So, I’ve been watching a favorite TV show of mine on DVD—Fringe. It’s off the air now, but ran for five seasons and accumulated a cult following. If you’re familiar with the show, then you know that from time travel to alternate universes, from teleportation to psychic phenomena and conspiracy theories come to life, Fringe experimented with everything.
Yet, even though it is clearly labeled ‘fiction’, I was astonished at the number of blogs out there that have taken pleasure in blasting the theories and ideas presented in Fringe, deriding it as ‘fantasy’ and ‘paranormal’. As if having an imagination was a bad thing…
South Asia, on the other hand, is steeped in paranormal and supernatural phenomena. From Jinns to Yakshis to mythological warriors, we’ve grown up with these things. We believe in black magic, we assign meaning to everyday objects, and as a race, are generally superstitious. Strains of supernatural themes are prevalent in our literature, in our films, our songs, our poetry and on TV.
We’re proponents of destiny, and open to unnatural experiences, more willing to believe than our western counterparts, aliens and hobbits notwithstanding.
The world is shrinking, however, and I sometimes wonder what we will lose if we become more and more pragmatic, and dismiss our cultural heritage as the ranting of mad men…