So, in case you haven't noticed, things have been better than right now. If you're in the camp worried about Donald Trump's policies, or the threats lodged by some parties who have gained more and more of a voice, chances are good that you're looking for an escape right now. It's not just that, either; we're headed towards winter, which invariably becomes the prime difficulty season for anyone with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Things get cold, cloudy and gray, and those prone to depression may find the next few months hard to work through, even with the holidays. It's also almost finals season! Crap! Someone hand me a notebook, stat!
In the middle of all of this, through doubt and stress and anger and the cloudy judgment that kept me from releasing any new content last week, I took a trip to GameStop on Friday to pick up the latest "Pokemon" game.
Comfort media is an amazing coping mechanism, in the right doses. "Pokemon" has been a part of my life since I was around 4-years-old, and went on to lead me into interests that I've written about here previously. So when I experienced the double-punch of a difficult couple weeks at school and the election of someone whose policies I believe put a lot of people in danger, I needed something to relieve the stress, just for a bit.
It comes down to control, I think, as well as reliability. Escapism is a huge reason to get into video games, as is a feeling of control and power where one might feel a lacking in real life. Reliability is something that can cross over to movies, books, TV shows, or whatever other medium you care to name. You know these characters, their personalities, and their worlds. A well-watched and loved TV show or movie, or an oft-read book, feels like a room full of old friends. Sometimes, there's nothing in the world more comforting than that.
That's not to say that things can't go too far. It's one thing to take a weekend to binge-watch the new season of "Bojack Horseman" on Netflix, but it's another thing when a friend comes knocking because nobody has seen you in three weeks, only to find you entrenched in a mass of takeout containers and old DVDs of "Friends." Whatever your fictional world of comfort in this frankly shitty season, just know to watch yourself. That line from "Twin Peaks" is to give yourself a present once every day, not to constantly impulse-buy everything in eyesight.
My comfort right now is hitting the beaches of a fictional handheld world, catching pocket monsters, and exploring, all while finally getting caught up on "Daredevil" in the background. Whether it's from finals stress, political worry, or the season getting you down, what are the things that you come back to like a warm blanket on a cold winter's day? It's an important thing to know and can be a delightful thing to share.
