I think I disagree with a lot of the more clinical perceptions of fantasy and sci fi .. lol _ Not just cos Im polemic .. pfft ... but because I see the value of works like Tolkiens, Feists, CS Lewis, Hobb etc
I dont think there is anything wrong with escapes of fantasy .. even immersive worlds like Middle Earth and The Land. There is no suggestion that such immersive media obscures reality or ones living in the real world.
I very much agree that we are enveloped in a magical world of scientific discoveries. I know that sounds antithetical ... but Z is right re scientific and technological discoveries.
However, the value of creative world building like Tolkiens .. is that it is ART. Quite literally it adds the value to ones existence that great music, the broad range of visual arts, tactile arts, performing arts, cooking even, poetry etc. Literature is of equal value to humankind as any of the above.
In which case its not so much about romanticising the past .. the glory days, before the fall from grace
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/wink.gif)
... the earth is still the earth, the sky the sky, the oceans, the ocean. Sure they might not be identical to their status in ancient times. There might be less species, sadly .. but .. thats not my point.
I dont see the world as less magical ... its still AS magical. Tolkien definitely influenced by his religious beliefs, as was Lewis .. but Tolkien feared the industrial world and its impact on the natural beauty of his beloved homeland.
Fair enough ... he lived at a pretty awful time re WWI and progressive industrialisation.
Was he romanticising his beloved memories? Definitely and he imbued his great literary creation with that romanticism and magic.
Is it truly a thing we can no longer experience? I dont believe so. Well not from where I sit. There is still so much beauty ... which Tolkien treats synonymously with magic.
Any day I can go on an adventure, into a local rain Forrest and let my imagination run wild. All humans can do this.
I imbue our family Xmas traditions with magic. How? I bring to life ancient legends and stories in my decorating and in food preparation.... Eve Guidici does this with every cake creation. She imbues each work of art with her amazing creative prowess and skills. Her end products are the most magical manifestations ... AND YOU CAN EAT THEM
Why anyone would though... I dont know? There beauty and perfection defies destruction and yet they can and are destroyed ... and enjoyed. Which is one way to appreciate baked ... works of art.
I love my childhood and my children's childhood .. reading LOTRs and the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe and Enid Blyton .. despite popular criticisms. I was raised on these and more and I loved them. And I loved the magical experience of reading them to my kids.
That act of reading such works to my kids, invited that same magic into their lives and they loved it. So much so they want to record us reading the HP books for our grandchildren so our kids will have them after we are gone.
So I contend that there is nothing wrong with embracing magic ... in such great works of literary art.
Appreciatingthe past is not a turning away from the future .. and neither is it a process strong humans should avoid .. as it may weaken one in some way.
I love my very regular dives into Tolkien et al. As I love my Waterhouse artwork, as I love my carpentry creations, as I love my eclectic musical tastes, as I love watching my son dance, play piano, guitar, sing or watch my daughters body building comps.
There are sooo many ways to immerse ourselves in beauty and magic. And when we pine for such magic .. dive into something new.