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[CCBC-Net] Publishing for Children and Teens in a Post-9/11 World
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From: Bren MacDibble <brenmacd>
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:02:45 +1000
The mood of the 2000s is similar to the mood of the cold war era. We grew up with the threat of bombs and nuclear holocaust and it influenced us as children deeply. We rebelled and promised each other we'd be pacifists and lamented at how stupid the situation was, how stupid adults were. It was a situation beyond our control and beyond our understanding but we were angry at the possible mindless destruction. I think children today are dealing with the same issues... (altho perhaps the anger is greater at ground zero - this is a never lived near any zeroes pov).
Back in the 70s it was science fiction that came to our rescue, not reality stories. Stories that took us to brave new worlds, worlds where perfection was possible, or brought evil aliens to us. Aliens so evil that Earth would join forces to fight a common foe and we could live out destruction on a more sensible level. Yes, aliens killing humans is more sensible to a child than humans killing humans. Even the post-destruction stories where the few survivors battled on bravely, showed us the human spirit was alive and well.
Altho reality stories may be hot property with the publishers and of interest initially, if you ask the children, I suspect 9/11's legacy will bring a renewed need to look for answers, to look to the future, to be better human beings, to escape the incomprehensible world of adults. And that's science fiction.
Bren MacDibble
www.macdibble.com
Received on Sun 10 Sep 2006 11:02:45 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:02:45 +1000
The mood of the 2000s is similar to the mood of the cold war era. We grew up with the threat of bombs and nuclear holocaust and it influenced us as children deeply. We rebelled and promised each other we'd be pacifists and lamented at how stupid the situation was, how stupid adults were. It was a situation beyond our control and beyond our understanding but we were angry at the possible mindless destruction. I think children today are dealing with the same issues... (altho perhaps the anger is greater at ground zero - this is a never lived near any zeroes pov).
Back in the 70s it was science fiction that came to our rescue, not reality stories. Stories that took us to brave new worlds, worlds where perfection was possible, or brought evil aliens to us. Aliens so evil that Earth would join forces to fight a common foe and we could live out destruction on a more sensible level. Yes, aliens killing humans is more sensible to a child than humans killing humans. Even the post-destruction stories where the few survivors battled on bravely, showed us the human spirit was alive and well.
Altho reality stories may be hot property with the publishers and of interest initially, if you ask the children, I suspect 9/11's legacy will bring a renewed need to look for answers, to look to the future, to be better human beings, to escape the incomprehensible world of adults. And that's science fiction.
Bren MacDibble
www.macdibble.com
Received on Sun 10 Sep 2006 11:02:45 PM CDT
