About A Case For Fiction

Post 1556:

What is worthy of our time? Anything? Nothing? I’m going to state some obvious time-takers in order to get at the stuff that is more optional, and indeed, more controversial.

Being a non-psychopath, I’ll start with friends and family. A good life means caring and hopefully being cared about. There’s money. I’ve never considered myself a materialistic feller, but I’ve also been dead broke and desperate, so having enough to take care of yourself and others is fundamental. That means a job. Hopefully one that doesn’t kick you in the balls.

So after your people and your material welfare, there’s not a lot of time to spare. Only so many minutes to use on the extras. A lot of my friends travel. That’s good. Some get really into sports. I’m a fan of that. And literally a fan. Faith. Generally a good idea, unless it’s some Neo-Flimflam-Chanting-Creeper Cult, of course.

I’m pathetically trying to get to why I believe fiction can be a sane and worthy investment of your scarce time, and ironically I’m not being all that timely about it. So here goes.

Fiction in all its forms is completely unique in the way it helps you understand the world and yourself. I’ve never found anything that allows me to relate to different points of view and shed my preconceptions like a good story and good characters. In a worthy book, I can find myself completely sympathetic to the plight of a teenager or an old man or woman from the 12th century. It only takes a few minutes, a few pages or a few scenes, and all of a sudden you’re seeing things a different way. It’s a specific type of learning. You can learn all the facts in the world—that’s great—but there’s something about fiction that can shift your reality and level you up.

That’s why I spend so much time with this crap. I’m not, despite the sentiments of many of my contemporaries, a “complete and total nutbar.” It’s important to learn, and fiction is a great way to do it. Bonus. It’s also entertaining. Frigging awesome. The entertained are often the most entertaining, I’ve always said.

I haven't always said it, but I just made it up and it sounds fairly within the realm of pretty good b.s.

I could write for hours and do hundreds and thousands of words on this subject. Honestly, it’s important, because time is important, and the worst thing we can do is waste it. I know I’ve already wasted my share. But I’ve never gotten to the end of a good story and said, “Well, that made things worse.”

I have, however, gotten to the end of many a good burrito and said those very words.

But I will continue in fiction. And probably with burritos. I’m looking at a happy death, by all accounts. Cheers and see you after.