Disclaimer: I have no doubt some will sneer at the title and feel the need to comment immediately. Please at least read through the entire post if you choose to comment, and please keep the comments on-topic (which will be a philosophical look at the stories presented, not a discussion of how good or bad any of the actual stories, or movies for that matter, are).

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Whether one believes any of the three subjects, being Harry Potter, Twilight, and World of Warcraft, are rubbish, spectacular, disgusting, idiotic, masterpieces, or any number of other descriptors I have heard applied to each, is not the thought that I want to draw attention to. What I want to point out, instead, is that each of these three subjects provides avenues for delving into topics ranging from ethical and moral issues to be faced and acted upon to the ramifications of our actions upon those around us. Note also that each of these subjects is also easily experienced without approaching anything remotely resembling a second thought, but instead enjoyed merely for entertainment. It is in these two aspects that all three are actually quite fascinating to examine.

The Harry Potter series (specifically the books, although the movies actually do a decent job of portraying the same thoughts) examines such topics as the origin of evil, the effects of various emotions and the weight conveyed upon those choices by others, the significance of bonds formed with others, the freedom (or potentially lack thereof) of choice, and even the most basic questions of why some things happen. Naturally this is not an exhaustive list, nor does it really even scratch the surface of what could be found under the analytical gaze of someone intent to find every potential issue addressed.

The emphasis in the Twilight series lies more in the existence, or lack of existence, of the soul, the debate regarding freedom of choice, the effect of as well as the effective use of fear, and, to a slightly lesser extent, the existence of the unexplainable (generally regarded as the question of how or why when dealing with most). Obviously the element of love, in this case a similar tragic tale of what would be seen as a forbidden love that arises far too often in stories, is also explored.

World of Warcraft explores, though in far less detail and really only if one chooses to pay attention to those details, most of the same questions as the previous two subjects. Through questing, and occasionally through scripted moments in group encounters, glimpses of these questions are brought to light for any who elect to listen/read. Wrath of the Lich King, moreso than any of the other “components” of the game, goes to great lengths to bring out the question of what is moral or ethical.

Each of these examples is similar in three, very distinct, ways:

1. They appeal to, and are staunchly supported by, their audiences for varying reasons.
2. They are regarded by others (those who are not included in their audiences) with disdain for varying reasons.
3. They each provide hints of very complicated, philosophical questions to those who open their minds to seek them out, and yet also each can stand as pure entertainment without thinking of any of those questions.

This is exactly why each of these subjects, whether liked or disliked by any of us, excels. Not only do they provide the audience with a purely entertaining experience if that is what the audience members are after, but they also provide thought-provoking questions or discourse among members of their audiences who choose to look beyond that which is in plain sight.

Granted this can apply to many other examples, but these three were specifically chosen for this post because of their popularity with current, although quite varied, crowds. Generally speaking, however, most other examples that come to mind do not exhibit such an extreme reaction among members of the “in” crowd (or the particular subject’s audience) versus the “out” crowd either.

In short, the question I pose today is simple: what have you read/watched/listened to/or otherwise been exposed to in some fashion that fits these same criteria? Remember that it must be something that could be considered recognizable in any typical household, it must be able to be viewed as purely entertaining while still being able to be viewed as asking moral/ethical questions, and it must be something that seems to either be loved or hated by audiences (and please, provide some examples of the philosophical questions asked). Personally, I find that to be a fairly short list.