The perks of being a fiction fanatic
Is fiction really worth it?
The air in the coffee shop was thick with the aroma of roasted beans and the hushed murmur of conversation. I was nestled in a corner, lost in the world of "A Flicker in the Dark," the suspenseful prose pulling me deeper into the story of a cunning serial killer.
Then, a voice, smooth and confident, broke through my reading haze. "I like a woman who reads." I looked up, startled, to see a man standing behind me. He was handsome, with a kind of rugged charm. My cheeks flushed as I stammered, "Well, um, thanks? I guess?"
"What are you reading?" he asked, leaning closer.
"A Flicker in the Dark," I replied, trying to regain my composure.
"Is it about finding hope in a dark place?" he asked, a knowing smile on his face.
"That's a good guess," I laughed, "but actually, it's about a serial killer."
Suddenly, the smile vanished from his face. "A fiction?" he asked, his voice flat.
I nodded, wondering why his tone had changed so drastically.
"Well, that's a disappointment," he said, his eyes narrowing. "You could read other, more helpful books, rather than wasting your time on this."
I stared at him, dumbfounded. His abrupt dismissal of my choice felt like a punch to the gut. It was the same tired, condescending attitude I'd encountered countless times in this self-proclaimed "readers' society" – a society where some books are deemed "superior" and others relegated to the trash heap.
But this time, something shifted. It wasn't just the arrogance in his words, it was the way his demeanor had become almost unappealing. His handsome features suddenly seemed shallow, his confidence hollow. It was as if his judgment had stripped him of his charm.
This sort of interaction, unfortunately, wasn't unusual. I'd encountered this disdain for fiction, this self-appointed gatekeeping of literature, more than once. But this time, it had sparked a fire within me. Not the kind that burns down a library, mind you, but the kind that ignites a passionate defense of all things fictional. I almost felt like grabbing a stack of novels, climbing to the highest hill, and channeling my inner bookworm – you know, the kind of monk who meditates on plot twists and sips chamomile tea between chapters.
I couldn't let him get away with dismissing my love for fiction. Fiction, after all, is more than just entertainment. It's a portal to empathy, a doorway to expanded understanding. Studies have shown that compared to non-fiction and even no reading at all, fiction leads to small, but significant, statistical improvements in social cognitive performance. It helps us reduce prejudice and bias, putting ourselves in others' shoes and fostering compassion.
Fiction, too, is a profound intellectual workout. When we delve into the pages of a novel, our brains light up like a Christmas tree. MRI scans reveal increased connectivity in areas responsible for language, perspective-taking, story comprehension, and more. If the man in the coffee shop had been a regular reader of fiction, he might have understood that different people have different tastes and that judgment doesn't belong in a book lover's world. If you find yourself dismissing fiction, I encourage you to visit a bookstore or library and pick up five fiction novels back to back. Science says it's good for your brain.
But the benefits of fiction extend far beyond intellectual stimulation. Reading fiction, even for just six minutes, has been shown to reduce stress by 60%, slow our heart rate, ease muscle tension, and alter our state of mind. Reading fiction before bed can improve sleep quality, and it can also sharpen our focus and concentration.
Fiction is not about "wasting time." It's about enriching our lives, expanding our minds, and fostering our connection to the world and to ourselves. So, to those who dismiss fiction, I say, don't underestimate its power. Pick up a book, open your mind, and embrace the journey. You might just find yourself surprised by the journey and the person you become along the way.
And of course entertainment.
Some articles you can reference:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/5070874/Reading-can-help-reduce-stress.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29481102
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10400410802633392
