What is the value of literature?

[Alfonsoo]

I’m starting to find less and less value (apart from pure entertainment) in literature (fiction).

Those “great classics” everyone tells you you have to read like Shakespeare, Kundera, Asimov, Tolkien, Alighieri, etc. You know those books. Most of these we were forcedd to read at school. I can see why there are important, but why not read non fiction, self help etc. You can get the same message and even more value from that. 

So is there really any exclusive value to literature? Why is it so highly praised by “superficial” intellectuals?

[Anton_Pierre]

@Alfonsoo I'm into non-fiction also.

Open your mind to see how creating an entirely fictitious world just from words on a piece of paper is pretty amazing and you could easily tie that into the concept of Actuality vs Concept and how powerful the imagination can be.

[Alfonsoo]

@Anton_Pierre true, i think I was starting to lock my self into a point of view of whether something is useful or not and efficiency

[mandyjw]

The problem with non-fiction is that we think it's reality and the problem with fiction is that we think it's fantasy. 

Almost all the very best fiction books are secretly about enlightenment. 

[Alfonsoo]

@mandyjw you’re right. Just out of curiosity, is there any way you could relate this to romantic/sexual relationships?

[winterknight]

7 hours ago, Alfonsoo said:

I’m starting to find less and less value (apart from pure entertainment) in literature (fiction).

Those “great classics” everyone tells you you have to read like Shakespeare, Kundera, Asimov, Tolkien, Alighieri, etc. You know those books. Most of these we were forcedd to read at school. I can see why there are important, but why not read non fiction, self help etc. You can get the same message and even more value from that. 

So is there really any exclusive value to literature? Why is it so highly praised by “superficial” intellectuals?

Great literature is not about what is said but about how. In that how, which is the style in which it is written, are all the secrets of human nature and all the beauties of consciousness, treasuries of wisdom and pleasure and beauty that non-fiction (with a few exceptions) can only dream of.

The thing is that literature does not open its doors for just anyone at first glance. It takes years or decades of the reading of great books to become a good reader, and only a good reader will be able to access the secret powers of literature.

Second, not all great literature appeals to everyone. It takes a lot of reading of great books to find those few great books that speak specifically to you.

Edited May 11, 2019 by winterknight

[mandyjw]

4 minutes ago, Alfonsoo said:

@mandyjw you’re right. Just out of curiosity, is there any way you could relate this to romantic/sexual relationships?

Romantic/sexual relationships are also secretly about enlightenment. 

 

[hariseldon74]

@Alfonsoo i love Asimov obviously.  Always loved the character Hari Seldon

[hariseldon74]

@mandyjw but what if enlightenment is only a path to romantic/sexual relationships instead.  (Just messing and pretending what Keats would say)

"I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.". Keats

[mandyjw]

14 minutes ago, hariseldon74 said:

@mandyjw but what if enlightenment is only a path to romantic/sexual relationships instead.  (Just messing and pretending what Keats would say)

"I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.". Keats

Woooow. I love that quote. 

That stupid in love, can't eat can't sleep feeling is so short lived. That's why the butterflies are lucky.

People think that they want the perfect partner. They don't, they want to be in love. You can't be in love more than a few weeks if you don't know that you are love itself. You'll always be blaming your partner or the lack of partner in your life until you realize that. The nature of romantic relationships is designed to make us insane, they are designed so that we will do stupid things out of love. That stupid in love is how you have to live everyday if you want to live for God. You have to let go of logic and your own understanding. 

[hariseldon74]

@mandyjw yes I agree but I hear you. I do think that you can love someone deeply though despite their faults and have a deeper connection like a soul mate than other loves that are just "in love" like this quote   maybe the term soul mate isn't helpful totally but I mean that as someone who matches your love languages quite a bit   One where you love them very very much and connect well. I guess I can talk about that later too

But yes I was just feeling that quote when you wrote it so I just messed around a bit since I think in quotes alot or remember an old quote that someone tells me

[Alfonsoo]

@hariseldon74 I think we should make a difference between the romantic love we usually talk about (what we see in movies, girl/boyfriends etc) and “love” when talking about infinite and unconditional acceptance. To just see and accept = love