe twice over. It's easy to lose yourself in the lyrics of your favourite group. On a side note to music, I've heard from my friend who's in a group that it's easy to lose track of time when rehearsing. I don't know about that, Goatboy? Oh, by the way, he's heard of Parker.
Books
Aha, the kings of escapism. Books were around before nay of that other rubbish ;-). I feel sorry for people who don't read. It's not that I consider them any less intelligent, but they're losing out in some way. I can't describe how, they just are. Anyway, books are great for the escapist for one simple reason - they force your imagination to work. In films and games, your imagination is dictated for you. That's the problem with book-based films, no-one imagines the same thing, and therein lies the beauty of books. You can imagine whatever you want, and get lost in your imagination for hours. Can't put a book down, sometimes. It's great, though, and I wouldn't give it up. Books rule, and I'm allowed to ramble on about them now.
So, escapism. I love it. It's not the repression of my inner child or something like that, it's just what happens when you read. It's great. Heres to escapism.
So, opinions? I'm crazy, aren't I?
Cheers for reading
Stryke - Gone strangly emotional for the post.
Escapism.
It's something that I'll bet we all do, in some little way. Something we've all expierenced, at least. I thought of this post last night when I was babysitting. I had taken my current book - Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - and two videos, The Rock and my poorly taped Chasing Amy. I intended to watch Chasing Amy, but I opened my book first and started reading, just for half and hour. Next thing I knew, they had returned and it was half one. I'd been reading steadily for five and a half hours. Surprised me, too. So why we do this?
I've heard plenty of theories from "intelligent" people, about it being a method to escape the world that we hate and loath. There might even be a bit of Freud in there too. But my personal theory is that it's just a bit of light relief, if we're are bored or depressed. Especially depressed. What, except sodding off and getting drunk, do you do when you are depressed? I go read a book or watch a Kevin Smith film, because they always cheer me up. I usually get lost in them too. I've had times where I've picked up a Goodkind book while depressed and read the whole thing in one go. One occasion I remember clearly is last summer, when the pressure of GCSEs was getting me down a bit. I just grabbed Lord of the Rings from my bedside table and went outside, sitting underneath the weeping ash in my garden. It was warm and I had a good book, and I read for seven straight hours. I only stopped because it was getting dark.
Which genre do you use for escapism? I've used all, in some way or another:
Games
I got lost in Devil May Cry a couple of weeks ago, and when I played the first Command and Conquer on the PC I remember playing it for hours, but it's not really my way of escapism. I can see it being other peoples though, especially complicated platformers like Jak and Daxter.
Films
Films are a great relaxant, but I don't think they're are the best for escapism. Sure, time has flown while I've been in the cinema, but it's always got a time limit. Lord of the Rings is the best example, because thats a huge film. 3 hours just flew by for me, every time I've seen it. But, in the end, the lights are always going to come up and you have to file out, leaving your empty Coke cup in the seat pocket, for some reason.
CDs
Music can be all sorts of things. Relaxing, happy, angry, or even "I hate the world so I'll thrash my guitar" nu-metal. But it's easy to lose yourself in every one of these. A new CD is great, you rush to your room and stick it on, lie back on the bed, and just listen to it all the way through, maybe twice over. It's easy to lose yourself in the lyrics of your favourite group. On a side note to music, I've heard from my friend who's in a group that it's easy to lose track of time when rehearsing. I don't know about that, Goatboy? Oh, by the way, he's heard of Parker.
Books
Aha, the kings of escapism. Books were around before nay of that other rubbish ;-). I feel sorry for people who don't read. It's not that I consider them any less intelligent, but they're losing out in some way. I can't describe how, they just are. Anyway, books are great for the escapist for one simple reason - they force your imagination to work. In films and games, your imagination is dictated for you. That's the problem with book-based films, no-one imagines the same thing, and therein lies the beauty of books. You can imagine whatever you want, and get lost in your imagination for hours. Can't put a book down, sometimes. It's great, though, and I wouldn't give it up. Books rule, and I'm allowed to ramble on about them now.
So, escapism. I love it. It's not the repression of my inner child or something like that, it's just what happens when you read. It's great. Heres to escapism.
So, opinions? I'm crazy, aren't I?
Cheers for reading
Stryke - Gone strangly emotional for the post.