I was thinking about games like World of Warcraft this morning, and how they are a layer of reality that depends on the real world in order to remain viable. I know people who seem to live their primary life in WoW and their real life has become secondary.
I think that the point of fantasy is to be a temporary escape (think a vacation) from reality. I think fantasy can become a problem when a person loses sight of what is ultimately real--they start to lose sight of the fact that the fantasy is based on and enabled by reality. It's like a child wanting candy for dinner. You can do it, but over time it will hurt you.
The best fantasy exists in a harmony with actual reality, and affirms the core values that are valuable in the real world. When I read Tolkien and Frank Herbert, I feel that I am indirectly learning things about the real world--the intelligence and wisdom of the author are present just behind the narrative, and seemingly guiding it. I try to write this way as well, although I am making a resolution to try and start a new story sometime soon that isn't so earnest. But that could be sometime off (or limited to short stories).
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