Escapism is necessary from time to time. For a brief, rapturous moment, you leave your surroundings or harsh realities and go where everything is done, fine, perfect, executed, going as planned, and so forth.
This can be a completely fictitious place in your mind or memories that make you happy. It could also be the expectation of something great that is about to happen in your nearest future.
It helps to escape on the days you realise all you have are plans, with no plans or no means to execute them. On the days when you feel as though the universe, and the people and things within it, seem to be against you. It helps to keep your dreams alive and presents you with multiple choice options to achieve each of them.
In a country like ours, escapism helps keep you sane.
I’m obviously an advocate for escapism. Trust me, you can do and be a lot more things in your made-up world than out here, and some of us are already a LOT. Imagine that.
Plus, it’s simple – You don’t even need to close your eyes to shut out the unwanted or unappealing. You can be in conversation with someone, you can be reading a book, you can be watching a movie, you can be having your bath, cooking, or whatever.
As a writer, artist, creative, and hedonist, I’m an expert escapist. A quick example is how I’m always planning a holiday in my head, even if I’ve just come from one.
Also, some really good ideas come from when you escape into your head and imagine thousands of scenarios!
But, then I’m also a bit of a realist. I understand the appeal that comes with conjuring an ideal situation or state of things from fantasies so sweet, and the overall benefits on the mind and body, yet know the difference between this and taking actual, practical steps to achieve a certain ideal.
Again, this can be for anything – A relationship, the ending of a movie or book, your approach to a sociocultural problem, [insert your example here].
Thus, at this juncture, it’s crucial we remind ourselves that we mustn’t lean on escapism to the point of delusion. This can happen. You think of the way you want things to be so much that you get stuck in your fantasies and neglect real life.
Life can get unbearable sometimes. If you live in a city like Lagos and are not part of the ‘one percent’, I don’t need to tell you twice. Or maybe it’s just plain boring. Hence, it can be frustrating when you touch back down to earth, and everything is still the same.
Therefore, we need to understand that escapism is still temporary relief from problems that we face. We need to learn to balance a healthy dose of escapism with tangible and lasting solutions to lead the lives we want or see the world we want.
Going back to my example of planning phantom trips sometimes, it usually goes something like, “I’m going to try and go somewhere this year”, then I’m motivated as hell to work towards making it happen. It’s a mix of planning, saving, and self-deprivation, which could also be known as not eating what I want ALL the time, scholarships, and ‘sponsorship’ from good friends that just like my face. (Oh, yes).
The struggle, huh?
So, all I’m saying is this; Escape away. Do it. As long as you’re clear on your purpose and resources.
Ideals, they say, are like stars. Even if you don’t succeed in touching them with your hands, you can choose them as guides and follow them to reach your destiny.
Between a sign-off and a fantastic place.
