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In recent years, there has been a shift in the way that people view reading fiction. Some people now believe that it is not important to read fiction, while some prefer nonfiction, and most would watch videos than reading. This shift is largely due to the rise of technology and the internet. As computers have become more advanced, people are reading less fiction and turning to the internet for entertainment..
However, reading fiction has been proven to provide many benefits.
History and Etymology for Fiction
Middle English ficcioon "invention of mind," borrowing from medieval French fiction, borrowed from Latinfictin, ficti "act of shaping or moulding, pretending, pretense, legal fiction", of fig-, variants:
The first known use of fiction was in the 14th century
Fiction
Telling fictional tales is an essential and widespread element in human culture. And people have stories. People reflect on the content and how the story is told. Fiction has given mankind a number of intriguing and complicated philosophical concepts, and the philosophy of fiction has become an acknowledged part of mainstream philosophy, with an impressive number of books.
Throughout the history of civilizations, stories have played an important role in the lives of humans, and it continues the same.
Why reading fiction is essential to human health and well-being?
1. Reading fiction increases vocabulary
2. It can improve empathy, compassion, and overall Emotional Intelligence.
3. It can improve imaginative, creative, and writing skills
4. It can help you relax and de-stress
5. It's a great way to explore new worlds, cultures, and different periods
The importance of reading fiction is backed by science
According to a 2014 study by Anne E. Cunningham and Keith E. Stanovich, reading fiction improves theory of mind (ToM), which is the ability to understand other people's feelings and emotions. This study showed that participants who read passages of literary fiction for six minutes had better ToM skills after reading than those who read nonfiction or nothing at all. Another study conducted by Raymond Mar, Keith Oatley, and Jordan B. Peterson reached the same conclusion that fiction is important for developing empathy. There are research reports published about this on https://bit.ly/3H31fYI
Some psychologists believe that reading fiction also provides social benefits. It allows people to imagine themselves in other roles, which encourages self-reflection and examining one's own life. This can be especially impactful for young people as they often struggle to define themselves and their place in society.
Reading fiction also encourages creativity, according to a study published by Keith Oatley in 2008. He examined the lives of famous authors and found that many of them were avid readers of fiction. His study showed that when readers engaged in a novel's story, they were more likely to have creative thoughts and be more open to new experiences. In addition, he discovered that people who read a lot of fiction had greater "pattern detection" skills, which leads to better imagination and abstract thinking.
In an article published in the New York Times in 2012, Maryanne Wolf echoes some of these ideas and discusses how fiction can improve brain function. She explains that new research suggests the human mind is adapted to make meaning from stories and fiction because this skill was necessary for our ancestors to survive. When we read novels, the mind makes sense of fragmented information by creating a coherent whole. She also points out that reading fiction can help with memory, attention, and critical thinking.
Conversely, there are some people who believe that reading anything other than nonfiction is detrimental to one's education. The "real world" does not consist of stories or fiction, which means that it is more important for young people to learn about current events and scientific discoveries than to learn about fictional worlds. But this argument falls lame, especially when reading fiction evokes the qualities in individuals that even hiring managers in the corporate world look for. More about this on Harvard Business Review https://bit.ly/33TpTfV
On the contrary, fictions often deal with real-world issues such as poverty and oppression, which can help readers empathize with others who are suffering from these problems in their lives. Those widely loved novels about history, about fictional characters which seem so relatable, about the contemporary world that we live in actually help in clear thinking and analytical decision making too.
With fictional characters, one may come across ideas or concepts that they wouldn't have learned about otherwise.
So the next time you pick up a book, remember all the benefits.
What do you think? Does fiction help us? Please let me know in the comments section below! And please remember to have a great day :)
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