‘What Happens Next?’: What Are We Trying to Escape?

Everyone wants to get away from it all sometimes, even if it’s just to binge-watch Netflix for a few hours … or a few days. But can we go too far? And was Aldous Huxley right when he envisioned a future of disconnected, apathetic loafers?

Monash University’s What Happens Next? podcast returns with a new topic – escapism. From pseudo-nostalgia that transports us to imagined pasts, to the allure of live action role-play (LARP) and video games, host Dr Susan Carland and her expert guests shed light on the power of escapism, the blurring of fiction and reality, and the fine line between healthy indulgence and potential addiction.

Escapism often involves seeking refuge in an alternative reality, be it through binge-watching TV shows, playing video games, or even LARPing. And recently, escaping real life seems better and better.

But is it unhealthy to long for a place – or even a time – that you’ve never experienced? And what about the parasocial relationships we often create with fictional characters from our favourite media?

Watch: Game on: Unravelling the bright and dark sides of online gaming

This week’s guest experts include Monash University Business School’s Associate Professor Davide Orazi, an expert in LARPing and pseudo-nostalgia; cultural critic Dr Clem Bastow; Dr Whitney Monaghan, a lecturer of film and screen studies in Monash University’s School of Media, Film and Journalism; and author Professor Michael W Clune, whose experiences battling addiction and as an aficionado of computer games leave him uniquely qualified to discuss this topic.

While not all forms of escapism are inherently addictive, certain pitfalls and risks can emerge when escapism becomes a compulsive cycle. The episode considers the potential consequences of this behaviour, including the dark side of escapism – using harmful substances that run an incredible risk of addiction to get away from real life.

Today’s episode raises questions about the balance between healthy escapism and excessive immersion, as well as the impact of escapism on individuals' ability to return to reality. Can the line become too blurred? Listen now to find out.

“I think that that was really something noticeable about the last two or three years, was that there was a couple of years there where escapism was just, ‘imagine if the world was nice’.”  – Dr Clem Bastow

We’ll be back next week with part two of this topic: “Can Escapism Be Good for Us?”. Don’t miss a moment of season eight of What Happens Next? – subscribe now on your favourite podcast app.

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