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Comment by chimpanzee2 | Hacker News Reader

Interesting– Conversely, that is exactly how I feel about reading fiction.

To me, how can you possibly enjoy reading something some other person simply ... made up? Like an elaborate lie?

Contrarily, non-fiction tells it how it happened within the very reality I myself live in, subject to the same laws of nature and real psychology, and therefore, and only therefore, able to teach me something about real life on this earth.

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Both are valuable and present in a well rounded life. The Diary of Anne Frank and Those Who Leave Omelas cause you to question life in different ways.

Perhaps unrelated, but that reminds me of the inevitable avalanche of identical replies to every submission on aphantasia, all proclaiming that, no, they do indeed find it odd that there are people who can visualise internally.

Do you enjoy watching movies or series, reading comics? Going to the theatre (as in - not movies, but actual theatre)?

Edit: Do note that I wrote enjoy - I've certainly read my fair share of non-fiction. A classic Agatha Christy murder-mystery, while set in the real world, is anything but realistic.

> Do you enjoy watching movies or series, reading comics? Going to the theatre (as in - not movies, but actual theatre)?

I really for the most part do not. I've not even seen any of the big oscar winning pieces everyone keeps talking about.

As I said to another commentator on here as well:

Without any disdain, I cannot bring myself to watch hours of another person's fantasy, when I could instead be shaping my own reality.

but often the fantasy does help shape your reality and identity. an author finding a way to vocalize and make a concept or feeling tangible like its coming out of the mouth of someone that you can respect or despise with such strong emotion is extremely powerful. and sure you can get that from nonfiction (which i also do love some of the driest science texts lol) but there is something amazing about seeing how something could play out, or how it would be to experience this reality. maybe you just havent found what clicks for you yet or what perfectly speaks to you and maybe you never will, but its not worth writing it ALL off. for me at least it's the emotional resonance you can find with fiction that makes it all the more worth it. Do i agree with Char Aznable no, do i agree with Amuro Ray? yes. do i find merit and incompatibilities in both of their ideologies? yes. has it helped me see the kind of world that the creator wishes to envision and wants to make us question for ourselves? yes. its the connection. i just love it.

and dont write off comics either, there is some genuine phenomenally emotional works in that medium.

As long as you're so good at shaping reality, could you please do something about the fascist takeover of the US government?

I have no understanding of your viewpoint. I wish I did, it sounds interesting. I do like a Crafting Interpreters or Mythical Man Month...

But I don't understand how those could not only be held to the same level as The Hobbit, but that you seem incapable of even reading Animal Farm.

Do you enjoy any fictional media? TV, movies, plays, interactive murder mystery dinners, tabletop games (d&d, etc)?

> Do you enjoy any fictional media? TV, movies, plays, interactive murder mystery dinners, tabletop games (d&d, etc)?

Nope, I truly live under a rock when it comes to those.

I've been wanting to watch the big ones (Hobbit, LotR, ...), but – and I say this with no disdain:

I simply cannot get myself to consume hours upon hours of somebody else's fantasy – when I could instead be shaping my own reality.

This is fascinating. Do you enjoy music?

How about short jokes, or Unix fortune files?

"All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players;They have their exits and their entrances,And one man in his time plays many parts,His acts being seven ages."

— William Shakespeare, Fantasy Author

By "shaping my own reality" do you mean taking hallucinogenic drugs?

  "non-fiction tells it how it happened"

oh sweet summer child :)

>Contrarily, non-fiction tells it how it happened within the very reality I myself live in, subject to the same laws of nature and real psychology, and therefore, and only therefore, able to teach me something about real life on this earth.

This is me trying to pick up most bullshit written from humanities or arts; a 99% of it it's carefully crafted nonsense for ahem mainly emotionaly driven women and artsy people with very subjective opinions instead of accepting the reality as is.

Elaborated jokes OTOH can be trully clever and a good source of laughs and fun.

Also, Discworld from Pratchett, as they have obvious magical analogies to real life devices and scientific procedures.

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