Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-how-science-skepticism-is-reshaping-popular-fiction/

Dr. Anthony Fauci was subpoenaed by Congress over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic response, following the revelation of a personal diary emailed to himself on a government computer, further eroding public trust that has been declining since promises about vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 infection and transmission were not fully realized. This decline in institutional trust in science reflects a broader cultural shift, with growing numbers of readers gravitating toward fiction featuring magic, witches, vampires, and other supernatural elements across genres including romance, young adult, historical fiction, and fantasy. The trend spans bestselling franchises blending genre conventions with magical systems, and reflects a generational shift away from 20th-century scientific optimism toward renewed interest in the supernatural and transcendent in popular storytelling. Times: 0:00 — Intro: Science pleads the fifth, superstition rises 0:30 — Fauci's diary and congressional subpoena 1:59 — History of trusting science: Dark Ages to the Enlightenment 9:15 — Fauci as a "priest" of the materialist religion 13:22 — The incentive structure behind modern science 14:32 — Two challenges to materialism: postmodernism vs. science's track record 32:30 — Why "genre plus magic" is the hottest trend in fiction 42:48 — Putting the transcendent and truth into your stories 49:40 — C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, and shifting cultural controversy Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #Zeitgeist