One of the most offensive things I remember hearing growing up was from a teacher I loved. When he asked what kinds of things I liked to read, I listed off a few books and genres. Yes, almost entirely fantasy. He said "Oh, escapist literature." It was more matter-of-fact than anything. He wasn't flippant about it, but goddamn was I offended. I remember getting pretty upset about he, and he tried to convince me he wasn't insulting me or my ability to cope with life in general, but that it was what those types of books were generally known as. I was super unpopular and lonely in school, though, so it kind of hurt to hear it said out loud more than anything else. I felt like I was doing just fine being unpopular and passing classes, etc, and it felt like some sort of judgement was being passed down upon me for doing the best I could with what I had going for me. Being a white kid in the valley.. it wasn't much! D
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Wouldn't all fiction be classified as "escapist literature" then? Way I see it, you've got your educational reading, maybe true-life stories, and fiction. Should some real world setting novel be necessarily any better than one set on say, Kashyyyk? Hell no!
Heck, I like learning sometimes too. I love reading about what makes the English tick. But my first love will always be stories.
Now to be fair, I'd say the weakest form of novel is the romance novel. Far too often all fluff and no substance. Too much can rot your brain. I like some plot with my romance, thank you. Or is that romance with my plot? Eh, depends on my mood.
Now why should it be looked down on to enjoy a good story instead of learning about how and why bread mold grows, or the war of 1812? I mean you can end up "escaping" from your life just as easily with that.
That and some people just wouldn't know good writing if they were smacked in the face with it. Bloody idiots.
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Heck, I like learning sometimes too. I love reading about what makes the English tick. But my first love will always be stories.
Now to be fair, I'd say the weakest form of novel is the romance novel. Far too often all fluff and no substance. Too much can rot your brain. I like some plot with my romance, thank you. Or is that romance with my plot? Eh, depends on my mood.
Now why should it be looked down on to enjoy a good story instead of learning about how and why bread mold grows, or the war of 1812? I mean you can end up "escaping" from your life just as easily with that.
That and some people just wouldn't know good writing if they were smacked in the face with it. Bloody idiots.
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