It’s weird, isn’t it, when people drop their hands to their hips and then lecture you on something you love and how you need to ‘grow up’ and let it go. Funny because the first thing I have to do is cock my head and say – OH?
And what makes you the person to declare that?
As a culture, we love to point at everyone else and tell them what’s wrong with them. Look at the comment section of any story or social media and how it’s been flooded with trollish bullies desperate to tell you how to live.
I just read how one of the actors from the Harry Potter films has declared that fans of the series and movies need to ‘grow up’ and ‘get over it’. Now, this has nothing to do with Rowling’s craven descent into her gross opinions but more to do with someone deciding that those films and books are childish. They instead point folks to Dickens.
Bro.
Come on now.
I am glad you’re a fan of Dickens, and it’s great to have a holistic reading habit so you are not just reading things from now OR from then, but, come on. Why is Dickens ‘adult’ literature and worthy of our time but fantasy isn’t? His tales of holiday ghosts, and hungry orphans. His grand stories that were political, and social, yes, but broad in how it dealt with those issues.
That’s the same sentiment as a sports fan thumbing their nose at comic book fans. As if one fandom is worthy and the other isn’t.
Give me a break.
It’s the same sort of nonsense that clucks its tongue at creatives that cosplay, not seeing the craftsmanship or art but that people are ‘dressing up’.
Here’s the thing, I’d much rather people dress like wizards, pretend to be witches, and enjoy themselves than those that want to obsess over someone’s sports stats just so they can know what game to bet on. We are in a world that is full of war, brutality, and horror.
Why on earth do we think it’s necessary to chastise people trying to find joy in their lives?
Sure, ANYTHING can get out of hand, and if you enter a fantasy world and don’t leave it then, sure, that’s a problem. But finding joy in the things you love isn’t wrong.
I am tired of the notion that anything that’s not SERIOUS DRAMA is worthless.
Stop.
It’s the same sentiment that made it seem as if Shakespeare – who added horror, humor, and a bit of the red stuff to his works – was the utmost in class and taste.
I suppose if we want to waste time and debate the worth of art and movies and literature and music then, swell, go for it. Have at you! But to tell people WHAT they should love is itself childish.
Is selfish.
Is stupid.
It’s like pointing at someone reading a romance novel and laughing.
Or someone going to a horror convention and making fun of them.
Or saying how pathetic someone invested in sports is.
It’s terribly easy to point a finger and laugh at someone, especially when there’s no real repercussion from doing it. But in doing it we take from ourselves.
We cut away a bit of whatever it is that makes up our soul.
Let people find their happiness.
Let them collect things.
Let them dress as fantasy characters.
Let them play sports.
Let them play video games.
Let them read, and write, and draw.
Let them run barefoot through the grass.
Let people BE.
Life is made to be lived, and if you live yours without intentionally harming anyone/anything then darn it, live that life.
Find your joy.
Embrace it.
The people that cluck their tongues and wag their fingers need more joy in their own lives so they stop poking into the passions of others.
We are so obsessed with the need to tell people what they can do, who they can love, where they can go, and how they can live that it’s a wonder there’s any happiness left at all.
Find your joy, space ranger, find it, and never let it go.
There’s a point where we can all be petty and rotten to one another about the things we love but I’d much rather watch movies, read books, write, go to conventions, put on art shows, and enjoy the things I enjoy.
Life’s too short to do anything else.
…c…
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 