My uncle has the opinion that reading fiction is a waste of valuable time. Time that could be better put to use learning something new, fixing a problem, or reading some history. In some ways, he's right. A fictional piece of literature is one that could have little to no relevance to reality. It could be anything from a retelling of some historical event to change the future, to knights saving princesses, to poetry that makes no sense at all. On the other hand, there's my opinion.
My rebuttal to him was simply, "Sometimes you can better digest information if it's not so formally put before you. Like if a character in a story is learning how to plow a field, you might be able to grasp the 'How To' better than if it was spelled out as 'Steps 1, 2, & 3' in a textbook." He simply nodded at that. Not agreeing that I was totally right, just simply agreeing with my point. Which is as far as either of us goes in these "intellectual discussions". I call it all great sport, he does it because he seems to have a drive to correct people if he sees them in the wrong.
But the more I thought about it, the more reasons I came up with in support of my opinion. Why do people write fiction? To have their voice heard, because they have a good imagination, or perhaps because they are inspired to tell the world something. Never thought of that last one? I'll use my own current reading as an example of what I mean. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness, the third book of the "Chaos Walking" trilogy. The story line is simply- so I don't spoil anything and/or turn this post into a book report- about a boy who meets a girl, they spend the first book running away from an army, the second book getting ready for war, and the third book trying to sort out exactly who is who in this war before the whole planet plunges itself into chaos. While this is all thrilling and fills your mind with wonder, you walk away with something. What do you remember about the books you've read? The characters, for sure, and the story. But there's also something else, something perhaps not written, that you walk away with. Whether it's a biography, a legend, or a totally made-up story, you come away with a sense of the author's point. My English teachers always tried to make me understand this, but I never quite got what they meant until now. The values and morals of the characters, as well as the author's, are echoed throughout the book. You pick up on them, perhaps without even thinking.
I'll use an example of the classic "knight saves princess from the dragon" story. The dragon steals the princess from her kingdom, planning to eat her at his cave. The knight hears of this outrage and, fitted for battle, races away on his noble steed to kill the dragon. He meets the dragon at it's cave, slays it, and saves the princess from certain death in the belly of the beast. They fall in love and get married soon after. What have we taken from this story? Beyond the simple "dragons are evil, knights are good". Death is frightening and something you want to avoid, kidnapping someone is wrong and unwanted, and when a person is in trouble you must do everything in your power to save them- this includes killing another living being. Also, people form bonds faster and stronger during times of strife then they might during every day routines. Ever think about that?

So, ending what I think is one of my most interesting posts to date, what is your opinion? Are tales of fiction wastes of time that could be better put toward ways to better our lives? Or days well spent learning lessons on humanity?

WHAT?!?!

OMG- there are so many novels I have read steeped in thought provoking philosophy, history, psychology, sociology ect!!! I'm shocked. Truly shocked and lost for words. Sure fiction isn't necessarily all the above, god know I love a bit of twilight *waves team Jacob flag* but hey that doesn't really matter. How I want to waste my time is entirely up to me and to be honest your Uncle probably indulges in interests that are probably also perceived as time wasting. Watching sport for example, that's pointless! What is the point of watching overpaid idiots run up and down a patch of grass catching and throwing objects! How is that beneficially? But still millions of people watch it. Why? Because they enjoy it. If an activity is enjoyable then it is not a waste of time. Being happy and doing things that make you happy are worthwhile.... (unless its ethically wrong like murder or hitting puppies in which case its bad, very bad).

A lot of things you do could be put to better use to "progress your life skills". Yet we do them anyway. If you want to read a fiction novel, go ahead. If you want to sit online for a couple hours, go ahead. I don't think it matters, and if we enjoy doing it, it's not a waste of time, is it? Happiness is never a waste of time.

As an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction, I say it's not a waste of time but an escape from the depressing and the routine of life. It expands the imagination, and allows us to embrace traits from characters we wish we could be.

Sometimes history is more exciting in a fictional sense. When I was a kid, I watched Brandon Fraiser in The Mummy. After watching I wanted to know more about Ancient Egypt, so I found text books and guides about the culture. I can semi-fluently read hieroglyphs. And none of that knowledge would have been found if I hadn't watched a fictional movie. Which is essentially the same as reading fiction anyways.

I've only read the first sentence of your post.

Your uncle is a dick and he can shove his words back down his throat, as readers don't want them. Problem solved.

I've got only one thing to say about this: The Bible never hurt anyone. And it's half fiction (to some, others not), half historical document.

There are a lot of fictional stories that have made HUGE impacts on societies.
Fiction has been told for years, and can be used to teach useful, life situations...
Fables, for example, are always fiction, yet they teach moral standpoints and cultural beliefs and customs for younger children.

You can definitely learn from fiction. It's a poor argument to call it a waste simply because "you can't learn from it".

Many scholars actually study pieces of fiction to get a better understanding of literature and imagination. "Lord of the Flies" for example, read by scholars and students for years, and is still being studied today. A book about a bunch of boys trapped on an island that start killing each other? Has nothing to do with the time era, nothing to do with technical skills, or really moral standpoints either... Why would they study it if they felt that it wasn't important?

Edgar Allen Poe's work also opened up doors for psychologists to discover new mental conditions and states of mental health. Not only that, but it helped for horror directors to learn what techniques to use to create horrific images and scenery. Without that, those poor directors would never make enough money to eat. Fiction helps us a lot, in more ways than not.

While, I'm not saying that non fiction is bad, or not useful, no. But I could never say that fiction is a waste of time.

Has anyone mentioned escapism yet? I think that without my love for long books in my freshman year of high school, I probably would have gotten really depressed. Sometimes a novel is the best, even the only, way to get away from your own life for a couple of hours. It lets you just zone out and forget your own worries. :)

Other than that, what you guys have said about morality questions in books is so true. Quite often a novel will make me wonder what was going through the author's head, why they wrote that. You can gain so much from just realising the motivation for a novel. It makes you think that "ok, this person has written a book about bullying (for use of a cliche example) so obviously, bullying is a problem." And then you start to think about times when you've been in a situation similar to that in the story, and you wonder how else you could have acted then. A novel can make a huge difference in things like that. Even questions you'd never really thought of before can be answered in a novel.

Reading is NEVER a waste of time.
Even fiction or children's books. Reading expands your vocabulary and helps grammar, as well as gives you other ways to express yourself using language.
Plus, it's a great way to spend time that isn't connected to other people. Most things we do in today's society, even sitting alone in a room on a computer or texting on your phone--you're usually still communicating with other people, and sometimes it's nice to just take a break from that. Similar to what Pweep said but 'happiness isn't a waste of time. Isn't it the point of life?'

Originally Posted by una

Watching sport for example, that's pointless! What is the point of watching overpaid idiots run up and down a patch of grass catching and throwing objects! How is that beneficially? But still millions of people watch it.

Love your point. Love your quote even better- it's totally going into my signature. XD

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Originally Posted by PWEEP

Happiness is never a waste of time.

Entirely agreed.

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Originally Posted by Codette

When I was a kid, I watched Brandon Fraiser in The Mummy. After watching I wanted to know more about Ancient Egypt, so I found text books and guides about the culture. I can semi-fluently read hieroglyphs.

Nice! I liked dragons a lot and got into the Dragonology books. As a result, I can semi-fluently read and write Anglo Saxon runes.

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Originally Posted by Projectwolfie

I've got only one thing to say about this: The Bible never hurt anyone. And it's half fiction (to some, others not), half historical document.

Something to think about. Even for those that say it's all true, the parables are fiction- that can't be argued.

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Originally Posted by LillianFaye

You can definitely learn from fiction. It's a poor argument to call it a waste simply because "you can't learn from it".

I love your whole response, thanks for looking at my post! =^_^=

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Originally Posted by Carzeebear

And then you start to think about times when you've been in a situation similar to that in the story, and you wonder how else you could have acted then. A novel can make a huge difference in things like that. Even questions you'd never really thought of before can be answered in a novel.

One of the best things about fiction, in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by monstahh`

Most things we do in today's society, even sitting alone in a room on a computer or texting on your phone--you're usually still communicating with other people, and sometimes it's nice to just take a break from that. Similar to what Pweep said but 'happiness isn't a waste of time. Isn't it the point of life?'

Very very true. I never thought about that.

It is a waste of time in the sense that it's not productive but either is sitting and watching TV or being online doing nothing productive. It's fun and gives me a chance to see things in a way that I might not have thought of otherwise. I'm imaginative and like things that stretch reality.

I hate technical reading. It's just so boring so I much rather just "waste" time reading fiction.

I don't know why your uncle thinks it's a waste of time, I surely don't think it is. If I didn't like reading fiction I probably would not have been able to learn how to push myself in writing better or be able to go as far as I have. Heck I probably wouldn't have lasted as long if I didn't have anything to read besides history books and whatnot.

I feel that fiction novels (as others have said) present a wonderful way to temporarily escape the stresses of the day. The same can also be said, however, for non-fiction novels depending on the person reading. More importantly, I think that a good fictional story helps further develop the creativity of an individual. Facts that have been written down, I feel, do not challenge the reader's creative mind as much. Non-fiction is usually more easily related to life experiences and things that one has personally seen, heard, etc. A fiction, on the other hand, is generally more capable of presenting an image of something to your mind that is not so easily related to anything you've ever seen before. It challenges your mind to broaden your perceptions of the world around you to create an image that corresponds to a text description.

I could be wrong. Just my opinion, though.

Reading fiction can increase your vocabulary, and your critical thinking skills as you try to guess what's going to happen next. It can also lead to all kinds of creativity, like thinking about what the characters would do in different situations, drawing art, etc.! I'd say that anything that gets one's brain working cannot be a waste of time. And it's true, fiction is a great and safe way to escape from everyday life. If it gives enjoyment, it's certainly not hurting anything!

Actually reading fiction has been proven to raise your IQ as well as helping you understand abstract concepts.

Your uncle sounds like a bit of a curmudgeon. lol.

Just because a novel is fiction rather then non-fiction doesn't mean you aren't learning from it. I will be the first person my entire life who will advocate for putting down the TV remote and picking up a book. What you gain from a book, even fiction, is knowledge both on the topics a character goes through but also one of a imaginative and vocabulary type. I've read 9-10 books a week for as long as I can remember and because of it my vocabulary and understanding of words is without compare to 90% of the people I've met.

Reading also stimulates the brain to think. Imagination is an extremely powerful tool, not just in storytelling but in all aspects of life. Those with the ability to think outside the box tend to go further in life then those who are simple minded and only focus on the facts in front of them. Reading helps strengthen this. Reading, even fiction novels, is NOT a waist of time.

I am taking Children's Literature this term and fiction is very valuable for children and adults alike. There's a quote by Albert Einstein in which he tells a mom who wanted her son to grow up to be smart like him and he told her to read the child fairy tales. I'm sorry but fiction helps with logic, imagination, and creativity. If fiction is such a waste how come Winnie the Pooh, Aslan, Harry Potter, and The Mad Hatter are so beloved in western culture? Just now in the new fall Tv season we have TWO prime time shows based on fairytale lore. Now to back your uncle up too much of anything is bad. Just like its bad to read and watch the news 24/7 it's equally bad to read fiction all the time. Even non-fiction has its pros and sometimes are better. It's how you balance things out that makes it beneficial I think.

I find reading fiction fun. Because it is more deep and has limitless possibilities on what it can be. I find it not a waste of time because every single fiction book I've read never failed me to keep me in suspense and made me read it more so I can uncover the whole story and it's mysteries. It also sharpens my own imagination and makes it work even better. Aside from that it's the fiction that can teach us more values and provoke thoughts, ideas, philosophies, and the like. It is more readable compared to the non-fiction ones which includes biographies and history books. We should also take note that more of us youth prefer to read fiction stories specially about love.

Indeed fiction is far from reality, fiction is just based from one's imaginations and fantasies. But take note what Einstein once said, " Reality is yet another fantasy, albeit a persistent one". Reality does not exist, rather than it's only an abstract concept of a man. Reality can differ from person to person. To a rich man, reality to him can be full of riches and pleasure. To a poor man, reality to him can be a cruel battlefield for hunger. I was trying to point out that there is nothing wrong with reading fiction, as long as it's worth the time for reading it.

Originally Posted by sarofset

Actually reading fiction has been proven to raise your IQ as well as helping you understand abstract concepts.

Your uncle sounds like a bit of a curmudgeon. lol.

Ooo, I didn't know that! Curmudgeon?? *Looks word up* Ah. Well he IS 50... XD

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Originally Posted by missdark

I am taking Children's Literature this term and fiction is very valuable for children and adults alike. There's a quote by Albert Einstein in which he tells a mom who wanted her son to grow up to be smart like him and he told her to read the child fairy tales. I'm sorry but fiction helps with logic, imagination, and creativity. If fiction is such a waste how come Winnie the Pooh, Aslan, Harry Potter, and The Mad Hatter are so beloved in western culture? Just now in the new fall Tv season we have TWO prime time shows based on fairytale lore. Now to back your uncle up too much of anything is bad. Just like its bad to read and watch the news 24/7 it's equally bad to read fiction all the time. Even non-fiction has its pros and sometimes are better. It's how you balance things out that makes it beneficial I think.

I agree. He seems to always be watching the news, and it's seemed to have made him more cynical and skeptical of everything.

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Originally Posted by Draken_Lord

Indeed fiction is far from reality, fiction is just based from one's imaginations and fantasies. But take note what Einstein once said, " Reality is yet another fantasy, albeit a persistent one". Reality does not exist, rather than it's only an abstract concept of a man. Reality can differ from person to person. To a rich man, reality to him can be full of riches and pleasure. To a poor man, reality to him can be a cruel battlefield for hunger. I was trying to point out that there is nothing wrong with reading fiction, as long as it's worth the time for reading it.

I never thought of it that way, but you're right. Like in religion, people have their own versions of reality as well- and fight hard to make everyone see that their reality is the only one.

Sure, it's a waste of time -- in the same way that children learning their colors and shapes is. Reading fiction helps us learn to express ourselves, and reading about these fictional characters and their situations helps us learn and maintain valuable problem-solving skills as kids AND adults. All that, AND it's enjoyable? Yeah, sounds like a waste of time to me. :-P

Not a waste.

Next time he says it is....does he watch tv? Tell him that anything other than TLC and the History Channel and Discovery Channel is a big waste of time then.

We can learn morals and other things as little children (and as we get older) from stories. Hansel and Gretel? And other folklore do have lessons behind them. As we get older, those stories need to become more elaborate to keep our attention for those who still read. The novel came to existence.

And reading doesn't always have to be for growth, long as you reached your goal in reading-being entertained...or having your mind expanded....then it was not a waste of time in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Kika988

Sure, it's a waste of time -- in the same way that children learning their colors and shapes is. Reading fiction helps us learn to express ourselves, and reading about these fictional characters and their situations helps us learn and maintain valuable problem-solving skills as kids AND adults. All that, AND it's enjoyable? Yeah, sounds like a waste of time to me. :-P

Love it. XD