Wild with Sarah Wilson A Wild Live with Dr Sharon Blackie about… fairytales and collapse
Dec 9, 2025
Dr. Sharon Blackie, a psychologist and mythologist, explores the relevance of fairy tales in today's chaotic world. She emphasizes how these narratives, steeped in communal values, can teach resilience during tough times. Blackie also contrasts traditional hero journeys with empowering heroine stories rooted in belonging. Diving into the darker original tales, she reveals their moral complexities and advocates for hospitality as a means to bridge societal divides. Ultimately, she inspires listeners to embrace their gifts for a better world.
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Fairy Tales Teach Communal Transformation
- Fairy tales are stories of ordinary people facing real dangers, not distant gods or superheroes.
- They teach transformation through community, kinship, and grounded values rather than lone heroism.
Old Values Are Practical Survival Tools
- Fairy tales model behaviours like hard work, courage, kindness, and courtesy as practical tools to survive and transform crisis.
- These 'old-fashioned' values function as social glue that rebuilds communities after catastrophe.
Snow White And Rose Red: Bear At The Door
- In the Grim tale Snow White and Rose Red, a mother teaches children not to fear the woods and to welcome a bedraggled bear who knocks at the door.
- The bear is later revealed as an enchanted prince, rewarding their hospitality and curiosity.
