Escapism is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities through entertainment, substances, or fantasy.

On the path of knowledge, escapism is:

• A form of ignorance - avoiding the truth

• An obstacle to self realisation

• A symptom of suffering

• The opposite of facing reality directly

The path of knowledge requires facing reality as it is, not escaping from it.

See also survival, hedonistic.