Quote:
Originally Posted by MrDoug
How can anyone be so naive to be able to read a fiction book?
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Enjoying fiction has nothing to do with naivete or credulity but a lot to do with the ability to empathize and immerse oneself in contemplative thought. It exercises regions of the brain that otherwise would degade and atrophy.
Books beat real life.
It's a crappy world to start with and muddy-thinking hordes driven by magical thinking doesn't help any. Fiction at least has the virtue of being self-consistent and accessible, neither of which applies online or offline.
Plus, any psychopaths you run into in fiction can't actually harm anybody.
Now, if you are seriously interested in the roots of irrationality around us, I would suggest a couple of non-fiction titles:
Desmond Morris' THE HUMAN ZOO
Carl Sagan's THE DEMON HAUNTED WORLD
Or, if you want to read real-life examples of the sterling mettle of a typical contemporary Homo sapiens, visit the following (non-fiction) web site:
http://www.darwinawards.com/
You could, of course, just turn on your TV and watch CSPAN's politicians in their natural habitat but that is a fate I woud not wish on anybody short of a politician.
Fiction is the world of ideas; it is in general a kinder and saner place to visit than the cesspool of reality. A nice place to retreat and recharge one's metaphorical batteries before returning to the front lines of reality.