Reading Fiction Makes You A More Empathetic Person

[Sukerkin]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9532000/9532475.stm

A most intriguing study on the positive benefits of reading, particularly fiction. It seems that such a passion allows you to become more understanding of the actions and motivations of others. This is something I have long suspected {being a long-term book-worm }.

 

[granfire]

Is that the reason why so meany people are jerks? They don't read enough?

 

[Big Don]

I read a ton of fiction. Empathetic? Me? hahahaha, NO

 

[Omar B]

That study's all BS. Really, understand other people more, through reading about a dramatic recreation of a person. No. It's like learning in a vacuum.

 

[granfire]

I read a ton of fiction. Empathetic? Me? hahahaha, NO

That study's all BS. Really, understand other people more, through reading about a dramatic recreation of a person. No. It's like learning in a vacuum.

You are a bunch a mushes, just don't want to say it

 

[Omar B]

I ate a cat once, I'm just that brutal. Oh did the animal protest.

 

[Jenna]

After reading a bunch of Iain M Banks I do at least feel equipped to empathise with those existing in a time and place many light years and aeons from now

 

[granfire]

I ate a cat once, I'm just that brutal. Oh did the animal protest.

Me thinks thou protest too much....

 

[Omar B]

Well look at the bastard!

 

[granfire]

upset stomach....

 

[Big Don]

My idea of empathy is saying: "I'd love to see things from your point of view, but, I can't get my head that far up my ***."

 

[Touch Of Death]

I read a ton of fiction. Empathetic? Me? hahahaha, NO

I can't argue that. LOL

 

[granfire]

My idea of empathy is saying: "I'd love to see things from your point of view, but, I can't get my head that far up my ***."

Right.
(I am pretty sure I can find posts where you toughman fasade is crumbling......but I am not so mean as to destroy your image...)

 

[MA-Caver]

Is that the reason why so meany people are jerks? They don't read enough?

Could be... doesn't have to be fiction either just the fact that they can't read beyond street-signs and fast food menus.
I spent 5 days without my computer (yeah, ohh that's where he's been) and grabbed a couple of books from the library. 1 Michael Crichton and 1 Dan Brown. Pretty heady stuff from either of them... but I'm glad to be able to read and enjoy them and have the comprehension (at least with Brown... Crichton is awfully technical but I was able to grasp at least 80% of it) to appreciate the story as it was meant to be read.

Empathy... not quite the same as sympathy to be sure yet easily mis-labeled.
: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; which to me means I've been there but am not directly involved.
Whereas Sympathy: a : an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other As to mean I sympathize with your pain because I'm feeling it too for the same reason.

I can see how a book fiction or non can help give a reader a sense of whatever the author is trying to convey via their characters or persons they're writing about. We can read the letters from war veterans (Civil War, WWI or II, et al) and get an idea of what they're going through without having directly experience it ourselves or understand the loneliness, isolation of a fictional character such as Harry Potter ... the better written the prose the better sense of empathy the reader can have when we meet someone (real) going through the same thing without having to sit and listen to their whole life's story.
Still, a person chooses how they want to feel about anything... real or fictional.

 

[Buka]

I ate a cat once, I'm just that brutal. Oh did the animal protest.

That was really funny! I darn near fell down.