When Escapism Should be a Call to Awareness

We often use movies, television and books as forms of escapism. A way to briefly set aside a reality that can be stressful or scary. However, many beloved stories are about the very issues people often look to escape from. Our favorite stories are full of political messages, social commentary and the fight against systemic oppression.  Star Wars is about fascism, HBO’s Watchmen deals with racism, X-Men is an allegory of the Civil Rights Movement.

The fact is, there is no escape from our role and responsibilities as citizens. We cannot turn away from those oppressed in reality, by escaping into stories about the fight against oppression in a fantasy world. We should be using our stories to inspire us, to reinforce our empathy, and aspire to be better.

In this Nerd Flix & Chill podcast, we talk about the political and social undertones of some of our favorite stories.

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