Why do all the online book communities like /lit/ only read fiction?

>>9373724
Reality sucks. Why do you. Think you're reading books in the first place.

>>9373724
>Why do all the online book communities like /lit/ only read fiction?
You're wrong. Now fuck off

>>>/r9k/

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>>9373729

I read mostly non-fiction so that I can apply what I learn directly into my life to make it less shitty. Why do people here waste hours of their time trying to piece together what some old Greek man meant by "existance"? How does that enhance their life more than learning about ways to improve their communication skills or cooking?

>>9373749
Life would be very awful if we couldn't ponder over ideas more transcendental than what we're going to eat today.

>>9373749
Non-fiction answers questions. Fiction teaches you what to ask.

>>9373724
Because we want the art that books contain, not the books themselves.

>economics, business
>>>/biz/
>history
>>>/his/
>technology
>>>/g/
Also, who gives a fuck about business and technology when you have philosophy? Maybe you'd need some knowledge of economy if you are applying your philosophy to a state but that's it. The rest is just ephemeral money-making wankery.

>>9373749
Do you also only watch documentaries and consider other films a waste of time?

>>9374029

Yes. Why waste time pondering how things might be instead of how they truly are?

>>9374032
I read fiction just because I find it to be fun and a way to relax. But it's not for everybody I guess. If you ever read a novel Anon I would highly recommend Hard Times. Something tells me you would really really really really like it

>>9373724
It's not a book community it's a literature community

>>9373724

>like /lit/
>only read fiction

/lit/ is too non-fiction centric, the philosophy and religion posters really need to move to /his/ because that's what /his/ was made for.

For a site like goodreads, why would anyone care about your opinion of non-fiction?

>guy gives 5 stars to The God Delusion
guess he's an atheist
>guy gives 1 star to The God Delusion
guess he's a theist

I know I'm using a popular, polarizing example, but my point is that non-fiction basically amounts to "did you agree with what was said or not." It's not a matter of taste, unlike fiction.

The only form of non-fiction that is a matter of taste is the autobiography and that's because a) it reads like a narrative and b) nobody tells the whole truth when writing them.

>>9374032

>documentary films
>portraying the "truth"

wew lad, any professor in film 101 will tell you that documentaries aren't about the "truth"

>>9373749
I've never been able to learn much from technical books, anyway.

At least literature is fun.

>>9373724
Because alot of non-fiction books that people read are in various subjects that only appeal to certain people. For example I read books about computers and networking. Now people who are not interested in that are obviously not going to read it, but they may read various history books which I don't normally read. So it's harder to get a discussion going. With fiction the stories are all made to appeal to as many people as possible instead of just a direct group.

And similarly they read the books that most others are talking about, which leads to more discussion and more attention being put on certain books.

>>9374047
>Hard Times.

Actually I wrote my AP English exam essay on that book because it was the most interesting of the Dickens choices given. I should reread it.

>>9373724
I only read non-fiction. I wish I had more time for fiction, but school has gotten in the way. Hopefully I will be able to read some stuff this summer.

>>9374103
>Talking about your AP English Exam on /lit/
>Being this much of a pseud

>>9373749
>I can apply what I learn directly into my life to make it less shitty
This is why I read the "old Greeks"

>>9374073
>non-fiction basically amounts to "did you agree with what was said or not."
Sure some people read it like that, but reading it properly is evaluating the argument and synthesizing it into your own world view, and this actually requires analysis. If you do it like you think, then you are doing it wrong.

>>9374076
>With fiction the stories are all made to appeal to as many people as possible instead of just a direct group.
Again, I think a fundamental misunderstanding of the fiction/non-fiction dichotomy.
>>9374075
I find lots of non-fiction fun. The only fiction I enjoy are those that employ a lot of philosophical or aesthetic discussion - otherwise, I find nothing to keep my mind engaged.

Your perception on literature is very shallow. And you contradict yourself.

If you're reading nonfic it's likely you're just reading watered down pop garbage that fools you into thinking you learned anything. Knowledge doesn't concern you, just the feeling of knowledge.

>>9374342

>t. pseud

indubitably

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>>9373749
I've found more aplications in real life with non-fiction but i would like to know what can be useful as well with fiction in daily life

>>9373749
>How does that enhance their life more than learning about ways to improve their communication skills or cooking?

And how does learning to cook make you live your life longer and healthier than merely cooking up boring healthy meals?

I try to keep a good mix of fiction/nonfiction.

I just finished reading The Filter Bubble, it was pretty decent, but just reiterated a lot of stuff I already knew about what is going on with google and facebook.

I just listened to Blood Oil, it was quite eye-opening, but it gets pretty throw-away when he starts talking about policy stuff. There are some interesting ideas, but none of it would ever get implemented.

One of my favorite nonfiction books is The digital person, about how we throw away our privacy, and what companies are doing with that information. It's a rather old book, older than The Filter bubble, but it has some really great insights into privacy.

Currently listening to Dark Territory, it's pretty insightful into the rise of cybersecurity, but it isn't quite as good as @war so far.

this entire thread is spooky

>not reading a healthy mix of literature, philosophy, theory, poetry, art criticism, and nonfiction (only from academic publishers, no popsci shit and especially no self help)