Probably not the best time to ask for feedback
But here it is:
I have my exam tomorrow at 9:00am so I would really appreciate it if i could get some feedback before then, but even after it is fine!
Prompt: Our fantasies can be more powerful than our reality
Reality is a manifold concept, composed of varying degrees of truth and deceit. However, when we are confronted with a harsh ontological reality- far beyond the ability for our cope-mechanism to handle- more often than not we choose to let the lies run rampant- creating a fantasy. While reality and fantasies are both powerful concepts designed to ensure healthy functioning of individuals and society in its best interests, or annihilate us in its worst, they are markedly different in how they operate. Our ontological reality is a universal force that drives our whole world, pulling everyone out into the ‘real world’. It forces us to work, and urges us to be a seamless part of our society. Extensively, it is our reality that ensures a healthy cycle in our society, maintaining businesses, nations and the world. In contrast, fantasy operates in a smaller-scale helping each individual to cope with their reality, and in this aspect is comparatively less powerful. However, delusions cannot be overlooked as they have the hidden capability of destruction. Nevertheless, such instances are only of minority cases; and generally our reality exercises far greater power everyday over a wide variety of fashions, ensuring a continuity of our species.
To begin with, fantasies are primarily a temporary remedy; like anaesthetics to a wound, it temporarily removes the pain only to return with a vengeance. And thus, it is unavoidable that we will confront the day where we must face our harsh reality, instead of cowering behind the shield of delusions. In this sense then, it is evident that power of reality exceeds that of our fantasies- it is in the end, that our reality wins over our delusions and force us to adapt to the reality of life. One has to look no further than the current social reform happening in North Korea to demonstrate this. As a “world’s most isolated country”, its reality is one that is severely distorted and carefully controlled by the media. It is no wonder then, that its citizens believe that North Korea is one of the wealthiest countries in the world- a “lucky country”. Yet, in closer examination these delusions the government had skilfully planted, and people whole-heartedly believe are wearing off – with smuggled USBs containing South Korean dramas and news they are now ‘known’, and harbour bitter anger against the country. This current change is emblematic of the whole mankind; it is in examining this we come to realise that no delusion- regardless of how carefully protected- is eternal. In the end, we all face our reality and come to deal with them in a wide variety of fashions, shedding our former fantasies behind.
However, it is indisputably dangerous to under-estimate the power of fantasies- - more accurately, consequences of misuse of it- as they can often prove themselves to be fatal both to the individual and their surroundings. Although it is inevitable that we are confronted with our harsh reality at some point in our lives, it is also possible that instead of re-conciliation, further withdrawal may occur when we feel that the continuation of our lives is under threat. Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is demonstrative of this idea. Blanche Dubois, a former “Southern Belle” stumbles across the misfortune of losing her mansion “Belle Reve” and moves to New Orleans to live with her sister, Stella and her husband, Stanley Kowalski. Overwhelmed by the relative poverty and unable to accept her fate of living with “coloured people” downstairs, Blanche retreats into the fantasy of finery and wealth, and the motif of her constant bathing exemplifies this idea. Meanwhile, the archetypical alpha male, Stanley forces Blanche out of her reality, by investigating into her tortured past, and believing her life to be under threat Blanche retreats further into her fantasy. As this worsens, Blanche is sent to a mental institution, completely out of touch with reality in the end. Blanche is, by extension, exemplary of cases where fantasies do not simply mask our reality, but become our reality, rendering the individual completely unable to function in society. In this sense, fantasies can be more destructive because of its power to annihilate an individual.
And yet the extent of this destruction caused by our fantasies is relatively small in the context of the world. Fantasy is a private retreat, concerning one individual. Likewise, its misfortunes eventuating from its misuse concerns only that individual. Yet, affairs regarding our ‘universal’ reality are bound to affect all of us to some extent. And in this aspect, reality is more powerful as it exercises influence over a greater number of people, not just one individual. Nowhere is this more evident than in the historical event of the Great Depression in late 1920s to 1930s where the stock market collapse in US in October 1929 marked the start of the Great Depression. While the first reports occurred in US, it quickly spread to Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and North and South America, decreasing the international trade by 30% affecting people world-wide. This phenomenon is also evident in the proliferation of Communism after the Second World War, where the ideology in Russia quickly spread to Eastern Europe, China and East Asia. These historical events reflect back on the nature of reality, and how interconnected all of our realities are regardless of the small differences that exist. It is exemplary of the power of our reality, and its ability to affect many around the world.
Fantasy is like a spritz of a delicious perfume. It’s so unforgettable and noticeable as to make us forget about the importance of air, one that diffuses the scent to our nose- one without, would make the perfume completely useless. Likewise, it’s so easy to overlook the power of our reality in our lives. While the fatal consequences of fantasies – destruction and annihilation of self- are the eye-catchers, it is the role of our reality that helps us to function healthily in society by relentlessly chasing us with demands and obligations, affecting every one of us.
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