So, unfortunately a lot of YA fiction seems premised around the “chosen one” archetype. The protagonists lead boring hard lives but then discover they have special magic powers and that changes their life and the world forever.
Stories are increasingly not about ordinary people who make their lives and the world around them better because of their own inherent skills or hard work.
Film, TV and Books are telling kids only “special” people get to change the world and only “special” people are important. Lots of media is escapist fantasy at all ages and unfortunately they’re giving the message that “change is so hard only super powers will do”.
Don’t let your children be raised solely by the media they consume. Show then that they are special or powerful even without super powers and that all change comes from people. Everything that is good in our world came from people - nothing at all came from gods, super heroes, or magic.
It always makes me laugh how hard the Star Wars equals screwed the pooch on this:
Episode 7: Rey is cool and mysterious! Who could her parents be? I bet they were someone really important and that’s why she has such great power.
Episode 8: Her parents were no one! Great power can come from anywhere, even an abandoned orphan girl! Our heritage does not define who we are.
Episode 9: Just kidding! Her grandpa is Palpatine. Wait? You really thought she got there solely from her own exceptionalism? Haha, you fucking loser! Normies can’t be heroes you idiot! You have to be born into it. Look at Finn, in this movie he doesn’t get an arc because he’s a NOBODY!
Hunger games. She can hunt because she hunted to support her sister and depressed mother who gave up. They make her head of the revolution because of optics. Katniss isn’t special.
So, unfortunately a lot of YA fiction seems premised around the “chosen one” archetype. The protagonists lead boring hard lives but then discover they have special magic powers and that changes their life and the world forever.
Stories are increasingly not about ordinary people who make their lives and the world around them better because of their own inherent skills or hard work.
Film, TV and Books are telling kids only “special” people get to change the world and only “special” people are important. Lots of media is escapist fantasy at all ages and unfortunately they’re giving the message that “change is so hard only super powers will do”.
Don’t let your children be raised solely by the media they consume. Show then that they are special or powerful even without super powers and that all change comes from people. Everything that is good in our world came from people - nothing at all came from gods, super heroes, or magic.
It always makes me laugh how hard the Star Wars equals screwed the pooch on this:
Episode 7: Rey is cool and mysterious! Who could her parents be? I bet they were someone really important and that’s why she has such great power.
Episode 8: Her parents were no one! Great power can come from anywhere, even an abandoned orphan girl! Our heritage does not define who we are.
Episode 9: Just kidding! Her grandpa is Palpatine. Wait? You really thought she got there solely from her own exceptionalism? Haha, you fucking loser! Normies can’t be heroes you idiot! You have to be born into it. Look at Finn, in this movie he doesn’t get an arc because he’s a NOBODY!
Stopped watching all star wars media for a long time after ep 9. That is until I discovered Andor.
Uhhh, we need a list of YA fiction where the protagonist isn’t some special snowflake, born under a golden star, chosen one.
Hunger games. She can hunt because she hunted to support her sister and depressed mother who gave up. They make her head of the revolution because of optics. Katniss isn’t special.
Your names brilliant