Self-Hating Dr. Who Fan Takes Dark TARDIS Journey To the End of the Night

Over at the always interesting Spiked, Sandy Starr makes the claim that an irresponsible flight from reality ultimately underwrites the science fiction/fantasy subculture. Sizing up the current dominance of "geek culture," Starr, a self-professed Dr. Who buff, concludes:

This is a state of affairs that not only speaks ill of society, but actually demeans science fiction and fantasy as well, by putting them in the impossible position of having to provide us with the answers to life, the universe and everything. Fiction in these genres can be a terrific tool for exploring ideas, but it cannot satisfy the human urge to find meaning in life and to aspire to a better world. That can only come through confronting the questions that we face in the here and now.

If the geek shall inherit the Earth, then the Earth shall be the poorer for it. Both society as a whole, and science fiction/fantasy, would benefit if the latter were put back in its proper place—that is, as a satisfying diversion, rather than as life's raison d'?tre.

[Link courtesy of Arts & Letters Daily]

Update: Corrected spelling of Tardis and beg apologies.

More Update: Recorrected spelling of TARDIS (all caps) but refuse to make any more apologies to anyone other than Tom Baker.

Final Update (If I'm lying, may the Daleks take my soul): Forgot to link to Peter Bagge's comic "The Nerd-ification of America," which seems on point here.

Daleks Update: In my original formulation, I identified Sandy Starr as a she, which he is most certainly not. Apologies all around from me.