Fantasyland Summary

What happens when a society intertwines fact with fiction as part of its culture? Kurt Andersen explores America's long-standing infatuation with fantasy, from gold rush dreams to modern political myths.

1. Early English colonists chased golden illusions

The English colonists who ventured to the Americas in the late 1500s were driven by a gold rush fantasy. Inspired by Spanish discoveries in South America, the English believed their fortunes awaited across the Atlantic. This obsessive dream was fueled by rumors, baseless claims, and reports from Sir Walter Raleigh, suggesting North America's soil was brimming with gold.

Despite repeated failures and tragedies, the English crown persisted. Expeditions like those to Jamestown, Virginia, endured immense suffering in search of nonexistent treasure. These settlers eventually pivoted to tobacco production for survival, rather than perishing in pursuit of gold.

This relentless chase for wealth exemplifies America’s early embrace of unreal expectations. The belief that untold riches awaited—even without evidence—planted the seeds for a broader cultural trend of elevating fantasy over reason.

Examples

• Sir Walter Raleigh’s misleading report motivated Queen Elizabeth I to approve gold-seeking expeditions.
• Failure after failure left countless English colonists dead in their pursuit of gold.
• Once gold dreams faded, the Virginia settlers resorted to tobacco as their economic cornerstone.

2. Mormonism as an inventive religious phenomenon

Joseph Smith’s creation of Mormonism in 1830 highlights Americans' openness to new, imaginative beliefs. Claiming to have discovered golden plates detailing an extension of the Bible, Smith’s fantastical assertions inspired followers to establish a brand-new religion.

At its core, this movement reframed America as a sacred land akin to Jerusalem, visited by Jesus Christ himself. By providing a divine narrative tied to the country’s soil, Smith tapped into Americans’ desire for spiritual exceptionalism. People flocked to this religion, willing to embrace unprovable stories as historical truths.

Mormonism’s rapid growth helps illustrate how, in the United States, imaginative leaps of faith find fertile ground. By the mid-nineteenth century, Mormon believers established entire communities, showcasing their devotion to a narrative deeply rooted in the fantastical.

Examples

• Smith’s alleged rediscovery of long-lost Biblical texts transformed into the Book of Mormon.
• By the 1840s, Mormon membership swelled to almost 40,000, warranting migration to Utah.
• The religion promoted an exceptional view of America as a sacred and ancient biblical place.

3. Post-slavery delusions of benevolent servitude

Even decades after slavery’s abolition, many Americans clung to the comforting myth that slavery had been mutually beneficial for both slaves and plantation owners. This belief fueled racist depictions of slavery as a life of harmony, complete with happy slaves living idyllic existences.

Exhibits like Nate Salsbury’s slavery-themed park in Brooklyn perpetuated this dangerous nostalgia. Re-enactments showed African-Americans contentedly harvesting crops, feeding white Americans’ fantasies of their moral purity despite the horrors of slavery. Publications like the New York Times even celebrated such displays.

Additionally, films like "The Birth of a Nation," which portrayed the Ku Klux Klan as heroic defenders of Southern values, further enshrined white supremacist fantasies in popular culture. These delusions sanitized history and emboldened racist ideologies, leading to increased racial tension.

Examples

• Nate Salsbury’s Brooklyn park attracted thousands to its romanticized depiction of plantation life.
• "The Birth of a Nation" became the first film to screen at the White House.
• The Ku Klux Klan gained traction, peaking with 5 percent of white males joining by the 1920s.

4. Counterculture movements and mystical explorations

The 1960s and 1970s were decades of cultural upheaval, experimentation, and escapism. With the rise of the hippie movement, recreational drug use and belief in mysticism surged. Psychedelics like LSD reshaped perceptions of reality, prompting many young people to delve into spirituality, magic, and the occult.

Recreational drug use exploded during this era. Just five years after surveys began measuring marijuana consumption, the number of users skyrocketed into the millions. Psychedelics, with their mind-bending effects, fueled creativity and fantasy but also blurred the lines between fact and illusion for entire subcultures.

Interestingly, this shift saw students at elite institutions like Harvard experimenting with transcendence and abandoning rationality. American youth increasingly embraced age-old mystic practices, exploring séances, tarot cards, and UFOs as normal parts of their evolving belief systems.

Examples

• Between 1965 and 1972, marijuana use soared from 1 million to 24 million Americans.
• The New York Times reported on widespread college engagement in magic and witchcraft.
• Prominent academics like Timothy Leary encouraged psychedelic exploration, influencing pop culture.

5. The refusal of adults to grow up

By the 1980s and 1990s, adulthood in America began evolving—or regressing. Adults embraced traditionally “childish” hobbies like comic books, video games, and Halloween festivities, sparking a cultural shift toward perpetual adolescence.

Gone were the days of suits and ties; jeans, sneakers, and even backpacks became normal for grown-ups. Adults started playing video games in droves, boosting industries once aimed exclusively at kids. By extending teenage habits well into adulthood, many suggested this new era justified a rejection of adult responsibilities.

While previous generations considered maturity an essential marker of progress, adults in this era sought comfort in nostalgic hobbies. Workplaces even evolved, welcoming playful elements like beanbags and game rooms to complement this adolescent spirit.

Examples

• Comic book sales among adults skyrocketed, with superhero films gaining record theatrical revenue.
• Costume-heavy events like Halloween saw increasing participation from 30-somethings.
• Video gaming shifted from a teenager-dominated market to a widespread adult hobby.

6. Gun ownership driven by imagined threats

Despite falling crime rates, gun ownership in America has soared in recent decades. Many Americans buy guns based on a perceived need for safety, yet statistics prove their fears are largely unfounded.

In the 1970s, owners averaged one gun each and most used them for hunting. Today, owners average three to four firearms, with personal protection cited as the primary reason. Ironically, violent crime rates have halved since the 1990s, undermining this reasoning.

This gun obsession, largely fueled by misinformed narratives in media and politics, highlights another widespread fantasy—the mythical notion of needing weapons for an imagined apocalypse or intruder attack.

Examples

• New York City’s murder rates dropped by 82 percent since 1990, despite restrictive gun laws.
• Hunting’s popularity dwindled to 15 percent, even as gun sales tripled.
• Surveys show personal safety overtaking sport as the top justification for gun ownership.

7. Fantasy's influence on governance and leadership

Donald Trump’s presidency symbolizes the culmination of America's fantasy-driven ethos. His rhetoric dismissed facts, promoted conspiracy theories, and fed delusional narratives. While many viewed his rise as shocking, Andersen attributes it to centuries of normalized fantasy culture.

Trump weaponized emotional storytelling, invigorating base supporters with escapist visions and divisive claims. This tactic not only secured the presidency but also reflected the American proclivity for suspending disbelief when convenient.

Political figures like Trump resonate with voters accustomed to valuing subjective realities over objective truths. This disruption of traditional norms fuels post-truth governance trends affecting the nation.

Examples

• Campaign misinformation, like Trump’s claims about the birther conspiracy, gained massive traction.
• His assertions about widespread voter fraud challenge basic facts on election security.
• Rallying slogans like "Make America Great Again" framed America’s past in rosy, unrealistic nostalgia.

Takeaways

1. Question narratives and challenge emotional appeals that lack factual evidence or rationale.
2. Promote critical thinking skills through education to help current and future generations recognize misinformation.
3. Stay vigilant against nostalgia-driven fantasies, whether about culture, politics, or history, and ask: What are the facts?