In my day job I work in an office. I have a customer service style role. I hate my freaking day job. I once joked that we need a sound proof helmet in the break room where a frustrated employee could go and just scream out everything they'd like to say to the customer's, the boss, the co-worker, etc. Just purge it from their system.

My boss replied that it would never work because people would get addicted and would lose productivity.

I thought of that discussion while watching the new South Park. Where the guy trolling was happy and relaxed as he waked down the street. He'd vented his hate and now he felt better. The problem was that all that hate was poisoning the environment for others. So we can't actually say what we want to each other. We can't vent it in the real or digital world, so what do we do?

Enter fantasy. Hate that bitchy girl from school? Read Dorothy Must Die. Sick of BS over fast food and how it's never perfect? How about some nice erotica? Just want to hunt down and kill that entitled bastard who just screamed at you for hours over something you have no control over because he didn't like the only resolutions you're able to offer? Murder mystery time!

My point is that fantasy works best as an escape. It's not always safe or relaxing but it allows us to vent our emotions and purge our frustrations. Brooke's Hollow, the fictional town from my books, is a safe, happy place where sex is practically on tap and fights are rare. Where a house wife can diddle the mailman for fun and still have her husband or wife be happy to see her when they get home from work. Is it realistic? Probably not but should it be? No. Its a vacation from the realities of selfishness, jealousy and kids walking in on your right as things get good. Its breath of fresh air when you really need it and a challenge that you can overcome and find greater happiness for having gone through it.

"It would never work. People would get addicted."

Book addictions aren't all that bad, are they?