Just avoiding the subject here.

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um, a dumb question here but i gotta ask it - can you tell me why fiction [but not non-fiction] is better to help critical thinking/emotional intelligence?

The article I read said it had to do with fiction using a lot of exposition, such as describing characters' reactions to convey their emotions, rather than just stating what the emotion is. Nonfiction doesn't usually delve into that (unless the subject is psychology or some sub field thereof).

Admittedly not all fiction uses extensive exposition, but fiction writers are taught to use exposition, so it tends manifest a lot in fiction.

The article was from years ago, otherwise I'd link it. The advice to fiction writers is from my years at writer's group

As for critical thinking, most fictions' moral of the story sort of thing is exposed via character experience. In non fiction you usually get an editorial option telling you what to believe instead of deciphering it yourself from the characters' experiences.

Again these are generalizations, but this is why I made this statement. Sometimes non fiction can fill this role, it just seems less frequent. And not all fiction is well written, so some may be less useful for these purposes as well.

Edited for typos

thank you
mebbe the reason my social muscles are beyond flabby, is due to the fact that i have the typical aspie male reluctance to read fiction.

Fair enough

I am a total book whore so I'll read anything I can get my hands on, regardless of genre.

The libraries closing due to the virus has been torture for me

And I think I've mentioned missing the library twice in this same thread now.... so I apologize for that!

Hopefully we are at least entertaining cberg to a small extent

i hope so too. part of the reason i can't get into fiction is i believe it to be too time-intensive for me [very slow and dodgy reading comprehension], also eyesight and frontal lobe attentional issues.

Hmmm, if you wanted to try it, there is a genre called "flash fiction" for super short stories.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_fiction

i remember in the guinness book of world records [or was it "ripley's believe it or not"?], there was an entry for the shortest book ever written, in two chapters. chapter 1- "coughin.'"; chapter 2- "coffin."

Ha, I like that.

I tried to google that book, but I couldn't find it.....

Cberg: how is your special lady friend doing?

Hopefully alright last I checked but like I said, I'm not in her life much these days. You could say I needed too much space to read lately. FWIW I have some sci-fi & historical fiction to catch up on eventually.

I miss our library cafe over here.

A library cafe sounds really nice. I dont think I've ever been to a library with a cafe.

I practically lived there for ages when I was studying to get into what I do now. I kind of feel like my need for solitude overrode all others & I'm just trying to make space in my mind for more people again now. Finding time to dedicate to a book, let alone anyone else has been hard since I've felt as much or more "shut down" as anybody here lately.

It helps me to compartmentalize my time.... I will say, every night after work is my down time.....but Friday after work I will ask a friend to hang out or I'll go out by myself and try to make one new friend.

If it doesn't work, at least I tried; I spent the social energy. And then i get to look forward to my downtime again

It's tough, I'm not trying to downplay it. Just trying to make it somewhat manageable...

Edit: I know with the pandemic this isn't super feasible (depending on where your city is at) but you could text or call a friend or family member once a week.... just something small to keep you connected....

I suppose I'm a bit caught up just staying sane enough to get some work done. I've kind of compartmentalized myself into that corner.

I've kind of dropped off even texting too much. Same goes for getting in touch with anyone at all usually.

There's a substantial part of my brain that's always screaming at me not to do that.

Ultimately I'm way too used to being alone & I need to address that with some people who understand me sometime. I'm not holding my breath anymore though.

Hi. For what it's worth, I'm looking out the window in your general direction. I mean that in a nice way, although I suppose most people would find it creepy. Ah, well.

It's cloudy.

It's more that this modern definition of what's creepy in & of itself creeps me out. Not once in my life did I actually harbor creepy intentions, though I've been all too frequently viewed that way.


...So I'm writing about miscommunication somewhere people understand that at the very least.

It rained all day & I slacked off from reality. To be realistic, I needed to just fuarking relax already & that takes time for me. I shouldn't even spend this much time on a laptop ~