Sci-Fi vs Fantasy (Pro is Sci-Fi, Con is Fantasy)

I will now post my argument. Fantasy is better, The reason why it is so good and why it's better than Sci-Fi is because Fantasy writers have a dream existence. Or at least J. K Rowling does. So does Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and Stephen King and George R. R Martin and"well you get my drift. No wonder, Fantasy writing has an unbeatable, Undeniable charm and glamour inherent in it. A whole lot of it emanates from the kind of success and popular culture appeal that fantasy writers seem to command. But I think what makes fantasy writing truly appealing is the kind of readership it attracts, A sort of a devoted fandom that often seems to be willing to go to great, In some cases even questionable, Lengths to express their love for their beloved stories. Fantasy fanatics (often grouped under the general heads of nerds and geeks) are known to show their intense love for their favorite stories by dressing up as their favorite characters (aka cosplay), Writing epic length fanfiction for no material consideration except their compelling adoration, Fighting internet wars with fellow fans, Flocking at crowded Comic Cons even if it means overcoming their fear of flying and taking a plane, Hoarding merchandise that may seem suitable for a five year old, And many other such activities that are usually beyond the comprehension of the rest of world. As both readers and writers, This begs an important question. What makes fantasy so insanely alluring? Fantasy is fundamentally ridiculous. It thrives in the element of incredulity and impossibility. Objectively, There is no reason why it should appeal to anyone above the age of 10; no reason why wands, Wizards, Magical realms, Superheroes with or without visible underwear, Dystopian future and weird scientific inventions should make sense to anyone who prides himself or herself in being a sensible adult. But we just have to look at the explosion of fantasy and sci fi genre across mediums, Be it novels or short stories or movies or shows, Over the last few years to conclude that either sensible adults are in a disturbingly short supply or there is something else going on here. As a writer who dreams of being flocked at a Comic Con someday, And a fanatic who is more than happy to spend the majority of her day bingeing on wizards, Time travelers and superheroes trying to save the world, I am inclined to believe the latter. And here is a list of perfectly rational and justifiable things that may be going on here. In other words, Here are a few reasons as to why so many people, Only a little short of everyone, Love a good fantasy, Whether they admit it out aloud or not. Once in a while, The real world gets a little too much. Once in a while (or a lot often, Depending on how much you hate your real life) everyone needs to escape their reality. And good old fantasy is your best and the cheapest bet. Unless of course you own a time/dimension travel portal or a personal spaceship that can transport you to Mars. Fantasy is escapism in motion. It is the perfect gateway that lets us escape our miserable little lives, However temporarily. It takes us into the worlds where the most impending catastrophe in life is the next alien invasion, Not the looming deadline hanging over our head like a death sentence; where the villain that needs to be overcome has slits for eyes and definitely does not remind us of the break up we are trying to get over; where every problem might not have an easy solution, But it does have a magical (wizardy, Scientific or superheroic, Depending on your preference) one. Which brings us to the second item on this list. Magic. Including the kind that involves fancy gadgets, Superpowers and spaceships. Everyone loves magic. Everyone wants a little magic in their lives. It is the reason why fairy tales exist. It is the reason why we wanted Santa Claus to be real when we were kids. It is a primitive instinct which is usually brutally crushed by the onslaught of adulthood and the need to "get real". Fantasy is like CPR. It lets the magic in us breathe. And it is exactly why it is so deeply satisfying at levels that most of us rarely bother to process. All good fantasies, At their core, Are a story about our humanity. Beneath all the larger than life incredulity and saving the Universe/humanity rhetoric that most fantasies bank on, These stories (at least the good, Enduring ones) at their very core are stories about humansR02;"R02;their emotions, Their challenges, Their victories, Their defeats, Their flaws and their courage. Escapism is fantastic. But it has a limited shelf life. The best kind of fantasies, In books, Movies or TV shows, Are usually the ones that deal with real human tragedies, Real human pain, Real human sacrifices and real human bonds even when operating in a strictly unreal realm. We relate to their emotions. Because while we may not have to sell our souls to save our loved ones on a daily basis, All of us do make sacrifices for the people we care for. All of us deal with the emotional mess that is human relationships and struggle to walk down the thin line of balance everyday. Watching our heroes do the same, Despite all their superheroic abilities, Is strangely comforting. Their stories offer us the rationalization and validation that we all occasionally seek, Neatly packaged in an attractive, Shiny, Suitably distracting box of magic and romance. Besides, It is not without reason that fantasies are routinely cited as a coping strategy by people dealing with tragedies or losses or grief or even mental health issues. Fantasy helps us process our issues without really processing them. It offers an outlet to our emotions while maintaining an illusion of distance and passivity, Helping us confront things that we may have bottled out of fear, Trauma, Pain or grief. Sometimes all it takes to start our healing is an excuse to cry while our beloved hero jumps in a mythical fire pit. Fantasy gives us hope. Hope is our biggest addiction. The one that fantasy offers us in plenty. In a world where perfectionism is coveted and mistakes are considered sacrilegious, Fantasy lets us believe that even the best of us, With the best resources (and magic) can make mistakes. That mistakes do not mean the end. Fantasy gives us hope that no matter how mammoth the odds are, How dwarfed you are by the super-villainous forces of your life, You can still win. Or at least, Survive. All heroes are flawed. All heroes make terrible mistakes despite all the magic and gadgets and thingamajigs at their disposal. And all the heroes eventually overcome the odds and emerge victorious. If this is not the shiniest and best possible endorsement of resilience, Courage and hope in life, I don"t know what is. And if this doesn"t explain why fantasy compels its own kind of maddening love, I don"t know what can.