My theory, is that this "drive" to escape, or live an alternate reality, is just an evolved form of that mechanism that has kept humans alive and kicking since the days of being covered in hair, and beating things with sticks.
Wanting to live a fantasy life, is being Human. Some of us expand on this condition, this trait, moreso then others.
If you think about it, in this day and age, what else would we have to live for, while we wait for a new frontier to be open to us all, in a world where every frontier has been explored, and exploited. Those of course, being that of the physical realm of Earth.
There are very few frontiers left to explore... In general, you have the Sea, you have Space, you could count under the Earth as one, and one frontier that has been slowly evolving just as us humans do, as time goes on, is that frontier of Fantasy.
Which of these is the easiest to explore? Of course, Fantasy.
And as time goes on... Fantasy becomes more of reality, with technology, but in more ways then one.
We will one day be in the space age, and space fantasies, will be just like "modern day novels", in that time, that is. And then, if you think about it, the line between reality and fantasy is also blurred, by mans ability and ambition to recreate fantasy, make it physical, make it reality.
So, when a game like EverQuest pops up, for the first time, you literally loose yourself.
All for different reasons too. Some people actually striving to escape so much, that they live in a fantasy world, something I wish I could do, but realize is not possible, yet
Of course it has it's side effects like, addiction. But you can't blame that on anything, but the fact of being Human.
Think about this, if it makes sense, and hell, it may not even have a point... but on your question of "have we lost something, as a people, as a culture, that drives us to escape our existence?"
If you gave a caveman a computer, with EverQuest installed, he would not play it(perhaps play around with it), for he has no reason, when he has in reality, a whole world to explore.
Just the same as, if you gave a modern day Human EverQuestian, thirsting for adventure, a spear, and an animal to hunt, in this world that you live in today, he would not hunt it for long, but why? Well why bother when there is no reason, and no way to really explore anything in doing so. Not in this age, when everything has been explored.
So, in short, we have not lost anything, but our "drive to escape", has just evolved into what it is today.
Hope that made some sense, I'm kind of tired, and the last time I brought this debate up in my head, I didn't have a computer or pen/paper to write it all down.
Other things also factor into wanting to escape, I'm 16, almost 17, and have already had a good share of RL issues, and EverQuest at the time, just seemed like a better choice then giving up on life, and ultimately ending it. /shrug.
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By the way Wind, I just started watching Farscape, and it is far better then about 90% of the movies and shows I have ever seen. Actually, I can't think of any other TV series that was better looking, and dialogued. (Being a once hardcore SG-1 fan, Farscape seems much more consistant in it's ability to deliver an all around good story)
Why the HELL is scifi cancelling it? To put more unrealistic crap like Lexx on? SciFi seems to be degenerating... Children of Dune will be nice, so it seems, but when Farscape leaves, I figure I will too, History channel is MUCH more entertaining these days then a lot of the crap on SciFi.
ok, time for sleep.
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