Escapism (from the English escape, which in translation means escape, escape from reality) is the aspiration of a person or group of people to escape from the generally accepted standards of life. In a more narrow understanding, the emotional stage of escapism is the desire to get away from problems by plunging into illusions. The method of escapism can be career, religion, sex, computer games - anything that is used as compensation for some unresolved personal problems.
Escapism: a bit of history
In the broad sense of the word, escapism is a question of expediency and an attempt to rethink the norms accepted in society. It is important to understand that this is always associated with a high level of development of society, since otherwise separation from the general mass is impossible, since it leads to death.
The best examples that reveal the concept of escapism in the broadest sense are the biographies of famous personalities. So, for example, the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus (540-480 BC) experienced deep contempt for the inhabitants of Ephesus, because of what he left the city and founded his home in the mountains, feeding on herbs and plants. An example of escapism can serve and the famous philosopher Diogenes, who, although he lived among people, but showed his isolation from the generally accepted norms by sleeping in a barrel.
From that time to this day, there are many more examples of escapism, which was traditionally regarded as negative: escape from reality, which a person simply could not handle in other ways.
An acceptable and even massive phenomenon of escapism was the emergence of monotheistic religions - Buddhism and Christianity. Monasticism is in fact a form of escapism, but this form is respected. In parallel, we remember the historical times of the persecution of heretics - and they also lived by separate laws and, in fact, also represent one of the manifestations of escapism.
In our time, since the 20th century, in which industry has been developing rapidly, new forms of escapism have appeared. Now they can be attributed not only to various hobbies and innocuous hobbies like role-playing games, but also such serious things as drugs and alcohol. At this time, a symbolic example of escapism, which became fashionable, was the hippy movement, whose members used light drugs and life by whole communities in the bosom of nature.
Escapism in our time
Since the end of the twentieth century, escapism has taken on new forms - now everyone can plunge into the world of computer games, allowing you to experience a variety of emotions and plunge headlong into a fictional world that has nothing to do with external problems. It is interesting that even joining special clans and network communities can also be called a kind of escapism.
No less fashionable manifestation of escapism - downshifting (in English it means moving down). It implies
Some are inclined to believe that escapism requires treatment and is a mental disorder. People who are inclined to lead such a way of life think that they simply refuse globalization, because they are tired of ordinary life, full of stress, negativity, haste, fuss and hype.
In fact, it is difficult to give an unambiguous assessment to this phenomenon - it was, is, and probably will always be, which means that this is something that society needs to some extent.