Escapism: The art of leaving our troubles behind

There’s an art to escapism. Some of us like to disappear into books, hiding amongst the paper and ink, wrapping ourselves in words. Some of us wander into the show-hole on cable or streaming services and lose our troubles for a while as we jump from each perfectly contained episode or movie to the next, taking consolation in the knowledge that each fictional situation must come to an end. Some of us immerse ourselves in video games, giving ourselves over the virtual realities of simulation games or combating cabin fever and boredom with war games.

There has always been comfort in stepping outside ourselves for a while, and we need that escape now more than ever. We leave our own problems at the door and step into worlds where we can be virtually anyone, do virtually anything. We become the fly-on-the-wall at a crime scene as mysteries are solved; the hero in a grand adventure defeating foes and conquering fears; the lovers of a heartwarming tale discovering or rediscovering romance.

As the coronavirus makes our vast world seem to shrink, we find ourselves living vicariously through characters instead.

Some of our readers may be familiar with a new video game that has skyrocketed in popularity as a world in quarantine seeks to escape the limits of our homes. Some may have played it themselves; others likely heard of it from kids or grandkids or even social media, where it’s gained quite the following.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the latest in the series of Animal Crossing games. This newest iteration is designed for the Nintendo Switch, but older versions were played on Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Game Cube. Players get to create their own avatar, a human character that can look as much or as little like themselves as the players desire. The avatar makes its home on an island of anthropomorphic animals (animals that stand, move and talk like humans) and sets about doing the mundane tasks of living.

This may sound boring to some people, but in a time when our lives have been interrupted and “normal” no longer exists (if it ever did), the act of doing everyday activities, even by proxy, gives people the sense of control and normalcy they’ve been missing. The game’s clock matches the gaming system, so day and night are the same in real life and in the simulation. Even the seasons match based on your real world location.

It’s not an action game, but violence and adventure aren’t the escape that everyone needs. Animal Crossing lets players shop, go fishing, tend their garden, create fabric patterns and design clothes among other activities. They can also socialize with the villagers, and even that facsimile of interaction can be a balm for a lonely soul.

Escapism — in any form, using any medium — isn’t meant to replace living. But when external forces put life on hold or when troubles and worries become unbearable, it’s OK to disappear into fiction for a while. Just don’t forget to come back to reality when this pandemic has passed.