Fractured Fairy Tales

The fantasy genre has existed since primitive peoples conjured up concepts of Olympians and other fantastical myths. Fantasy has changed with society in an effort to portray the values the society aims to achieve. The Olympians had the same ailments as Greek citizens to show that everything is flawed. While the Grimm brothers showed that there are few happy endings, the modern American fairy tale seeks to justify motives for villainy and represent flawed protagonists.

American culture has moved towards greater acceptance of different lifestyles. The stories of American culture have evolved to try to keep up with this new moral system. The most prominent example of this new mind set is the villain of various stories being portrayed as a hero or anti-hero. Examples from children’s literature to Broadway have captured cultural interests. Children’s literature, such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, try to teach children to accept everyone as they truly are, even if they are a murderous wolf. The musical Wicked serves to reveal the motives behind the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West. She is really a victim of the truly evil forces in this world, popularity and circumstance.

American storytelling has also evolved to view classical heroines more skeptically. As Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, is portrayed as being in the right, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz are shown to be in the wrong. It is told to the audience that Dorothy did not land on top of the Wicked Witch of the East by accident; she was summoned there to kill her. This skepticism is also evident in the popular television show Once Upon a Time. Snow White and Prince Charming are still the heroes, but they are forced to make tough moral choices. They have to send their daughter away to be an orphan in order to save their kingdom; however, this sacrifice makes one question their parenting skills.

These and other American fairy tales truly reveal the morality of society.

Football: Hallucinogen of the Masses

Karl Marx, the father of Socialism, called religion the “opiate of the masses”; however, modern America has been given a new prescription. Some say football is the new opiate, but it has evolved into more than that. Football is the hallucinogen of the masses. It not only pacifies the population, but also portrays false images onto society. 

News has been dominated by the return of American football. The return of high school, collegiate, and professional teams has overshadowed all other problems seen in the media. Has America forgotten its border crisis where thousands of children are without a home and a family? Has America forgotten the Ukraine where a new cold war is waging in the Balkans? Has America forgotten the Middle East where an eternal Holy War still rages on? All America contemplates is football. This addiction makes Americans appear hypocritical. Americans have long viewed themselves as a global peacekeeping force; however, this fundamental principle is being forsaken for a leisure activity. 

The hallucinogen, football, projects false images onto society. Safety and unity are being sacrificed in pursuit of football glory. The National Football League lives in a fantasy land where as long as children keep their “heads up”, they imply that injuries will be lessened. Furthermore, they have the audacity to imply this to the children and their parents. Football is not a safe game. The NFL and the NCAA put profit before safety. The more children that play football, the more the industry will grow. It has gotten to the point in America where football has become a part of everyday life. One would assume that this would make football a national tool to fuse opposing cultures together; unfortunately, this is not the case. This creates more divisions between the American people and its cities. Rivalries do not promote healthy competition; they promote division and brutality. Division is on a national and local level. Children are brought up in school districts to loath their rivals and anyone associated with the opposing school. 

 Anything can be good in moderation, but America’s fixation with football needs to be addressed. The Romans had gladiator fights which are now considered barbaric by modern society. Will America’s obsession with football one day be viewed as barbaric as ancient Roman gladiatorial practices?