Cataloging fiction

One of my favourite things about Wikipedia is how it includes masses of detail about fictional universes, as well as the particular one we seem to inhabit. Those wanting to learn about particular features of Herbert’s Dune universe, the Tolkien legendarium, or any of dozens of others have access to encyclopedic articles about them. Some people dismiss the effort of imagination that goes into such verisimilitude as a wasteful exercise. Far healthier, I think, is to see it in one of two ways. At a lesser level, such alternative universes can be a mechanism for criticizing important features of our own. The anti-mutant paranoia in the X-Men comics was a response to McCarthyism. At a higher level, they simply allow for the envisioning of the world as it might be. Especially for children, this is a valuable thing to encourage.

Being able to appreciate Miyazaki films is the bare minimum level of imagination that should be accepted from human beings. Being able to appreciate other such alternative realities is a characteristic that should be respected, rather than mocked.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan