The Pastoral Fantasy: Why We Romanticize Rural Life
You’ve never grown a tomato. You’ve never milked a cow. You’ve never lived without high-speed internet or same-day delivery. And yet, you’re spending 100 hours in Stardew Valley living a life you’ve never experienced and probably never will. Why? Because the pastoral fantasy isn’t about actual rural life. It’s about what we imagine rural life represents: simplicity, authenticity, connection, and escape from the alienation of modern existence. Let’s dissect why the idealized countryside has such narrative power—and what we’re really longing for. ...