esc ap ism

Escapism is far from being a novel phenomenon of modern life, as people have always consumed alcohol and drugs, gone into trances to expand their consciousness, or created dream worlds in art and words as a way of escaping a sometimes brutal reality. Yet escapism is more relevant today than ever before, because over the last decades so many products have been made available by the media and electronics industries that allow everyone to escape reality on a scale never before known.

Why do we want to escape reality so badly?

The escape from reality is often rooted in not having to deal with the basic things in life, be it personal fulfilment, relationships or general satisfaction with one‘s situation in life compared to the imagined life plan. But there are also other reasons that are far more harmless. Relaxation from everyday life, a search for knowledge or even the simple desire for sheer pleasure can be satisfied with escapism. Books, films and fairy tales immerse us in make-believe worlds that are more imaginative than a boring day at the office. We meet heroes with whom we can identify and through whom we experience an adventure that doesn‘t exist. Meditation can also be a positive kind of escapism that serves to relax and raise consciousness. Creating a TikTok video for fun with crazy dance routines that we would never dare to perform at a corporate event. All these can be reasons for escapist behaviour. As the world continues to change, more and more people are looking for ways to escape reality. Whether it be through daydreaming, excessive media consumption, using drugs or alcohol, or even virtual reality, the desire to escape reality has been growing. There are many reasons why people escape reality. For some, it’s a way to block out the pain and difficulty of life. When faced with overw-

As the world continues to change, more and more people are looking for ways to escape reality. Whether it be through daydreaming, excessive media consumption, using drugs or alcohol, or even virtual reality, the desire to escape reality has been growing. There are many reasons why people escape reality. For some, it’s a way to block out the pain and difficulty of life. When faced with overwhelming emotions such as depression, anxiety, guilt, or shame, it can be easier to take refuge in an altered state of consciousness. For others, it’s a way to disconnect from the stress and pressures of everyday life. These people seek solace in a fantasy world that provides a sense of escape and refuge. The Norwegian psychologist Frode Stenseng has presented a dualistic model of escapism in relation to different types of activity engagements. He discusses the paradox that the flow state (Csikszentmihalyi) resembles psychological states obtainable through actions such as drug abuse, sexual masochism, and suicide ideation (Baumeister). Accordingly, he deduces that the state of escape can have both positive and negative meanings and outcomes.