Why read fiction?

By Kumar Vikrant

Reading for pleasure and entertainment has always been the go-to for a niche population. That may be particularly true in today's world, where a plethora of web series, television shows, movies, podcasts and music are available at the fingertips on YouTube and other streaming platforms. Although the global book market size in 2020 was estimated at $132.1 billion by a recent analysis, more individuals appear to be preferring non-fiction titles over fiction over the past few years.

In my estimation, individuals in the present times are getting lost in the tsunami of non-fiction titles being pumped out every month, showering us with bullet points on how to be happy, be better at the job, financial investments, business ventures, relationship advice and cooking tips. All those are well and good. I'm not trying to bring anyone down. However, the dramatic loss of an individual's capability to appreciate the beauty of literature and the muddling of art appreciation fueled by monotonous non-fiction works fills my heart with great sorrow and tragedy.

So, what is so magical about fiction? It's the reflection of our societal endeavors and the human condition. Fiction enables the reader to put themselves in the shoes of the characters. One has to think about why the character is doing what they are doing. It breeds empathy and boosts our imaginative capabilities. It's healthy for the soul. Immersing oneself in the world being depicted in front of them is one of the most pleasurable activities. People can say that fiction is a lie, a made-up wonderland. However, such comments come from a lack of experience in reading, critical thinking, and understanding since fiction is not a lie. The characters are sometimes even more human than in the real world. Even if magical realism is present in a given story, the motivations behind the characters' actions are all too human.

Good fiction, for example, works by Dostoyevsky, touch the human condition too profoundly. By reading such classic books, one can learn so much about the human psyche and societal behavior. Contemporary works of fiction such as “The Forever War” by Joe Haldeman, “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro, or “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, can also be enormously deep in revealing the human condition in all its glory, malevolence, darkness and beauty. Reading fiction also boosts creativity and opens our minds to see the world from various perspectives while providing valuable entertainment. Psychological research has also pointed towards the improved social-cognitive ability of individuals through reading fiction.

What's the final take? My recommendation is to practice a balance between fiction and non-fiction titles. Non-fiction works such as “Man's Search for Meaning,” “Sapiens” and “The Gulag Archipelago” should be a must-read for everyone to understand our shared past and human psychology in a general sense. Other non-fiction such as those dealing with philosophy can also serve a much sought-after understanding of our relationship with existence. Nevertheless, selecting and reading critical and enjoyable fiction titles should also be a crucial part of one's library and the reading endeavor. Let's not lose the beauty of literature and enjoy the art form to its fullest

Kumar Vikrant (kvikrant071@gmail.com; https://www.kumarvikrant.com/) is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.