The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

Write for Us
Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
@TheChrony
Print Issues
Write for Us
Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
@TheChrony
Print Issues

Patience: Pop Culture, An Escape from Reality

Patience%3A+Pop+Culture%2C+An+Escape+from+Reality

I recently read “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” by Michael Chabon for class. It’s a book that argues for the artistic and social value of comic books in the 1940s and 1950s.

Then and now, many who consider themselves mature and of higher intelligence will claim they have no time to read anything that isn’t classic literature. They claim that things like television and popular art, or the things that are made to appeal to “simple-minded people,” cannot be true forms of art.

Art is anything that a person creates out of expression, no matter by whom or for whom it is made. Having a goal or target audience for a piece of media doesn’t mean it no longer is worthy of the term “art.” Pop culture is not a lack of culture.

Art and fiction of any sort are extremely valuable. They can act as forms of therapy, escapism, inspiration and comfort.

The creation of different forms of art, especially fiction, is therapeutic for the creator. It is nearly impossible to keep oneself out of the characters created, feelings out of colors or hidden truths through words. Writers often say, “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”

In “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” the protagonist, a writer, learns about his desire to escape and be wonderful. In creating sidekicks for his main heroes, he works through issues created by his terrible relationship with his father. The artist of the stories is able to fight and kill Nazis, something he couldn’t do in person.

Creating graphically violent images relieve him of his rage. This is one of the reasons singer-songwriters enjoy what they do. It helps them get through heartbreak, loss, failure or embarrassment. This is also why art therapy is recommended and well-received. Creation channels emotions and acts as a door into one’s own mind.

Who doesn’t love to watch trashy sit-coms? I know I do. There’s a reason they exist. At the end of long days full of boredom, drama, tragedy and stress, people need a break. So television shows like “Friends” and “Parks and Recreation” were created to provide laughter and fun, something people desperately need before going to bed. True, denying a problem won’t fix it, but taking a break from constant depressive thinking helps people think clearly. Things like young-adult novels, pointless TV shows, video games, top-20 songs, fan art and comic books provide an escape from reality; we need them to stay sane.

Art and fiction aren’t just helpful to a person’s mental health; they can also become powerful tools for creativity. Fiction inspires children not only to follow their dreams, but to exercise, learn, love, fight and believe in themselves. That’s why children’s books or children’s media typically have easily followable plots and almost always have a happy ending.

No one can really decide which pieces of art or fiction are worthy of time, affection or study. All art is important to someone, even if that someone is the artist themself.

[email protected]

Leave a Comment

Comments (0)

The Daily Utah Chronicle welcomes comments from our community. However, the Daily Utah Chronicle reserves the right to accept or deny user comments. A comment may be denied or removed if any of its content meets one or more of the following criteria: obscenity, profanity, racism, sexism, or hateful content; threats or encouragement of violent or illegal behavior; excessively long, off-topic or repetitive content; the use of threatening language or personal attacks against Chronicle members; posts violating copyright or trademark law; and advertisement or promotion of products, services, entities or individuals. Users who habitually post comments that must be removed may be blocked from commenting. In the case of duplicate or near-identical comments by the same user, only the first submission will be accepted. This includes comments posted across multiple articles. You can read more about our comment policy at https://dailyutahchronicle.com/comment-faqs/.
All The Daily Utah Chronicle Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *