The philosophy of roleplay and escapism

 Why do we enjoy roleplay? Roleplay being another term for acting in a way, where you assume the role of character and act in accordance to them. The term coming from old table role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, or from roleplaying games in video games. These video games known also as RPGs. There are quite a few ideas that try to point to a core idea or need that roleplay helps sate, but I would like to focus on the idea of escapism. As Tolkien has pointed out in "On Fairy Stories" the term has somewhat of a negative connotation in popular culture, though in a greater degree when he wrote it. Escapism typically referring to enjoyment or an immersion in a secondary world to escape ones troubles in the real or primary world. This having the negative attachment of it being unhealthy, though in current times the sterotype has faded quite a lot as fantasy is widely enjoyed by many people today. Yet what drives our want to escape to another world? I have always found it exciting to step outside of this world and into another, but I have also always wanted to try and be something else. Being oneself for your entire life can be a bit boring after all, so why not try filling in another role for awhile. Maybe this is the reason, that its important to step out of your own perspective for awhile. Though more commonly the need is attributed to the need of relaxing. Escaping from your stresses in the real world for a time to a new place where they cannot bother you for awhile. Either way, the ability to escape from the stress of life is an important one to have. If fantasy and roleplay and escapism helps enrich your life then maybe it simply is another way to fulfill a basic human need.

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