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I’ve always gravitated toward escapist fiction. I love Rom-Coms, Disney movies, and any other content that gives me cozy vibes and a break from the stress of the day. Book publisher data shows a recent rise in the consumption of Cozy Fantasy and Romantasy. Many of us, especially Americans, want to escape from current issues. Although I’m not happy about the circumstances that have made this the case, I am looking forward to more fun, cozy content. Yet some people either don’t like escapism, or don’t consume it, believing that art is better when it’s more realistic. Some believe it may be healthier to have a more accurate sense of reality. They think that silly things like musicals, where everyone spontaneously breaks out in song when the stakes get too high, don’t offer any practical solutions and are a waste of time. But is it possible that art with happy, positive vibes is just as important, or even more important than media on the more grounded side?
Because I’m a science nerd, I’ll start by citing some scholarly articles about the benefits of positivity. Here’s an article
about a study that shows how positivity leads to higher wages: Effects of positive attitude on happiness and wage: Evidence from the US data
Here’s an abstract of an article about how having a positive attitude about math results in better math scores:
And this one shows the link between positivity and better employment prospects.
Effects of positive attitude and optimism on employment: Evidence from the US data
So if having a positive attitude is so important, shouldn’t “happy vibe” content result in better health, employment, and success in other areas? I know for me it does. I often suffer from anxiety over silly things like writing emails, but keeping myself in positive spirits helps tremendously. I had a traumatic experience a few years back, and for months, I was unable to concentrate for long. It was hard to remember appointments and other important things. Still, I was able to keep my sanity, and I credit that to Cozy Mystery books. The one part of each day when I felt normal was during the four hours I spent in the booth, narrating a series featuring a talking cat. (The Nine Lives Cozy Mystery Series)
Some of us need more escapism than others. Even when I’m not dealing with trauma, low stakes stories help me deal with anxiety. I recently read a 24 hour Cozy Fantasy book (Heretical Fishing by Haylock Jobson). Most of the chapters ended with a mini cliffhanger, where you think something bad is going to happen, and then it turns out to be fine. That’s pretty true to life when you think about it, particularly for people with anxiety. Reading these kinds of stories can help us put things in perspective and deal with them more easily. There’s a reason they call it “crippling anxiety”, and why “laughter is the best medicine”!
Reading fun stories doesn’t mean you have to stop reading Non-Fiction or watching the news, but making time for escapism might help you to stop doomscrolling. So give yourself a break and read a book about sexy fairies, talking cats who solve murders, or orcs opening coffee shops.
Thanks for reading!
Rebecca H. Lee
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