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To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Losing Yourself in Fantasy

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Wisconsin Public Radio

Prx, Philosophy, Knowledge, Wpr, Ttbook, Wisconsin, Society & Culture

4.7844 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2024

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We all need a good fantasy world to retreat to sometimes – whether it's Hogwarts or Middle Earth, Westeros or Wakanda. But magical thinking can be dangerous too. And escapism isn't always innocent. So where do you draw the line between fantasy and reality?

Original Air Date: September 17, 2022

Interviews In This Hour:

Why not escape into fantasy? A tale of Disney adults — The magical thinkers, the dreamers, and the hucksters of America's fantasyland — Neil Gaiman on where dreams — and nightmares — come from

Guests:

Sarah RachulMarianne EloiseKurt AndersenNeil Gaiman

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Transcript

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0:00.0

We fall in

0:12.0

We fall in love with fantasy lands as kids, with places like Oz and Narnia, Hogwarts and Middle Earth.

0:23.5

But what does it mean when adults can't get enough of dragons and princesses?

0:28.0

When it's 30-year-olds glued to the next Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings sequel.

0:33.9

I'm Anne Strange, Champs, and today, unto the best of our knowledge,

0:36.9

we'll meet the Disney adults

0:38.4

and unpack America's favorite fantasy lands

0:41.2

from the Magic Kingdom to QAnon.

0:43.6

...dreams you will lose.

0:53.6

Wisconsin Public Radio

0:57.4

It's to the best of our knowledge. I'm Anne Strange Champs.

1:06.2

We all need a good fantasy world to retreat to sometimes.

1:10.1

Whether it's Hogwarts or Middle Earth, Westeros or Wakanda,

1:13.7

but magical thinking can be dangerous too.

1:16.8

And escapism isn't always innocent.

1:19.5

So where and how do you draw the line between fantasy and reality?

1:24.1

Here's producer Angelo Batista.

1:26.2

I learned how to use a VHS player when I was four years old.

1:30.3

It was the 90s, so we had all these Disney sing-along VHS tapes.

1:40.3

The one I remember rewinding and replaying over and over again was this one called Disneyland Fun.

1:48.0

Is everybody ready?

1:51.0

To sing along!

...

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