Are Non-Fiction readers even human.

Simply patrician.

>>8494597
>Reads plenty of instructional textbooks
>no qt
>no friends
>Browse 4tran
>Definitely not human

Non fiction is the gluten free of literature.

those who read specialist texts? yes. those who read popular books? no

>>8495816
What if you are just interested in history but not on an academic level?

>>8494597
Yeah honestly, fiction is such a bore to me. Very rarely do I bother with fiction, as i'm more interested in the history of economics and critical theory. Scientific texts are nice as well.

>>8494597

It takes a lot for fiction to really grab me these days.

>>8495872
then you're not human. you become subhuman if you are interested in history that isn't about armies, politics, religion, colonialism (unless it is post-), or the whole 19th century.

i don't make the rules

Most of the books I read are non-fiction. Fiction is just too...wishy washy to be honest. Everyone hates everything in fiction and there is so much hostility. I would rather spend my time actually learning about the world and being proud of what I've read than read some fantasy escapism.

I just finished reading a 300 page (large) textbook on entomology and before that 3 other science books. I read 400 textbook on tree biology for fun and out of sheer interest. I can say I'm proud of this. I wouldn't be proud of collecting some tacky fantasy.

>>8494597
t. subhuman that doesn't read non-fiction

>>8494597
I bet you if you make a poll, you're gonna discover serious non-fiction readers have a higher rate of success in jobs and life than fiction readers.
>>8496888
"People nowadays think that scientists exist to instruct them, poets, musicians, etc. to give them pleasure. The idea that these have something to teach them — that does not occur to them." Wittgenstein :^)

>>8495961
I agree, it's kinda sad really, I remember a time when I could immerse myself in fiction easily without it needing to have what I currently define as practical information

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>>8496901
The idea that it occured to them and was promptly dismissed - that did not occur to Wittgenstein.

>>8496901
A couple of years ago I just started thinking I only have one life, so I better try and understand most about the world in which I've woken up. That's all a person can do. I'll admit, I never used to read a lot, but now I actively like the idea of reading new books and "unlocking" more knowledge. I've read 4 large books in about 2 months which, for me, is a lot, and I'm going to continue this new era of learning.

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>>8496901
>serious non-fiction readers have a higher rate of success in jobs and life than fiction readers

>>8496920
Good post anon I agree. If it's good to be willfully ignorant but reading history makes me a subhuman I'd rather be a subhuman.

I just think non-fiction is more valuable than fiction. Non-fiction can tell you so much about the world, but what can fiction do, really? It's just escapism with a message underneath.

Hell, I'm writing a fiction story, but I don't think it's anything more than escapism.

>>8495872

I agree, well-formulated historical narrative has just as much value as quality fiction.

Can someone please explain what's wrong with esapism?

>>8497075
There's nothing WRONG with escapism, I just think it is what it is. I wouldn't be proud of having a bookshelf full of escapist fiction... What does that tell me about the world? How does it make me a better person? I would much, much rather have informative non-fiction works, be they discursive or purely mechanical and informative (like a textbook on a particular topic)

>>8494597
I wouldn't go that far but I understand what you're trying to express. There is certainly something missing -- maybe instead of humanity we could call it spirituality -- from the lives of these people. These are people who think bits of mostly unrelated trivia will in some significant way improve their lives, and, missing the point entirely, they believe fiction is impractical, no more than a form of escapism. These are simple people who in a significant way seem incomplete.

>>8497089
Oh good grief. Do you really think that fiction is valued more than non-fiction? Give me a list of reasons why fiction is greater in your opinion. I'm well prepared for some list of vague notions of being taught a life lesson and how it touched your soul.

You do realise that non-fiction doesn't equate to soulless information? There are plenty of discursive books that convey the wonder of nature, science, and whatever field you can think of. And the most important part is, non-fiction is actually real.

>>8497089
Do you realise how much you sound like a fluffy wooy nonsense college grad who wears a beret and smokes a pipe? Fuck off with your spiritually. Are you really saying that all non-fiction is devoid of meaning and emotion? Non-fiction deals with FACTS and real events, tells us about the world around us and is much more valuable and significant in our lives. For example, I would much rather read about biodiversity and be amazed at the wonders of nature than spend time reading some fantasy story.

>>8497097
There's certainly non-fiction worth reading, but I assumed OP was referring to people who, as a rule, only read non-fiction. Also, it should be noted that the best non-fiction tends read like a novel.

And fiction is realer than non-fiction.

>>8497128
But... how is fiction realer than non-fiction? Are you trying to grasp at the idea that sometimes fiction can tell the truth under the guise of make believe, that old thing? That's just an absurd statement. Fiction cannot be realer than non-fiction because by definition non-fiction deals with real events, concrete information and is inherently true.

>>8497112
"You disagree with me so you must be some outdated beatnik caricature!"

>>8497087
Fiction can tell you a lot about the world. It was written by people who live in the world, and often addresses real problems, using imagined scenarios as a way to explore and perhaps offer solutions to said problems. Non-fiction is more directly useful, and is often interesting, but can a textbook make someone comfortable with their mortality, can it make them more empathetic?

>>8497145
Facts and truth are not the same thing.

>>8496957
>Judging success by how good of a wage slave you are
>Being cucked this hard

>>8497145
Realer in the sense that it is better at expressing the truths that are realest to us, closest to our actual experiences. Fiction reveals truths about life and the human condition more efficiently than non-fiction. It's why ancient civilizations expressed their most important values through myths. It's why Nietzsche's most important work took the form of a novel. It's why today we read The Odyssey instead of Herodutus' Histories. Facts change by the decade. The human truths expressed in literature have remained a constant for millennia. Fiction is realer than non-fiction.

>>8497185
Treating Histories as non-fiction is generous.

>>8497170
"can a textbook make someone comfortable with their mortality"

To that I say, "Hell yes, it can." The more I read about our world and its complexities the more I'm in awe. I study ecology and biodiversity and my studies have taught me so much. Reading purely non-fiction has completely obliterated any sense of humanocentrism that I had and it feels great. I'm constantly in awe of the world now that I've shaken off the anesthetic of familiarity. That's just one example.

I'm not denying that fiction can be emotional, stirring and tell us a lot about life from perspectives unknown, but I just value non-fiction more.

>>8497191
Fair enough. Thanks for being so civil, bro. It's a rare thing here.

Are you studying ecology at school or independently?

>>8497185
Are you a grill

in non fiction there are facts; in fiction there is truth

>>8497199
I started independently when I was about 17-18, but now I'm 23 and starting a degree in the subject having just completed 2 years on a diploma in countryside management. I just feel in my core that I would rather spend my precious time reading about concrete and amazing facts about biology and well written memoirs from scientists and travelers than reading fiction. I understand what you're saying about the truths of fiction being timeless, but I feel like the FICTION part doesn't interest me. I would rather just cut right to the key meaning and message behind it all. For example, if I was to read some ecological book like Dune, for example, I would have to wade through superfluous characters, plot devices and whatever else the author throws at me until the overarching theme emerges. I don't know if I'm explaining it correctly.

Maybe I can clarify by saying I don't play games either. I'm not really a fiction sort of guy when it comes down to it. I bloody love films and music, don't get me wrong, but I when it comes to fiction books I don't really care too much. It's like, imagine there was some hippy book about deforestation and there are Navi-like characters involved. It would take the whole book to get to some ecological meaning which would most likely superficial. I would only be incited to say, "Oh no, the forest had been destroyed. I feel so terrible now." Whereas I could've spent my time reading actual facts about real deforestation.

I'm just rambling now, but it's fun.

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>>8497223
>I bloody love films

>>8497223
>I bloody love films and music, don't get me wrong, but I when it comes to fiction books I don't really care too much.

it just means you're a pleb who's never going to amount to anything in life beyond a mediocre wagekek job. whatever.

>>8497223
chill

Fiction is for children

>>8497230
>>8497229
And the discussion descends into pointless memery. Ugh. Do you even know what the fedora meme is anymore? Once upon a time it was used for pseudo-intellectuals. Now, apparently, if you like films (a random aside in my message, by the way) you're a fedora neckbeard?? Christ.

>>8497247
I like you.

>>8497230
>>8497229
Big tough 4chan guys over here. Really showed him with your stale memes.

>>8497223
I find it odd that you can enjoy fictional (?) film but can't say the same for books. In a well-written novel, characters and plot devices aren't superfluous appendages to the themes; they're indispensable. That is, the characters and action of the novel form the commentary on the theme; there is no theme without the fiction which surrounds and explains it. You already know and presumably care about deforestation. Some people don't know, or don't care, and couldn't be bothered to read non-fiction about it. That fiction book might move them to care, though. Also, a fictional book about deforestation would likely offer commentary beyond "the forest has been destroyed etc." Non-fiction doesn't have as much room for speculation, or for philosophy, which is valuable if you're trying to solve problems.

I am a girl and Iget really wet for non-fiction readers, even if I only read fiction.

>>8497255
It's simple, really. I never really said that I thought fiction was fundamentally wrong or pointless. It's just a matter of time spent over value gained here. I watch 2 hour films as escapism and nothing more, but I'm not really willing to spend a much larger amount of time on a book/book series for the purposes of escapism.

I do agree with you there, that fiction can act as a gateway into a serious problem. But in saying that you've sort of just conceded that fiction is the simpler, easier to digest option, whereas non-fiction is where the real matters are dealt with, if you see what I mean. The fiction might move them to care about biodiversity loss (or any other pressing issue), but it's the non-fiction that can inform you on a supremely deeper level. And because I already care about the subject, I stick with non-fiction to learn more about it rather than staying at the surface level provided by a little story.

Everything is fiction

>>8497269
3edgy5me, man. How did you become so enlightened, oh wise lord of all knowledge?

>>8497260
hey, keep us posted!

>>8494597
By being placental mammals who are also related to you

>>8494597

Are fiction readers?

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>>8497276

>>8497284
This made me laugh out loud (on /lit/ of all places). Love that juxtaposition of dialogue and the cartoon characters.

>>8497201
Yes. MtF. Why?

>>8497298
kys

Where's the guy that was responding to me with actual conversation instead of juvenile memery?

>>8497328
k y s

>>8497328
>guy
she a grill, man

>>8497311
Wow, didn't think /lit/ was transphobic.

>>8497344
>isnt a girl
>pretends to be a girl to attention whore on an anonymous north korean trick riding imageboard

kys

>>8497295
/lit/ sense of humor is really good if you manage to get past all the shitposting. Sadly it is rapidly diminishing with recurring shitty DFW threads and the underage pseudo-philosopher faggots

>>8495963
But those are objectively the least interesting aspects of history

>>8497382
What are the most interesting then?

>>8497405
history of literature

>>8497174
Are you agreeing or disagreeing with me my property?

>>8497298
classic

>>8496904
This is autistic and doesn't make you smart. You are human from a human culture, narrative has transformative power that isn't just from how many *facts* you acquire. The fact that you desire that even if subconsciously shows a problem-causing mindset.

>fiction and creative non-fiction not both being valuable as forms of literary art

If you wanna be a good writer you read both to improve. Creative non-fiction is a fucking thing, just like fictional prose but it really happened.

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>>8495803
What about people who read historical texts to fact check the catalogue of events written by the victors. Its non-fiction but history is robust with good prose.
>tfw when im trying to make myself believe this.

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>>8497039
what does it matter what it tells you about the world if you forget the boring ass text m8?

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>>8497097
But fiction can be grounded in the real. The imagination no matter how much you provledged academia cucks want to beleive not exist as a post-racial a historical place. You're saying that the imagination exists as a place of complete creative freedom not intertwined with our messy realities. The value of fiction is that its conviction lay in the subterfuge of its delivery of truths. Not its poignancy.

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>>8497170
>Facts and truth are not the same thing.
how many bowls did you smoke before logging on anon?

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>>8497260