Seems to be less about science fiction than about comic books a.k.a. graphic novels, and in that more restricted context he might have a point. Generalizing wildly, that sub-genre really is a bit more escapist than SF (including fantasy) overall. Escapism is a fine thing in moderation - all entertainment has it as one element - but it can also be overdone. SF more generally has as much interpersonal drama and social commentary as any other genre. If you want to see some truly inane movies, "romantic comedy" is the genre to look at. I guess taking pot shots at geeks was a better/safer way for a second-rate actor to get some publicity, though.
Life's not fair, and I don't believe in giving everyone a trophy just for participating. There really are some genres that are - in fact if not of necessity - more or less devoid of intellectually stimulating content. That's not the same as saying they cause some sort of mind-rot, which is an important difference between my rejection of the OP's thesis and your rejection of mine. Another important difference is that I made an actual counterargument instead of just complaining. If you want to argue that (a) comics-based movies are no more escapist than SF generally, or (b) romantic comedies as they actually exist in theatres are something other than fluff, then you just go ahead. That's the way we learn from each other. Complaining about "fairness" instead of about the facts won't get anyone anywhere.
The main thing I disagreed with is that any one genre has a monopoly on stupidity. Your comment is like quoting "She loves you yeah yeah yeah" to dismiss the Beatles or pop music. A high premium placed on intellectualism rather than work that engages the heart, the soul, the hips, discusses social dynamics, and so forth.
Actually I mean romantic comedies in their entirety including all of film and literature. Your perspective evinces a strong familiarity with SF and a surface impression of recent romcoms but I could be wrong.
To me SF films are mainly about technology fetishism and the social commentary is incidental.
I completely agree. Both genres are filled with thought-provoking commentary. The reason why adults enjoy comic books is because of this commentary told in a more appealing way.
Comments
Seems to be less about science fiction than about comic books a.k.a. graphic novels, and in that more restricted context he might have a point. Generalizing wildly, that sub-genre really is a bit more escapist than SF (including fantasy) overall. Escapism is a fine thing in moderation - all entertainment has it as one element - but it can also be overdone. SF more generally has as much interpersonal drama and social commentary as any other genre. If you want to see some truly inane movies, "romantic comedy" is the genre to look at. I guess taking pot shots at geeks was a better/safer way for a second-rate actor to get some publicity, though.
Complaining about broad brush criticism of one genre then returning the favor to another genre is hardly fair.
Life's not fair, and I don't believe in giving everyone a trophy just for participating. There really are some genres that are - in fact if not of necessity - more or less devoid of intellectually stimulating content. That's not the same as saying they cause some sort of mind-rot, which is an important difference between my rejection of the OP's thesis and your rejection of mine. Another important difference is that I made an actual counterargument instead of just complaining. If you want to argue that (a) comics-based movies are no more escapist than SF generally, or (b) romantic comedies as they actually exist in theatres are something other than fluff, then you just go ahead. That's the way we learn from each other. Complaining about "fairness" instead of about the facts won't get anyone anywhere.
The main thing I disagreed with is that any one genre has a monopoly on stupidity. Your comment is like quoting "She loves you yeah yeah yeah" to dismiss the Beatles or pop music. A high premium placed on intellectualism rather than work that engages the heart, the soul, the hips, discusses social dynamics, and so forth.
Actually I mean romantic comedies in their entirety including all of film and literature. Your perspective evinces a strong familiarity with SF and a surface impression of recent romcoms but I could be wrong.
To me SF films are mainly about technology fetishism and the social commentary is incidental.
I completely agree. Both genres are filled with thought-provoking commentary. The reason why adults enjoy comic books is because of this commentary told in a more appealing way.