I almost made the title past tense and then realized I still, very much, obsessively watch television shows to escape reality.
I recently posted about my escapism through malapadtive daydreaming and my childhood imaginary friends. It got me thinking about other ways I escape from reality. Now, you're probably thinking "Whatever, everyone binges Netflix shows this is not special or interesting (and maybe it isn't) but I just want to state that I am not talking about normal television watching. For example, I have seen "GIRLS" in it's entirety about 8 times.
I rewatch all the seasons every time a new season comes out. I get entirely engrossed in the show to the point of feeling as if I am part of this friend circle. I get more emotionally invested than I think is normal. I have no doubt that when it ends after next season I will rewatch it again and again throughout the years. This has been a recurring theme in my life since childhood. It started with the X-files.
My fanatical X-Files obsession.
I began watching The-X-Files when I was really young maybe 7 or 8. It quickly turned into an obsession. First off, it began my first innocent crush, on Fox Mulder. I became obsessed with the relationship between Mulder & Scully also. I had a leather zip-up binder that I wish I still had that said "The-X-Files" on it and it had blueprints to Mulder and Scully's apartments, all the characters bios, synopsis for every episode (hand-written), badge numbers, and photographs of the characters in clear sleeves. I rewatched the movie so many times (I didn't have the episodes on VHS) that I literally memorized it and would speak along with the movie under my breath. This is what I mean by my obsession/escapism going beyond normal fan stuff.
My obsession with "The Crow".
I was talking to a fellow steemer about my idea for this article and he said "Every girl I knew in the 90's was obsessed with The Crow" or something along those lines, and I was like "Nah dude, you don't understand my level of obsession". I have watched "The Crow" roughly, I want to say, about eighty times. At least. I obsessed with it about as hard as The-X-Files. I had only the movie for many years but did end up getting the graphic novel. I also had an Eric Draven action figure. But mainly, I just watched the movie repeatedly and obsessed over Shelly and Eric's relationship. This movie along with the relationship between Mulder & Scully on "The-X-files" very much shaped me into a hopeless romantic.
I eventually realized movies are not like reality and it is unrealistic to act as such.
I was so engrossed in the love that Eric Draven had for Shelly, to come back seeking vengeance for her rape and murder. --I was probably extra obsessed because of that whole plot-area being as I was abused-- The flashbacks to their disgustingly intense love. But also the soundtrack was amazing, Eric Draven was a bad ass, and I related to Sara as, at the time, she was about my age and pretty cool with her ripped up fishnets, abundance of jewelry, combat boots, and skateboarding in the rain. I remember I named all my characters in FF7 after characters in "The Crow". I even included Gabriel, the cat.
My obsession over "The Crow" has somewhat subsided but I still do watch it every few years and I still do cry every time and I am actually working on some art related to it....Okay, maybe my obsession is still strong.
Though I am somewhat less obsessive as an adult I still do use television as a form of escape.
I might not keep bios for all the characters on GIRLS and I didn't feel the need to write lengthy reports on each episode of the new X-files season but I still am repeatedly watching the same shows, and movies over and over and over. And I am aware that it is not quite normal. Possibly not healthy? I don't feel it hinders my life necessarily, not the way my maladaptive daydreaming did but I still recognize it is a form of escape from reality.
I am not sure if I am just reading too much into this or if there is complete validity to me using it as a form of escapism. I am not entirely sure how others are when it comes to things they are fans of, perhaps being this into a few things is normal and healthy. Regardless, I think it is pretty interesting how certain key movies, and television shows (along with books and music) completely changed integral parts of my adult-personality.
I find this an interesting subject in general. Everyone is obviously changed and influenced by the media they take in, especially in childhood.
Photos:
A still from:
(labeled for reuse)
A child watching TV
Aaron Escobar
Books on TV
Shutterstock
The other blog I referenced:
https://steemit.com/life/@lauralemons/mind-and-go-through-my-elaborate-childhood-imaginary-friends-and-maladaptive-daydreaming
My Artwork:
https://www.facebook.com/LauraLemonsArt/
I feel all emotions for different type of movies. I consider myself a movie buff.. What most people don't realize is, the news channels lie while TV and movies hide the truth...
My obsession with movies and TV definitely warped my sense of reality and expectations. I now really like honest, raw movies. Like "Blue Valentine" for example. It is a love movie that goes through the relationship of the main characters from beginning to end and shows not only the romantic love aspect but the bitter fucking end.
I also really like a Spanish film called "Amores Perros" for being a dose of reality (in another culture) and also "Precious" is a film that will kick your ass with some hard-to-watch reality. I respect movies that are honest though I still do watch things that are light and airy and let me escape from the chaos of reality.
I have made movies, TV and games not just an escape from life, but part of my life. It's always important to distinguish reality from art - they are two separate things. They of course influence and drive each other, but they are not the same.
Yes. This is where I tend to have trouble which is why it's escapism. It is probably a result of childhood trauma I left unresolved as such I use media in general as a form of escape. Not sure exactly why honestly , that's just an educated guess, but I have trouble keeping these things entirely separate. I am learning though. :)