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Edit: for more appropriate OP
So recently I have been finding a library very useful in obtaining knowledge about past historical events by reading how they were documented and the global affect they had in relation to country-rest of world context.
What I haven't had any allure to though is to pick up a good fiction novel and read that. I used to read fiction books in the past, loved lotr series, star wars series, basically all the big series that didn't die out after a while and that could build upon previously read lore.
But now, I fail to grasp the intrinsic value of fiction books. So, why do you guys read fiction over non-fiction and what do you feel you get out of it that you might not get from reading the other category?
  
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i feel like if you are seeking "knowledge" and things that are "real" (without arguing that fiction offers this and more) then history is probably not the place you should be looking.
there was this thing where people found these ancient tablets or something and it was all this bird imagery and bird language so they came up with this really elaborate bird religion that the ancient people must have had, and people were really into this and all of that, then years later they found the rest of the tablets, and it turned out it was an ancient cookbook, detailing all the ways you can prepare birds (to eat).
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Yeah, except fiction books are real books and their contexts are the products of real thoughts someone had, which they then decided to write and make a book out of. So, while they might not impart any knowledge of the real world to the reader (some fiction books do undoubtedly contain some real information) they are the product of a real thought and the influence of real experiences upon the person who had the thought.
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On September 29 2013 01:53 Just_a_Moth wrote:
Yeah, except fiction books are real books and their contexts are the products of real thoughts someone had, which they then decided to write and make a book out of. So, while they might not impart any knowledge of the real world to the reader (some fiction books do undoubtedly contain some real information) they are the product of a real thought and the influence of real experiences upon the person who had the thought.
I guess then I am just not that interested in the real thoughts of an individual, but the assessment of a series of people and conclusions about that in a non-biased perspective kind of way
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Baa?21244 Posts
In non-fiction there are facts; in fiction there is truth.
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Good fiction will typically have much to teach and good advice -- indirectly given -- that when followed, leads to a more fulfilling life. Things like the dissolution of the USSR may be interesting and useful to an extent, but I have found more good in fiction than in non-fiction. Now, there's always books that are specifically written to change your perspective on things, and they are usually non-fiction. Sometimes they're about stories of a person's life and parallels with scientific research leading to a big conclusion that's groundbreaking for how people perceive things. Those are the kinds of books I like to read. Fiction has its place, just not all fiction imparts knowledge, and when it does, it's not in the way you would expect.
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On September 29 2013 02:20 Smurfett3 wrote:Show nested quote +On September 29 2013 01:53 Just_a_Moth wrote:
Yeah, except fiction books are real books and their contexts are the products of real thoughts someone had, which they then decided to write and make a book out of. So, while they might not impart any knowledge of the real world to the reader (some fiction books do undoubtedly contain some real information) they are the product of a real thought and the influence of real experiences upon the person who had the thought. I guess then I am just not that interested in the real thoughts of an individual, but the assessment of a series of people and conclusions about that in a non-biased perspective kind of way
Ahahahahah, good one, please call me me when you've found one book like that, please ?
And as Carnivorous Sheep and Lacan said, "Truth has the structure of a fiction".
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On September 29 2013 02:20 Smurfett3 wrote:Show nested quote +On September 29 2013 01:53 Just_a_Moth wrote:
Yeah, except fiction books are real books and their contexts are the products of real thoughts someone had, which they then decided to write and make a book out of. So, while they might not impart any knowledge of the real world to the reader (some fiction books do undoubtedly contain some real information) they are the product of a real thought and the influence of real experiences upon the person who had the thought. I guess then I am just not that interested in the real thoughts of an individual, but the assessment of a series of people and conclusions about that in a non-biased perspective kind of way
History is biased, cause you know the victors write history. But fair enough to not be interested in an individual's thoughts.
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On September 29 2013 02:24 Just_a_Moth wrote:Show nested quote +On September 29 2013 02:20 Smurfett3 wrote:On September 29 2013 01:53 Just_a_Moth wrote:
Yeah, except fiction books are real books and their contexts are the products of real thoughts someone had, which they then decided to write and make a book out of. So, while they might not impart any knowledge of the real world to the reader (some fiction books do undoubtedly contain some real information) they are the product of a real thought and the influence of real experiences upon the person who had the thought. I guess then I am just not that interested in the real thoughts of an individual, but the assessment of a series of people and conclusions about that in a non-biased perspective kind of way History is biased, cause you know the victors write history. But fair enough to not be interested in an individual's thoughts.
In fact, that sounds incredibly dangerous.
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On September 29 2013 01:43 Smurfett3 wrote:
There's no knowledge you can obtain and it's, in all essences of the word, not real
Yeah? Well, you know that's just like uh, your opinion, man.
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On September 29 2013 03:11 Paljas wrote:Show nested quote +On September 29 2013 01:43 Smurfett3 wrote:
There's no knowledge you can obtain and it's, in all essences of the word, not real Yeah? Well, you know that's just like uh, your opinion, man.
of course. And I'm stating my opinion to see what other people's opinions are so that I might adust my opinion to a broader point of view
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On September 29 2013 02:26 corumjhaelen wrote:Show nested quote +On September 29 2013 02:24 Just_a_Moth wrote:On September 29 2013 02:20 Smurfett3 wrote:On September 29 2013 01:53 Just_a_Moth wrote:
Yeah, except fiction books are real books and their contexts are the products of real thoughts someone had, which they then decided to write and make a book out of. So, while they might not impart any knowledge of the real world to the reader (some fiction books do undoubtedly contain some real information) they are the product of a real thought and the influence of real experiences upon the person who had the thought. I guess then I am just not that interested in the real thoughts of an individual, but the assessment of a series of people and conclusions about that in a non-biased perspective kind of way History is biased, cause you know the victors write history. But fair enough to not be interested in an individual's thoughts. In fact, that sounds incredibly dangerous.
Okay yeah now that I read that again, yeah it does. I guess more what I meant is to not be interested in another person's thoughts in the format of a fictitious book.
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Kyrgyz Republic1462 Posts
Try reading War and Peace - you'll get much more insight about the war and the society of those times than any history book will give you.
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Probably for the best. You don't sound like you're smart enough yet to start reading fiction. Could be dangerous.
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I actually like having fun, which is why I like fiction.
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On September 29 2013 03:39 Jerubaal wrote:
Probably for the best. You don't sound like you're smart enough yet to start reading fiction. Could be dangerous.
I just feel more drawn to read things about events that actually happened and a recap of what it was like to go through that period
On September 29 2013 03:57 Zergneedsfood wrote:
1/5 would not read again
edit no one's making you reading it again, but thanks. In fact, I am probably not gonna the OP again either, just the replies
edit: i lied! Changed OP for better context
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I hate to break it to you but videogames aren't real either. Why are you even posting on a starcraft website.
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On September 29 2013 04:02 Paraietta wrote:
I hate to break it to you but videogames aren't real either. Why are you even posting on a starcraft website.
i play videogames, I read books  not the other way around
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I watched the TV series Rome, and while it is wildly inaccurate in terms of historical facts it has by far the most accurate portrayal of Roman societey and people's mentality at that times I've ever seen in any kind of book or movie. This is something that is rarely touched upon in history books, and if you want to learn anything about it you have to collect information from many different places. Surely there must be fiction books where the non-fiction aspects are portrayed accurately? Personally I don't read historical fiction at all, but that seems a good place to look.
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I prefer non-fiction books myself but fiction can be a nice change of pace from all the educational stuff.
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People read nonfiction for different reasons just as they read fiction for different reasons. I read fiction, because it lets me glimpse another's most intimate thoughts, feelings, and experiences (whether the author's or the character's or both of them together, if you believe they can't be separated) in such a way that isn't elaborated upon in nonfiction due to the nature of the genre (primarily its concern with "reality").
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Canada11479 Posts
You may have read LotR's, but I don't think you understood Tolkien if you are questioning the intrinsic value of fiction. A stronger defender of stories for their own sake that inspires humans you could not find.
On Faeries Stories and the Monster and the Critics are two good essays by Tolkien on the value of fantasy and fiction.
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Hong Kong9171 Posts
I highly disliked this thread until I saw a Lacan reference.
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Here is but one example of Tolkien's wisdom. It is a great example of real value that can be found in fiction, and not just the pleasure that comes inside the imagination. Quotes like these make me think that I miss a lot of value in his writings, and I try to make a note of them when I spot them.
Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli's hand. 'These words shall go with the gift,' she said. 'I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now vain: on the one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Glóin, that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion.
Edit: Tell me what you think of it, Smurfett3, and whether you believe it has any value.
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On September 29 2013 04:48 hp.Shell wrote:
Here is but one example of Tolkien's wisdom. It is a great example of real value that can be found in fiction, and not just the pleasure that comes inside the imagination. Quotes like these make me think that I miss a lot of value in his writings, and I try to make a note of them when I spot them.
Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli's hand. 'These words shall go with the gift,' she said. 'I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now vain: on the one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Glóin, that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion.
On September 29 2013 04:26 Falling wrote:
You may have read LotR's, but I don't think you understood Tolkien if you are questioning the intrinsic value of fiction. A stronger defender of stories for their own sake that inspires humans you could not find.
On Faeries Stories and the Monster and the Critics are two good essays by Tolkien on the value of fantasy and fiction.
definitly gonna re-read some of tolkeins books
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Those two essays of his are amongst his most famous; they should be available online through a simple Google search.
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On September 29 2013 01:43 Smurfett3 wrote:But now, I fail to grasp the intrinsic value of fiction books.
Maybe there isn't one. So what?
On September 29 2013 01:43 Smurfett3 wrote:So, why do you guys read fiction over non-fiction and what do you feel you get out of it that you might not get from reading the other category?
I usually enjoy reading fiction more than reading non-fiction. If I didn't, I'd read non-fiction instead.
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no history book will ever give you insights into the inner conflicts of characters, their emotional struggels and all that.
apart from that, fiction can simply entertain you and make you a happier balanced human being 
If all life was just about learning and working we'd just be bees or ants...
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I don't quite understand what you mean by non-fiction. The way your original OP was written it banned more than a few books that are more than just worth to 'read', even though they are 'fictional'. What you meant by non-fiction was obviously some sort of scientific (historical) view on several topics, yet you get a skewed impression out of them.
There's a wide range of 'classical' literature per country which tells you a lot of made-up stories. Take for example the German novel 'Effi Briest'. This novel is shit. It does not entertain at all if you're not some sort of 16 year old girl. Yet, it tells you a lot of how society and the class system worked, a lot more than you could read in the 'non-fiction' area. Same goes for almost all pieces of fiction, regardless which topic you'll look at. It might play in a distant future, or a fantasy world. It tells you a lot about the culture, the belief system, the hopes and so on and so forth. This is real context. Granted, there's a whole range of trash literature which only exists to switch off for a few hours. It's only normal that you find this kind of easy-written fictional stuff quite boring once you grew older. I remember reading a lot fantasy novels, which I know frown upon, because it's actually THAT bad. Some of Star Wars fiction included (not all, I love the franchise, but that's not the point). Then again, some of the fiction reflects more - take Frankenstein, Otherland, Roadside Picnic (? not sure about the translation), 1984 - all of them are arbitrary examples of great stuff with a lot of subtile messages or great ideas which inspired a lot of people.
I'll give you that a bunch of books might be entertaining, even though they count as non-fictional, I definitely remember some giant summary of how science itself evolved, another example might be Machiavelli. Anyhow, keep in mind that history changes. A lot more than you might think. Compare German historical texts from 1890, 1920, 1940, 1960 and today. Nevermind.
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EPT
