Are Fiction Books Bad?

[ShapeShift]

Hey, just getting started in this community and it's great here, but I just had this question burning in my mind after reading Harry Potter:

Are fiction books bad?

I was wondering this as I just finished and then started wishing for friends like Ron and the other characters. It did bring me enjoyment in the moment and sparked new ideas and doesn't seem like a waste of time based on my gut, but the longing for a story that is fantasy kind of messes with me.

Thanks for reading this and let me know because I'm questioning it right now.

 

[Visitor]

The majority of new science and technology first came about be science fiction writers. In other words, most new ideas come from fantasy imaginings, and then it was up to the practical people to work out how to make it a reality. In this regard, fiction books are a necessity for worldly progress.

[WaterfallMachine]

Yes, fiction stories aren't true, but they do change us emotionally in a way we need.

What would motivate you more? A scientific study talking about learned helplessness — the belief that things are impossible because of past experiences that won't always apply to the future? Or a story talking about that?

Harry Potter shows fantastical stories of flying brooms, ghosts and teleporting. But their themes of friendship is true. Their themes of longing for hope and bravery even admidst a world threatened by Voldemort. The threat of a skull shooting up in the sky. Imagine the threat of being killed and still haging the willingness to travel across the magical world in hiding, sneak in back to the Hogwarts took over by the enemy and in one high pace sweeping battle of danger on a broom actually defeat him? Fuck. Stories like this make me want to change my life. And others and you too.

Their stories of lack of self esteem, fear, sadness, being left out by society, oppression and others are themes we can find in this world. In hearing the minds of characters, we can better understand the types of problems in society and develop empathy.

That's why many speakers talk in stories. Information is of course, valued and needed, but stories is what lights the fire in us. What dazzles us. What ignites our fury to change things. What allows for hope. What changes us and so potentially the world around us.

Keep reading, bud. Just don't let it become an unnecessary escape and you'll be fine.

[pluto]

Not necessarily, it all depends on the author. For example: The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield is classed as fiction but is one of the most interesting and adventurous books i read and changed my life in many positive ways after applying the insights i got from the book thus showing me there was more truth in that so called "fiction" than many others that were not.

There is Truth to everything, ultimately. Its how one sees things that matters.

Edited July 21, 2017 by pluto

[ShapeShift]

Thanks for that guys, you guys are right in that imagining through story has led to new creations, spreading of positive values, and is overall a good medium as long as I don't spend my entire day fantasizing about random things.

[Girzo]

Sometimes fiction stories are much more True than those based on facts.

Myths, Homer's "Odyssey" are fiction and can bring a lot of value to one's life. What if stories of Buddha or Jesus were fake, does that take value from them? In fact there are spiritual stroies which we know are fake, yet we still benefit from reading them.

More modern examples of "good" fiction books would be "Prophet" by Khalil Gibran or "The Book of Mirdad" by Mikhail Naimy.

Yes, I know it's not exactly what you meant, but it also falls under label of fiction.

[ShapeShift]

23 hours ago, Girzo said:

Sometimes fiction stories are much more True than those based on facts.

Myths, Homer's "Odyssey" are fiction and can bring a lot of value to one's life. What if stories of Buddha or Jesus were fake, does that take value from them? In fact there are spiritual stroies which we know are fake, yet we still benefit from reading them.

More modern examples of "good" fiction books would be "Prophet" by Khalil Gibran or "The Book of Mirdad" by Mikhail Naimy.

Yes, I know it's not exactly what you meant, but it also falls under label of fiction.

Yeah they have a lot of lessons that we can learn -- now that I realize that I might try out writing fiction (haven't done that since elementary school haha) just as a hobby.

[Dan Arnautu]

@ShapeShift Bad from whose perspective? No book is good or bad in and of itself. The real question is "Is it useful to YOU? Does it serve YOU in any way?"

I think that if you do not read or get a taste of fantasies, your life will become pretty dry and nihilistic really fast. That's what happened to me. I became so logical that I could not see the beauty around me anymore. I was stuck "upstairs" all the time.

I say read the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and see for yourself is fiction stories can be "good" for you or not. 

Also, take a look at Tarkovsky's movies like Solaris, Stalker, The Sacrifice, Nostalgia. He created some profound and mind buggling science fiction movies that framed some deep philosophical questions and problems. He also had a great ability of creating a meditative atmosphere in his movies which slowed down your mind and made you pay attention to every little detail.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Dan Arnautu

[poimandres]

• Dr Seuss 
• Orwell
• Aesop's Fables
• Beowulf
• Dante Alighieri

All fiction with a very non-fiction message.

[ShapeShift]

Yup I got that, it makes a lot of sense because I haven't read fiction in a while and being put into that magical world was amazing and at the same time had some lessons to teach me.

[Thensiong]

I don`t think that fiction books bad. I totally agree with Visitor!

[hyruga]

Fiction books are awesome. You can remember the characters eg Ron, Harry and their traits far longer than content in some non fiction books.

[Thensiong]

On 31.10.2020 at 3:18 AM, Thensiong said:

I don`t think that fiction books bad. I totally agree with Visitor!

I especially love beowulf so much, it really makes much more sense than it might seem at first glance. Recently I read an article about this piece https://popculthq.com/2020/08/31/beowulf-in-pop-culture/, take a look and you too, maybe this will help you change your mind. I will be glad if I can be useful)

[Thewritersunion]

As long as you avoid fanfiction and romance 

[EternalForest]

To the contrary!

You can learn just as much from fiction as you can from non-fiction, if you read mindfully.

The lessons and insights gained from great works of literature are priceless.

[Thewritersunion]

Read Victor Hugo’s Les Mirables 

[PurpleTree]

no