Why fiction with a social conscience matters now more than ever

Photo by Danny Lines on Unsplash

In an age of distraction where the trivial triumphs over the significant, I believe fiction with a social conscience is needed more than ever. Since humans developed the art of sophisticated communication, stories have shaped how we see the world and our place in it. When crafted with intent and empathy, socially conscious fiction becomes more than entertainment, it acts as a mirror for society. It allows readers to confront uncomfortable truths, imagine better futures, and re-engage with the society they live in while being entertained.

I’ll admit, it’s a fine line!

Fiction that makes people think can also be used to challenge that most obstinate of societal forces, the status quo.

In my personal life, I’m in a number of struggles with the status quo. I liken it to being a competitor in a strongest man and woman competition trying to move a truck single-handed. The truck itself is heavy enough but sitting on the back are all the people who benefit from the status quo or are scared of change. There are loads of them and they’ve brought their luggage. They won’t get off, so the best way is to get more people to help pull the truck so they tumble off like so many Humpty Dumptys.

Socially engaged literature tells the stories that often go unheard. It can give voice to the marginalised, the misunderstood, the forgotten. This kind of socially aware storytelling reminds us that society is not something “out there” that happens without us. We are society. Our choices, values, and actions collectively shape the world we live in.

Books about society and justice can reawaken a sense of agency by showing how individual lives intersect with larger systems such as the economy, politics and the environment. A character might begin with no power and still spark change, reminding us that change, though complex and slow, is possible.

More than that, the power of narrative is its ability to cut through the noise in ways fact often can’t. Statistics and headlines inform, but stories move. They don’t demand action, they invite understanding. Awareness is the first step. No one goes on a protest march if they are unaware there is a problem.

I’m hoping there’s a resurgence of interest in this kind of writing. Commercial fiction with moral depth and meaning. Exciting plot twists set among issues like family violence, artificial intelligence, or the role of unions in society. Stories with purpose that resonate long after the book has been added to your shelf, passed on, or returned to the library.

One of my favourite authors, George Orwell, did exactly this. In Animal Farm, Orwell exposed how power can corrupt, leading to the upholding of the very systems that were originally overthrown. If he had written an essay on this, it wouldn’t have penetrated society’s conscience as much as it did in the form of a story. The same can be said for 1984, a masterclass in political fiction and that allowed people to engage with the issues of the day and the future.

The goal, my goal, is to write meaningful novels that challenge without overwhelming. To allow the reader to imagine how society could be, and to realise it’s a choice that we as citizens can make.

It can be argued that the massive rise of the mini-series can also achieve this. It can, but I would add a rider. Reading a book engages the mind in ways watching simply can’t. When you read, you create the world in your own mind. Everyone reads a different book with different characters. The author provides the framework, but the reader’s imagination colours in the story. That’s why stories matter.

Watching a movie, mini-series, or TV programme is far more passive. The characters’ appearances, voices, emotions, and environments are presented to you, ready-made. You can still be emotionally moved—we often are—but the mental leap is shorter. A good book asks more of you and gives more in return. These are the books that open minds, the books to reconnect with society.

If we want a society (and world!) that is more just, humane and connected, then we must have more people engaged with the society around them. The decades of “I'm all right, Jack. Pull up the ladder” need to abolished to history. When people care, when they are informed, when they aren’t prepared to meekly accept the status quo, when politicians can’t rely on public ignorance – that’s when change becomes not just necessary, it becomes inevitable.