this is a stupid question, that's like saying watching movies is a waste of time. It's entertainment and a way to do something that brings you joy in your free time so obviously it's not a waste of your time unless you don't enjoy it.
@Connor Coulson I thought the same thing until I read night by Elie Wiesel in high school 🥺 reading has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions since then
Well... People addicted to something enjoy the thing they're addicted to :/ I mean there is nothing wrong about reading fantasy and fiction but if you read only those books then you may have a problem.
It's slightly problematic that one needs scientific evidence to justify a pastime. At some point, life has to not be about productivity but, the simple acts which bring us joy.
study: reading reduces stress, slows down heart beat, eases muscle tension me, reading: *sobbing and rocking back and forth because someone died; butt clenched during high intensity scenes; chucking the book away and taking a walk to take a break from my heart beating so much* lol okay
Yes! And it also helped me with so many issues. Saw that the characters solved them and it encouraged me to stand up to those problems and solve them as well :) trust me, fiction books have a LOT of good teachings in them
Lots of people aren’t concerned with being the most productive, or the most attractive, they could have been. Lots of people just want to read, and enjoy their life in different ways
Except people like that our usual into business or highly successful people. I think that's how most billionaires are billionaires. They are producers not consumers.
@Eli Sa were they surprised because German is your second language? My German teachers were never surprised but just always kinda praised me for reading so much
When I stopped reading fantasy and fiction. I wondered the same thing but as I gradually got back into it and realised that it boosted my mood. The community aka fandoms, the humour made me happier and just helped me. Made me look forward to tomorrow. :) I stopped watching movies and series unless its a movie based on a book I have read. Reading Game of Thrones Book 2 and it's amazing. Loved this video
I'm also currently reading A Song Of Ice And Fire (I'm on the fifth book, A Dance With Dragons). Such a great series. Sure, there are a few POVs that can be hard to get through (my personal favourite so far is the Davos POV) but all in all the world building and the characters are excellent. I just hope GRRM will be able to finish the books :(
Reading also helps me look forward to tomorrow. I can't wait to get back to that book, and if I finished a book today then I have another book I can't wait to start. It's so much easier to be in a good mood when you have something to look forward to.
Yeah, kinda obvious reading fiction is beneficial but when you feel like you need scientific evidence to justify it you're missing the point. Don't read because you think it will improve you as a person, read because it makes you feel joy in the moment. This productivity mindset can honestly be very toxic...
I think the point of this video is to make people who read books understand that it’s not a waste of time, not to convince people to read books who normally wouldn’t
I think you are missing the point of the whole video, this is about whether there is scientific benefit or not to reading books. A beneficial hobby is better than a harmful one after all
I studied philology at university. This approach is so unusual for me. Good books are art. When you read and analyse classical literature there are no question like is it useful. It is a creation. You read to feel and understand life, people and eternal questions.
it pains me how easily fantasy lovers are judged. just like romance and sci-fi genres, often associated as “women’s genres”, not intellectual, trash,... Thank you for this video, Ali. You’ll make me walk more confidently in a fantasy genre aisle next time I go to a bookshop!!
"Let's be very honest about something. The quickest way for any work of art, fiction, or other pop culture ephemera to cease being taken seriously is for the broader culture to intuit that it was made for or enjoyable by women, especially teenage girls. This is not up for debate, we're not adding a feminist argument here, all you need to do is live in the culture and look around a little, and you already know this is a fact." - Bob Chipman discussing the backlash to Titanic
this is just based off personal experience so it probably isn’t as concrete of an evidence as scientific research, but I’ve had a hard time experiencing and processing emotions my whole life due to being autistic. I do feel emotions, but usually either in extreme or none at all, which also led me to being shit at empathising with others. I feel like alongside therapy, reading books with tragedy themes helped me navigate my emotions better and even improved my empathising skills. Books like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and all of Khaled Hosseini’s works helped me see beyond my own horizon and figuratively step into the shoes of others in more unfortunate situations than me.
That's beautiful, I'd like to try reading fiction...I struggle empathizing and I didn't really think that it could be helpful for that. I just thought it was a waist of time, similar to watching TV...but thanks, it may help me too.
@@Lama-lx8mn I have read the whole series! It was one of the first series I read when I was younger. That also helped me familiarize myself with the troubling teenage emotions that I'm going through now in advance, such as conflict of identity and the anger during the loss of a close one.
I remember Ali saying in one of his "deep dive" live videos that he loves reading Fiction, and want to do review on that; but he doubts whether if may drift off from his main topic i.e., productivity. And guess what, Ali did his another evidence based video on reading fiction being a productive habit! You are something else Ali! ❤ P.s.: Waiting for another book Review on your book club series, maybe a fiction?
Books improves our vocabulary and imagination. It helps us to fly away from our own world to the world of the protagonist. It increases our mental horizon as it takes us through the author's perception towards the story being told.
And that Murder, She Wrote book series that was "written" by Jessica Fletcher (main character of the CBS mystery series by that name; Angela Lansbury, who was Jessica Fletcher, is on the front of each book) and credited to Donald Bain (also Jon Land, Terrie Farley Moran and Renee Paley-Bain) has taken me a lot of places that that active senior-citizen mystery writer has been around the world-- San Francisco, Moscow, Washington, D.C., Paris; you name it, she's been there in her books.
I’ve been reading only romance novels for 3 months because it makes me feel good. I’ve noticed that I have more emotional intelligence than I had when I began reading them. I used to see mistakes people made in those books and think “yeah I’d drop them right after that” but now I’ve learned to maybe not understand characters actions but know that different people react differently to specific situations and that’s not wrong.
I was JUST pondering over this yesterday. I was wondering why I didn’t feel bad about reading thousands of pages of fiction as opposed to binging tv shows/browsing through social media
3:08 That's probably why fiction readers have a better vocabulary; you need to atleast understand the implication of a word, if not the full dictionary definition, to completely experience the writing. Also, maybe because one can associate an emotional sort of response to the text, developing a memory of all the words becomes quite easy
Right?? What improves imagination, introspection, critical thinking, and, learning about how the minds of others work like reading fiction? I hate when people ask this question like reading fiction is only for indulging a guilty pleasure. I hardly think that’s why the literary greats are immortal and people make careers out of writing and/or studying fiction because generations simply read them to waste time. Same goes for any art. People are driven to create. People take huge risks to create. It’s a deep reflection of humanity whether it’s twilight or war and peace. This guy needs more Lindsay Ellis and The Art Assignment in his life. Thinking reading fiction is a waste of time is on the reader and not the writer. I would find it pretty insulting if someone told me that what I write is something that’s made for people to waste their time. What a minimization of the talent and labour it takes to write fiction in whatever form, be it novels, screenplays, video game storylines, etc.
I guess it’s the way we devalue arts and prioritise STEM etc so it seems like there’s no benefit to reading or studying literature. If you sit in on a university literature seminar though, you will quickly realise what people are discussing is channelling topics and high level thinking, which definitely isn’t a waste of time imo
@@feeshac1974 “it improves the things we can’t measure!!” .-. It also turns you into the kind of person you are which I don’t want. Someone who speaks nonsense as fact because it sounds right.
.-. Why? The answer is yes. Congrats on wasting your life. Your studies are based on wether or not someone used a pen to write down a particular piece of information. :T I’m not kidding it’s based on an invention that happened around Roman times
@@juniorqindes8335 lol thanks for demonstrating a child's understanding of literature. Try reading the Oxford introduction to literary theory, and tell me how you enjoy the analyses of literature in relation to culture, philosophy, history, linguistics, sociology, psychology, and politics. Literature is about the human condition, not about the usage of pens, and therefore touches on as wide a range of subjects as life itself
omg I can't belive it, I have NEVER heard anybody say they know the wheel of time series as well! That's crazy. Wow I am genuinly really suprised. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Ali. Cheers!
Reading literature is so valuable. There is a reason why dictatorships in recent history have burnt fiction; fiction contains all of human thought and experience - it is a rich source of human investigation into questions surrounding our very nature and existance. Delving into a variety of ideologies, peoples, philosophies, cultures and historical movements provides you with so much wisdom, compassion and understanding.
That Patchett quote is what I lead with in my higher level literature classes. It can be so easy for students to lose the joy of the story when they have to analyse the hell out of it. It's a good reminder that fiction was made to make us feel something, not just analyse something. And that's why I think fiction should be around to balance non-fiction, in the long run. As a child, reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry impacted me in a visceral way in terms of understanding racism and inequality. I still remember reading that story in my bedroom, horrified, like the main characters were people I knew, going through things I wouldn't want anyone I know to go through.
I’ve never clicked a video this fast! , being a doctor I’ve always wondered whether I’m weird because I like fiction, cause you cannot find many people who still read fiction among your colleagues and I often wondered whether I’m wasting my time. So I was very surprised to see that Ali( being a very productive guy and all ) came up with Twilight.! I mean I knew he has read Harry Potter and all but that’s different, because almost everyone reads HP during their childhood. So I’m so glad that you talked about fiction, I feel like I’ve found my soulmate! 👍🏻
Thank you Ali for making me feel not bad about reading Fiction all the time!!.. It also explains why I always read books when I ever get free time in and after school 💜✨🌺
I think reading just gives us a lot of perspective over time, so you end up using some stories you've read as a reference in certain situations (though of course, it depends on the context)
4 ปีที่แล้ว +2
Just in time! I had a conversation about reading fiction with one of my co-workers the other day. Basically, I felt guilty for spending all my quarantine time reading Brandon Sanderson's books instead of investing in, you know, more serious books. Thank you Ali. Now I feel much more relieved :"D
Wait until you get to the end of the series of A Court of thorns and roses. My heart!! Plus reading, in any form, is good for emotional, social and linguistic development.
Hey Ali, I value your scientific, evidence-based approach towards investigating the extrinsic motivations and positive effects applicable for reading fiction. Nevertheless, I think the most important reason for reading fiction kind of got lost at the end - simply enjoying the activity of reading fiction. Isn’t that enough? ;)
I absolutely love reading but absolutely loathe reading fiction. As the characters don't actually exist I simply can't get invested in what happens to them, as it simply doesn't matter.
I can fully asses that reading fiction is still great and there is no reason to be ashamed of it. You do learn things from it, you get a richer vocabulary, learn to express yourself better as well as get to see more perspectives you have never had before. Overall there should be no shame in an activity that brings you joy!
I don't usually comment on TH-cam videos but I dropped my tea and squealed in excitement when I saw a court of thorn and roses!!! I absolutely need your take on the plot and everything
I ADORE Brandon Sanderson’s writing 😍 Mistborn was something else entirely and I can’t wait for the fourth book in the Stormlight Archive series to come out 😭
One of the most important benefits to reading fiction is also able to write and communicate better. The convos and narration expands our view, and help us feel more confident in expressing ourselves.
In my opinion, I think during leisure time, reading fiction books for hours is still better than using social media for hours. At least like it gives time of the screen and we can also detach from the stressful life. I don’t read fiction books often due to busy schedules but I think I wanna get into the habit of it.
I used to read a lot of books and now I read a lot of manga(Japanese Comic) and I realized that I know more about how the person next to me will feel if I say a particular thing, what may offend them or not offend them based on their personalities and sensitivity. I've learnt how to reassure others in hard times. This video just confirmed that fiction really helps. Especially if you read fiction not only in your language but also another language that'll give you the opportunity to learn about a different culture and language. You'll get to think more internationally, which will make you understand that the world is so diverse and beautiful. Not only that, you'll know the cruelty happening in different parts of the world which may not be always good but will make you aware of your surroundings and thankful of what you have. That was a big ted talk lol xD
As someone trying to read more I have been asking myself this question. Your insights into the subject has given a great perspective to view fiction! Great work!
I believe that fiction is able to provide everything that non-fiction provides, the only difference is that a novelist puts more effort into conveying their messages in a thought provoking and relatable manner, making it easier to apply those things to your own life.
I lived in an environment where i was shamed for my interest in fantasy and science fiction books. It took me a long time to overcome this and realize that is healthy to escape the reality from time to time and shift my thoughtpattern to something else than my problems. It also helped to expand my really miserable concentration span after enduring depression for a long time when i started to read again after years of neglecting my love for books.
jus wanted to say, I think you make really really quality content not just in production value, but the messages, research, and takeaways you put out much appreciated! :)
I love that reading just takes me to another time in history or sometimes it’s just a dreamy escapism. Currently reading `The Great & Terrible King Edward’ by Marc Morris, details about how London would celebrate the birth of a royal baby boy or how the coronation process of becoming king it’s fascinating, kind of get where all the old Disney movies you watch get their ideas from 😁
I started reading novels very young. Mostly to improve my vocabulary and understand more about grammar as eng is not my first language. It helped me greatly and soon became one of my fav hobbies
Fiction is a waste of time and some guy on the internet BSing you doesn’t change that. Send this to whoever you like, to everyone outside of the land of imagination you people seem insane.
@@juniorqindes8335 Says some guy on the internet. Who told you that you had the universal truth about what a waste of time is lol? Its almost like everyone views something as a waste of time that others don't.
In that case I'd suggest you stop every hobby you do and everything your enjoy doing that is for entertainment because that is also a waste of time. Real question for you now, what is not a waste of time for you? Genuinely curious.
@@100100freak would recommend both! :) I read Atomic Habits in January allready because I heard a really interesting Harvard podcast with the author James Clear, but Unfair Advantage was also fun
I'm reading the Atomic Habits atm on my Kindle. When I get bored, I read fiction books written by Nicholas Sparks. Fiction books are good. They are the color of one's imagination.
I once had a college professor say - A good fictional book will teach you about the world around you. I've never forgotten it, and I still adore reading fiction!
This video has me grinning the whole time, Felt I was reading too much fiction and this is just the validation I needed:p Having said that how do you stop yourself from binge reading especially when you have exams around the corner?🙈 Its so difficult to draw the line at times, is there a study that addresses the fact that fiction can be addictive? just thinking out loud. PS: You should give 'folk of the air series by Holly black' a try too!
(I wrote this only reading some comments)But besides having fun, you learn about language! And you always learn something new. Fiction books teach you about life, too.
When I fell anxious or nervous I just start reading really fast in order to match my brain speed, and after 10 minutes I gently slow down and start reading more accurately, while my heartbeat start slowing significantly. Just after 30 minutes, I really feel better.
I appreciate the benefits youv mentioned from reading fiction, but no one actually reads fiction particularly for those benefits. Pretty sure theres lots of other activities which would give one all the benefits mentioned in a far higher dose. And they are just side benefits from the main activity The only reason one ends up reading fiction remains that It is enjoyable.
Thorn of Roses is actually so good. I'm suprised that Abdul has such a similar taste in books as this teenage girl😁 will continue to do without any guilt
Reading fiction helps you feel that you are not the only one who feels the emotions that you are feeling and the way you feel them. When we watch movies, you know a character feels angry, jealous, guilty, in love etc..But you can't hear their inner dialogue. There is not enough time to concentrate elaborately on all the emotions in a 3 hours movie. Also, there is only so much you can tell through visual medium. For example, when I read 'Kite Runner', I could relate to the main character Amir most times through his good, bad and ugly thoughts and circumstances. I felt like I lived a life along with him. In real life, no one will share exactly what they think and feel, however close you are to that person. Everyone have their secrets. But, in a fiction book, an author can express the emotions and circumstances he has felt and gone through without any inhibitions through a character. And by reading that we don't feel so alone or weird about our emotions and experiences. This is why I love reading fiction. 📖❤
Confirmation bias. I feel that you could find enough evidence to prove whatever you want. You could prove that watching TV is useful or playing video game is useful in this same format.
To live your life to the fullest. If you waste time and do nothing, thus being inert then there is not much of a difference between you and a dead person.
Ali... read the checklist manifesto . It’s by a doctor who speaks about checklists and their application to a range of complex tasks - it’s a very interesting book. You’d love it.
If I wasn't hooked from the title, I certainly got hooked from your use of Jacob Black unbuttoning his pants while reciting a line to support your love of fiction :D
The first video contained a technical error on one of the slides. Therefore, it was re-uploaded. All is well now.
Ali Abdaal thanks, i was wondering 😂
Was that the test cards/colour charts?
Yep thanks. Big fan of yours.
this is a stupid question, that's like saying watching movies is a waste of time. It's entertainment and a way to do something that brings you joy in your free time so obviously it's not a waste of your time unless you don't enjoy it.
All is well gang, bois.
Books, especially fiction, just makes you feel emotions that completely refresh your system making you more active, productive, and happy.
Yah true
Same with games and movies
True af
Huh, I've never had an emotional reaction to a book.
@Connor Coulson I thought the same thing until I read night by Elie Wiesel in high school 🥺 reading has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions since then
“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”
― Mark Twain
That’s deep
Ok
Ok 100% sure.
@@KENNETHTXMMA not if he does't read.
I didn't get can anyone explain this phrase
“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time”
Albert Einstein said that
Well... People addicted to something enjoy the thing they're addicted to :/ I mean there is nothing wrong about reading fantasy and fiction but if you read only those books then you may have a problem.
If you put anything into quotation marks it doesn't become truth. Read "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson.
@@llliiilll3624 The same about rhymes :)
@@huck6453 Sorry I don't understand what you mean by that.
Productivity youtuber asks "Is having fun a waste of time?"
I'm actually happy he asked this because otherwise he would probably stop having fun
i dont’t think he says he reads fiction to have fun though........
EddieXXI lol
Tri Monster ye
lolll
It's slightly problematic that one needs scientific evidence to justify a pastime. At some point, life has to not be about productivity but, the simple acts which bring us joy.
The art of being. I like it.
Yes, thank you
Yes! I needed to hear this :)
I love this comment.
क्या बोला है बंटाई
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin
The GOAT of fiction
Reading his books
M Shaz me too, on AFFC. Which one you on?
@@henryruston9572 lol no, fantasy maybe
@@henryruston9572 the second book
study: reading reduces stress, slows down heart beat, eases muscle tension
me, reading: *sobbing and rocking back and forth because someone died; butt clenched during high intensity scenes; chucking the book away and taking a walk to take a break from my heart beating so much*
lol okay
also me: starts imagining myself in that scene
Hahaha this is so funny. Dont forget that deep and empty saddness that just sits there at the pit of your stomach once you've finished the book :(
LMAOO THIS IS THE FUNNIEST THING IVE READ TODAY “butt clenched” accurate 😭
All of the emotions !
Empathy!!
“We read to know we're not alone.”
― William Nicholson
This is the best quote I have ever read about reading!
@@googledoodle4680 yes
Yes! And it also helped me with so many issues. Saw that the characters solved them and it encouraged me to stand up to those problems and solve them as well :) trust me, fiction books have a LOT of good teachings in them
Best quote.
A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.
-Tyrion Lannister
*reads in Tyrion's voice *
@@najamgohar7547with a cup of wine in one hand
Good reference mate
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.
- Another great quote by George R. R. Martin
He didn't mention which books. I suppose he rarely reads fiction
How nerd are you?
Ali:- i read about reading.
@@elpanderohabanero2915 I agree but what do you mean by movies?
@Lenny Summers Are you talking to me? I didn't know movies used to used to be... Oh I get it now. My bad.
Don't read fiction, don't play games, don't watch movies. Do everything to be productive. Be a machine. You'll never win - but capitalism will.
@@KENNETHTXMMA Really ? Meaning of life is to be attractive ? REALLY ?!
Lots of people aren’t concerned with being the most productive, or the most attractive, they could have been. Lots of people just want to read, and enjoy their life in different ways
Except people like that our usual into business or highly successful people. I think that's how most billionaires are billionaires. They are producers not consumers.
@@javier.alvarez764 We can't all be billionaires
@@DrinkWater713 Yeah, isn't that what we should aspire to? To be a person who enriches other people's lives and that people love to associate with?
I feel generally reading books is fine, giving us a better sense of imagination and empathy as well as maybe helping us develop out vocabulary
@Eli Sa were they surprised because German is your second language? My German teachers were never surprised but just always kinda praised me for reading so much
@Eli Sa Ohh ich komm auch aus Österreich! Aber ich spreche den Dialekt leider nicht, kann ihn nur verstehen😣
Eli Sa where in Austria you from? I’m from vooralberg Bregenzerwald
Yes. Agreed. I encourage people to have imaginations. But for the longest time I believed in vampires.
“Books challenge and interrogate. They give us windows into the lives of others and mirrors so we can better see ourselves.” - John Green
How? .-. I think people into fiction just say shit. That’s another reason it’s bad. :T it makes you stupid
When I stopped reading fantasy and fiction. I wondered the same thing but as I gradually got back into it and realised that it boosted my mood. The community aka fandoms, the humour made me happier and just helped me. Made me look forward to tomorrow. :) I stopped watching movies and series unless its a movie based on a book I have read. Reading Game of Thrones Book 2 and it's amazing. Loved this video
I'm also currently reading A Song Of Ice And Fire (I'm on the fifth book, A Dance With Dragons). Such a great series. Sure, there are a few POVs that can be hard to get through (my personal favourite so far is the Davos POV) but all in all the world building and the characters are excellent. I just hope GRRM will be able to finish the books :(
Reading also helps me look forward to tomorrow. I can't wait to get back to that book, and if I finished a book today then I have another book I can't wait to start. It's so much easier to be in a good mood when you have something to look forward to.
Why have you stopped watching movies if movies are "fiction" just like "fiction"-books?
I can read lots of fiction book but when it comes to textbooks have trouble reading few pages.
Same 😅
Same here
im the opposite
haha yeah that's because I don't care what the textbook says, even though I should
Same here😂
Yeah, kinda obvious reading fiction is beneficial but when you feel like you need scientific evidence to justify it you're missing the point. Don't read because you think it will improve you as a person, read because it makes you feel joy in the moment. This productivity mindset can honestly be very toxic...
True
I think the point of this video is to make people who read books understand that it’s not a waste of time, not to convince people to read books who normally wouldn’t
I think you are missing the point of the whole video, this is about whether there is scientific benefit or not to reading books. A beneficial hobby is better than a harmful one after all
@@UWotM-hy6sb exactly
Please help, everyone says people should read books. I just don’t enjoy it. I would rather watch TV or play games as a last time
I studied philology at university. This approach is so unusual for me. Good books are art. When you read and analyse classical literature there are no question like is it useful. It is a creation. You read to feel and understand life, people and eternal questions.
it pains me how easily fantasy lovers are judged. just like romance and sci-fi genres, often associated as “women’s genres”, not intellectual, trash,... Thank you for this video, Ali. You’ll make me walk more confidently in a fantasy genre aisle next time I go to a bookshop!!
Haha, own what you like!
"Let's be very honest about something. The quickest way for any work of art, fiction, or other pop culture ephemera to cease being taken seriously is for the broader culture to intuit that it was made for or enjoyable by women, especially teenage girls. This is not up for debate, we're not adding a feminist argument here, all you need to do is live in the culture and look around a little, and you already know this is a fact."
- Bob Chipman discussing the backlash to Titanic
this is just based off personal experience so it probably isn’t as concrete of an evidence as scientific research, but I’ve had a hard time experiencing and processing emotions my whole life due to being autistic. I do feel emotions, but usually either in extreme or none at all, which also led me to being shit at empathising with others. I feel like alongside therapy, reading books with tragedy themes helped me navigate my emotions better and even improved my empathising skills. Books like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and all of Khaled Hosseini’s works helped me see beyond my own horizon and figuratively step into the shoes of others in more unfortunate situations than me.
💕💕
That's beautiful, I'd like to try reading fiction...I struggle empathizing and I didn't really think that it could be helpful for that. I just thought it was a waist of time, similar to watching TV...but thanks, it may help me too.
Consider Harry Potter 🥰
@@Lama-lx8mn I have read the whole series! It was one of the first series I read when I was younger. That also helped me familiarize myself with the troubling teenage emotions that I'm going through now in advance, such as conflict of identity and the anger during the loss of a close one.
I love those books, although I couldn't finish Kiterunner, it was a bit overwhelming
I remember Ali saying in one of his "deep dive" live videos that he loves reading Fiction, and want to do review on that; but he doubts whether if may drift off from his main topic i.e., productivity.
And guess what, Ali did his another evidence based video on reading fiction being a productive habit!
You are something else Ali! ❤
P.s.: Waiting for another book Review on your book club series, maybe a fiction?
"Read what you love until you love to read" - Naval
that's actually good^^
Books improves our vocabulary and imagination.
It helps us to fly away from our own world to the world of the protagonist. It increases our mental horizon as it takes us through the author's perception towards the story being told.
And that Murder, She Wrote book series that was "written" by Jessica Fletcher (main character of the CBS mystery series by that name; Angela Lansbury, who was Jessica Fletcher, is on the front of each book) and credited to Donald Bain (also Jon Land, Terrie Farley Moran and Renee Paley-Bain) has taken me a lot of places that that active senior-citizen mystery writer has been around the world-- San Francisco, Moscow, Washington, D.C., Paris; you name it, she's been there in her books.
I’ve been reading only romance novels for 3 months because it makes me feel good. I’ve noticed that I have more emotional intelligence than I had when I began reading them. I used to see mistakes people made in those books and think “yeah I’d drop them right after that” but now I’ve learned to maybe not understand characters actions but know that different people react differently to specific situations and that’s not wrong.
I agree. I definitely learned lessons on communication
This is the video that I was looking for, to deal with the guilt of spending all those times I've stayed up all night to complete fiction books!
Me too
So true!
Yep lol
Why didn't you just skip to the final?
If you were close to your death, would you regret reading all those books and having fun with them. I doubt it
I was JUST pondering over this yesterday. I was wondering why I didn’t feel bad about reading thousands of pages of fiction as opposed to binging tv shows/browsing through social media
3:08 That's probably why fiction readers have a better vocabulary; you need to atleast understand the implication of a word, if not the full dictionary definition, to completely experience the writing. Also, maybe because one can associate an emotional sort of response to the text, developing a memory of all the words becomes quite easy
Fiction readers have a better vocabulary than .. who exactly? Than people who don't read at all? Or people who primarily read non-fiction?
Bro science.
It's even harder with non fiction. Because there you can't understand whole pages sometimes if you don't know certain words.
Interesting.
As someone currently pursuing a Master's degree in literature, I'm sad that this is even a question to other people 🙈
Right?? What improves imagination, introspection, critical thinking, and, learning about how the minds of others work like reading fiction? I hate when people ask this question like reading fiction is only for indulging a guilty pleasure. I hardly think that’s why the literary greats are immortal and people make careers out of writing and/or studying fiction because generations simply read them to waste time. Same goes for any art. People are driven to create. People take huge risks to create. It’s a deep reflection of humanity whether it’s twilight or war and peace. This guy needs more Lindsay Ellis and The Art Assignment in his life. Thinking reading fiction is a waste of time is on the reader and not the writer. I would find it pretty insulting if someone told me that what I write is something that’s made for people to waste their time. What a minimization of the talent and labour it takes to write fiction in whatever form, be it novels, screenplays, video game storylines, etc.
I guess it’s the way we devalue arts and prioritise STEM etc so it seems like there’s no benefit to reading or studying literature. If you sit in on a university literature seminar though, you will quickly realise what people are discussing is channelling topics and high level thinking, which definitely isn’t a waste of time imo
@@feeshac1974 “it improves the things we can’t measure!!” .-. It also turns you into the kind of person you are which I don’t want. Someone who speaks nonsense as fact because it sounds right.
.-. Why? The answer is yes. Congrats on wasting your life. Your studies are based on wether or not someone used a pen to write down a particular piece of information. :T I’m not kidding it’s based on an invention that happened around Roman times
@@juniorqindes8335 lol thanks for demonstrating a child's understanding of literature. Try reading the Oxford introduction to literary theory, and tell me how you enjoy the analyses of literature in relation to culture, philosophy, history, linguistics, sociology, psychology, and politics. Literature is about the human condition, not about the usage of pens, and therefore touches on as wide a range of subjects as life itself
Ali, a doctor : "Whatever that means"
omg I can't belive it, I have NEVER heard anybody say they know the wheel of time series as well! That's crazy. Wow I am genuinly really suprised. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Ali. Cheers!
Check out Daniel Greene's channel he's the best WOT TH-camr out there
He is reading A Court of Thorns and Roses... Uh, can he marry me?!
No.
thank you for recommendation i'll read it
@@nikhilshinde4609 get the girl init🤣
There's no question! Fiction is a big part of my life, it just makes me feel so happy and that essentially is how I want to feel after reading.
Reading literature is so valuable. There is a reason why dictatorships in recent history have burnt fiction; fiction contains all of human thought and experience - it is a rich source of human investigation into questions surrounding our very nature and existance. Delving into a variety of ideologies, peoples, philosophies, cultures and historical movements provides you with so much wisdom, compassion and understanding.
I am also a medical student. I practically live among fiction books and now I am proud to be a bibliophile.😍😍😍
That Patchett quote is what I lead with in my higher level literature classes. It can be so easy for students to lose the joy of the story when they have to analyse the hell out of it. It's a good reminder that fiction was made to make us feel something, not just analyse something. And that's why I think fiction should be around to balance non-fiction, in the long run. As a child, reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry impacted me in a visceral way in terms of understanding racism and inequality. I still remember reading that story in my bedroom, horrified, like the main characters were people I knew, going through things I wouldn't want anyone I know to go through.
I’ve never clicked a video this fast! , being a doctor I’ve always wondered whether I’m weird because I like fiction, cause you cannot find many people who still read fiction among your colleagues and I often wondered whether I’m wasting my time. So I was very surprised to see that Ali( being a very productive guy and all ) came up with Twilight.! I mean I knew he has read Harry Potter and all but that’s different, because almost everyone reads HP during their childhood. So I’m so glad that you talked about fiction, I feel like I’ve found my soulmate! 👍🏻
Thank you Ali for making me feel not bad about reading Fiction all the time!!.. It also explains why I always read books when I ever get free time in and after school 💜✨🌺
"Times you enjoy wasting, are not wasted"
If you put anything into double quotes, does it become the truth? No. Try reading "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson.
I think reading just gives us a lot of perspective over time, so you end up using some stories you've read as a reference in certain situations (though of course, it depends on the context)
Just in time! I had a conversation about reading fiction with one of my co-workers the other day. Basically, I felt guilty for spending all my quarantine time reading Brandon Sanderson's books instead of investing in, you know, more serious books. Thank you Ali. Now I feel much more relieved :"D
Wait until you get to the end of the series of A Court of thorns and roses. My heart!!
Plus reading, in any form, is good for emotional, social and linguistic development.
Hey Ali,
I value your scientific, evidence-based approach towards investigating the extrinsic motivations and positive effects applicable for reading fiction.
Nevertheless, I think the most important reason for reading fiction kind of got lost at the end - simply enjoying the activity of reading fiction. Isn’t that enough? ;)
2:42 that wink, that damn wink where it all started
I absolutely love reading but absolutely loathe reading fiction. As the characters don't actually exist I simply can't get invested in what happens to them, as it simply doesn't matter.
I can fully asses that reading fiction is still great and there is no reason to be ashamed of it. You do learn things from it, you get a richer vocabulary, learn to express yourself better as well as get to see more perspectives you have never had before. Overall there should be no shame in an activity that brings you joy!
I don't usually comment on TH-cam videos but I dropped my tea and squealed in excitement when I saw a court of thorn and roses!!! I absolutely need your take on the plot and everything
I ADORE Brandon Sanderson’s writing 😍 Mistborn was something else entirely and I can’t wait for the fourth book in the Stormlight Archive series to come out 😭
Kaladin :/
One of the most important benefits to reading fiction is also able to write and communicate better. The convos and narration expands our view, and help us feel more confident in expressing ourselves.
In my opinion, I think during leisure time, reading fiction books for hours is still better than using social media for hours. At least like it gives time of the screen and we can also detach from the stressful life. I don’t read fiction books often due to busy schedules but I think I wanna get into the habit of it.
I used to read a lot of books and now I read a lot of manga(Japanese Comic) and I realized that I know more about how the person next to me will feel if I say a particular thing, what may offend them or not offend them based on their personalities and sensitivity. I've learnt how to reassure others in hard times. This video just confirmed that fiction really helps. Especially if you read fiction not only in your language but also another language that'll give you the opportunity to learn about a different culture and language. You'll get to think more internationally, which will make you understand that the world is so diverse and beautiful. Not only that, you'll know the cruelty happening in different parts of the world which may not be always good but will make you aware of your surroundings and thankful of what you have.
That was a big ted talk lol xD
Who else is missing the Monthly favorite series? 😭😭
It's my birthday today!! What a great video to begin my day!!
Ali: explaining why reading is good
Me: "that ipad that I totally cannot afford is huuuuge"
As someone trying to read more I have been asking myself this question. Your insights into the subject has given a great perspective to view fiction! Great work!
I believe that fiction is able to provide everything that non-fiction provides, the only difference is that a novelist puts more effort into conveying their messages in a thought provoking and relatable manner, making it easier to apply those things to your own life.
I lived in an environment where i was shamed for my interest in fantasy and science fiction books. It took me a long time to overcome this and realize that is healthy to escape the reality from time to time and shift my thoughtpattern to something else than my problems. It also helped to expand my really miserable concentration span after enduring depression for a long time when i started to read again after years of neglecting my love for books.
One book recommendation : flowers for algernon
I second. That book was both highly insightful and engaging(and tearjerking).
jus wanted to say, I think you make really really quality content not just in production value, but the messages, research, and takeaways you put out
much appreciated! :)
Ali, I’d love to see a list of every book you have ever read.
I read comics every single day, have a full time job and I’m a full time graduate student writing my thesis. Balance is everything
I love that reading just takes me to another time in history or sometimes it’s just a dreamy escapism. Currently reading `The Great & Terrible King Edward’ by Marc Morris, details about how London would celebrate the birth of a royal baby boy or how the coronation process of becoming king it’s fascinating, kind of get where all the old Disney movies you watch get their ideas from 😁
I started reading novels very young. Mostly to improve my vocabulary and understand more about grammar as eng is not my first language. It helped me greatly and soon became one of my fav hobbies
Off topic but this t-shirt really makes you glow
Top - many thanks! I am a psychologist and my friends often joke about my love for "trash books" and in the future I will send them your link :)
Saw this and my first thought was “don’t do this to me Ali- don’t take spice out of my life”
I talk to my TH-cam “friends” way too much...
Tbh sometimes you are so mad at a book it won’t reduce your stress…it will make you throw the book vigorously
I will send this to my mom when she tells me reading "The maze runer" for the fifth time is a waste of time.
heck yea the maze runner rules!!!
Fiction is a waste of time and some guy on the internet BSing you doesn’t change that. Send this to whoever you like, to everyone outside of the land of imagination you people seem insane.
@@juniorqindes8335 Says some guy on the internet. Who told you that you had the universal truth about what a waste of time is lol? Its almost like everyone views something as a waste of time that others don't.
@@AngelR150 poop even though useful is still waste. So no, you are incorrect. There is an objective meaning.
In that case I'd suggest you stop every hobby you do and everything your enjoy doing that is for entertainment because that is also a waste of time. Real question for you now, what is not a waste of time for you? Genuinely curious.
this video was super informative and I didn't feel the need to skip any parts or watch it in 1.5 speed!! thanks for the quality content!
You should check out the Dresden Files. Great series, sci-fi, wizardry detective, etc etc - great stuff!
As British-Turkish novelist Elif Shafak said on this topic ‘Everybody needs empathy’ - and that, for me, summs up why we should read fiction
When will you do another book review??? :) allready read Atomic Habits and The Unfair Advantage...
Whoaaa so quick
Was it worth it? Would you recommend it? What did you learn?
@@100100freak would recommend both! :) I read Atomic Habits in January allready because I heard a really interesting Harvard podcast with the author James Clear, but Unfair Advantage was also fun
I'm reading the Atomic Habits atm on my Kindle. When I get bored, I read fiction books written by Nicholas Sparks. Fiction books are good. They are the color of one's imagination.
I once had a college professor say - A good fictional book will teach you about the world around you. I've never forgotten it, and I still adore reading fiction!
This video has me grinning the whole time, Felt I was reading too much fiction and this is just the validation I needed:p Having said that how do you stop yourself from binge reading especially when you have exams around the corner?🙈 Its so difficult to draw the line at times, is there a study that addresses the fact that fiction can be addictive? just thinking out loud.
PS: You should give 'folk of the air series by Holly black' a try too!
Folk of the air 💕
YESSSSSS YOURE READING ACOTAR!!! I can’t WAIT for you to start on the second book!!!
“Time you enjoy wasting was not time wasted” -John Lennon
(I wrote this only reading some comments)But besides having fun, you learn about language! And you always learn something new. Fiction books teach you about life, too.
I’ve learned much more from fiction books than books meant to change my life
When I fell anxious or nervous I just start reading really fast in order to match my brain speed, and after 10 minutes I gently slow down and start reading more accurately, while my heartbeat start slowing significantly. Just after 30 minutes, I really feel better.
This is a roundabout way of justifying reading Twighlight.
So wierd I was thinking about Noughts and Crosses too as you mentioned racism! Great book! Awesome video
I appreciate the benefits youv mentioned from reading fiction, but no one actually reads fiction particularly for those benefits.
Pretty sure theres lots of other activities which would give one all the benefits mentioned in a far higher dose. And they are just side benefits from the main activity
The only reason one ends up reading fiction remains that It is enjoyable.
Great video, mate! I'm a Mexican English teacher and I'm going to use it for a class real soon.
Thorn of Roses is actually so good. I'm suprised that Abdul has such a similar taste in books as this teenage girl😁 will continue to do without any guilt
I saw ‘ACOTAR’ and couldn’t believe it!! I love that series and I’m dying waiting for the nessian book
Melissa Taylor omg i loved that series and didnt even know there was another book coming im so excited!
I saw acotar I had to do a double take and rewind
Reading fiction helps you feel that you are not the only one who feels the emotions that you are feeling and the way you feel them. When we watch movies, you know a character feels angry, jealous, guilty, in love etc..But you can't hear their inner dialogue. There is not enough time to concentrate elaborately on all the emotions in a 3 hours movie. Also, there is only so much you can tell through visual medium.
For example, when I read 'Kite Runner', I could relate to the main character Amir most times through his good, bad and ugly thoughts and circumstances. I felt like I lived a life along with him. In real life, no one will share exactly what they think and feel, however close you are to that person. Everyone have their secrets. But, in a fiction book, an author can express the emotions and circumstances he has felt and gone through without any inhibitions through a character. And by reading that we don't feel so alone or weird about our emotions and experiences.
This is why I love reading fiction. 📖❤
Confirmation bias. I feel that you could find enough evidence to prove whatever you want. You could prove that watching TV is useful or playing video game is useful in this same format.
Is it just me or are there a lot more stock footage in Ali's videos now? :)
Which service do you use Ali?
What's the goal of being "productive"?
Comment your thoughts..
To be productive is not the goal, to achieve your goals, you try to be productive.
Not living in your parents' basement without a job?
Not ending up homeless through continues negative decisions?
To live your life to the fullest.
If you waste time and do nothing, thus being inert then there is not much of a difference between you and a dead person.
Wissale Ch true
Same!! I’ve avoided fiction books thinking that it was a waste of time. Thanks for this!
others : reads fictions, watches this
me : watches this, reads fiction
If you are reading fiction because of this video, I can tell you that there are more productive things to do instead.
Such a great idea to approach this question! Thank you for all the great content you are offering consistently :).
If reading fiction is a waste of time, then congrats to me I have wasted my whole life
Honestly same
Yeah, Ali. Thanks a lot for the video. I am about to start reading fiction books.
Ali: "Fiction reading leads to a small, statistically significant improvement in social-cognitive performance".
Me: Oh, i don't need to then
I love this video! I feel less ashamed for enjoying fiction novels now. Thanks Ali!
Why does he look and sound so much like that "foreigner cousin" everyone has..
Great video! Concise and full of non-biased information!
Ali... read the checklist manifesto . It’s by a doctor who speaks about checklists and their application to a range of complex tasks - it’s a very interesting book. You’d love it.
If I wasn't hooked from the title, I certainly got hooked from your use of Jacob Black unbuttoning his pants while reciting a line to support your love of fiction :D
Love the editing!! It makes the video more fun and interesting!
I appreciate the findings of the Sussex study because I relate to it very much.