Hello everyone! I thought I'd start off this blog with a no holds barred, no right or wrong discussion about the current state of entertainment during the fall season. Is it just a time to commemorate the season of fall and harvest, a time to be thankful to God for family, love, and life? Or is it a time to conjecture about the journey of those that have died before us, a time to revel in the whole mystery of that ever present question: Is there life after death? We as a society seem to be more and more engrossed in the pursuit of an answer to that question. Maybe it just seems so because in this 21st century we have such a vast amount of media with which to explore this subject. We have books, video games, movies, and the internet to name a few, that suck us into the world of vampires and other undead creatures. What began years ago with bobbing for apples, going on hay rides and telling scary stories at night, has turned head first into a thirst for the unknown. With the passing of time each medium pushes the envelope by becoming more violent, more bloody, and more magical.
Remember when the now famous Harry Potter series was first published? Parents across America were upset with the normalization and popularization of wizards and witchcraft. Now, that dispute has long faded into the antique shop of things that were once offensive, but have become object lessons in tolerance.
On the other hand, surely there are still many people out there who would rather do without all of the superstitious and supernatural slant given to the season. Many parents and schools in fact do not support the traditional Halloween celebrations. Indeed, after reflecting on the events of 9/11, many Americans have reflected on just how precious life is, and how more can be done to celebrate life in this fall/winter season. But does that necessarily make it wrong or undesirable to have entertainment that thrills, chills, and horrifies?
So what do you think? Should the fall be a time to focus solely on family and thankfulness, or a time to revel in the chills we get by exploring the mysteries of the afterlife through fiction media? Let us know what you think!
CT
