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Isn't any entertainment (movies, music, reading, gaming etc.) by itself escapism? i.e. few mins to few hours of escape from the pathetic(most) life. Alan Moore

Isn't any entertainment (movies, music, reading, gaming etc.) by itself escapism? i.e. few mins to few hours of escape from the pathetic(most) life. Alan Moore talks about Super Hero worship, but if you take a country like India; people have been worshipping 'movie heroes' literally, they command huge power, in certain states movie actors get regularly elected as 'Chief Minister' i.e. highest position of state power. I tend to think, it's because here people need more escapism due to obvious reasons.

Quekid5 7y ago
I tend to agree. Movies in general seem to be escapism[0]. Even incredibly depressing/artful movies like Requiem For A Dream, Joker (since it was brought up on this thread), Irréversible, The Truman Show, Martyrs, Saw, etc. are a form of escapism. Now, each person may have their own preferences as to what type of escapism they want, but ultimately it's really just spending a few hours at a theatre or in front of a TV. (We could argue about the intellectual merits of each of the films I've mentioned, but that's irrelevant as to whether they're escapism or not.) Hot take: The problem isn't "shallow movies" or similar. It's that well-enough-off people are increasingly getting bored. [0] Hell, I'd even extend that to most art.
- the_af 7y ago
  What's your definition of "escapism". How is watching Irréversible escapism?
  - Quekid5 7y ago
    In the same way that RFAD is. It distracts from one's own life and "at least I haven't got it that bad".
    - the_af 7y ago
      Fair enough, but do note that's not what most people (or dictionaries) mean by "escapism" -- and your interpretation will puzzle people who use it in a derogatory manner. When discussing fiction such as movies, books or shows, the most commonly accepted meaning is of a thrilling fantasy, usually with a strong component of wish-fulfillment or adventure, that allows one to be distracted of the boring realities of actual life. Neither Requiem for a Dream nor Irréversible are escapism in that sense. In fact they are terrifying movies, with zero wish-fulfillment, and which often remind you of real life rather than distracting you from it. As an aside, if what you got from those movies was "at least I don't have it that bad" then you got a completely different message than me...
1337biz 7y ago
I was wondering exactly about the same. It seems to me utterly silly to critisize any fictual work - may it be movies, books or games - for its fictual nature or what he calls escapism. In my view the only thing he is really saying is that these are not promoting his world view and set of values. I personally find this attitude of telling other people which fictual work they may enjoy absolutley disrespectful. Taste is a reflection of the culture and time we are living in. All what AlanmMoore does is showing that he aparently can no relate to the fictual preferences of a large part of the movie goers out there.

Quekid5 7y ago

I tend to agree. Movies in general seem to be escapism[0]. Even incredibly depressing/artful movies like Requiem For A Dream, Joker (since it was brought up on this thread), Irréversible, The Truman Show, Martyrs, Saw, etc. are a form of escapism. Now, each person may have their own preferences as to what type of escapism they want, but ultimately it's really just spending a few hours at a theatre or in front of a TV. (We could argue about the intellectual merits of each of the films I've mentioned, but that's irrelevant as to whether they're escapism or not.) Hot take: The problem isn't "shallow movies" or similar. It's that well-enough-off people are increasingly getting bored. [0] Hell, I'd even extend that to most art.

the_af 7y ago
What's your definition of "escapism". How is watching Irréversible escapism?
- Quekid5 7y ago
  In the same way that RFAD is. It distracts from one's own life and "at least I haven't got it that bad".
  - the_af 7y ago
    Fair enough, but do note that's not what most people (or dictionaries) mean by "escapism" -- and your interpretation will puzzle people who use it in a derogatory manner. When discussing fiction such as movies, books or shows, the most commonly accepted meaning is of a thrilling fantasy, usually with a strong component of wish-fulfillment or adventure, that allows one to be distracted of the boring realities of actual life. Neither Requiem for a Dream nor Irréversible are escapism in that sense. In fact they are terrifying movies, with zero wish-fulfillment, and which often remind you of real life rather than distracting you from it. As an aside, if what you got from those movies was "at least I don't have it that bad" then you got a completely different message than me...

1337biz 7y ago

I was wondering exactly about the same. It seems to me utterly silly to critisize any fictual work - may it be movies, books or games - for its fictual nature or what he calls escapism. In my view the only thing he is really saying is that these are not promoting his world view and set of values. I personally find this attitude of telling other people which fictual work they may enjoy absolutley disrespectful. Taste is a reflection of the culture and time we are living in. All what AlanmMoore does is showing that he aparently can no relate to the fictual preferences of a large part of the movie goers out there.