Is Reading Fiction Books Good for You?

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มิ.ย. 2020
  • 📚 Pre-order my book to get an exclusive ticket to The Feel-Good Productivity Annual Planning Workshop!
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    Hey guys, today we're taking a look at whether reading fiction can bring any tangible benefits.
    My favourite fantasy books: • My Favourite Fantasy B...
    Improve your reading: • Improve your Reading +...
    How to read more books: • How I Read 100 Books a...
    Studies referenced in the video:
    pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29481...
    www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...
    testyourvocab.com/blog/2013-05...
    www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10...
    pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16651...
    www.academia.edu/1362091/Inte...
    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
    www.nhs.uk/news/neurology/cou...
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ความคิดเห็น • 1.3K

  • @aliabdaal
    @aliabdaal  4 ปีที่แล้ว +825

    The first video contained a technical error on one of the slides. Therefore, it was re-uploaded. All is well now.

    • @mrmac2u968
      @mrmac2u968 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Ali Abdaal thanks, i was wondering 😂

    • @Stephen_Lafferty
      @Stephen_Lafferty 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Was that the test cards/colour charts?

    • @ayan0150
      @ayan0150 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yep thanks. Big fan of yours.

    • @newfnshow031
      @newfnshow031 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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.

    • @gsussb_
      @gsussb_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      All is well gang, bois.

  • @GA-pk1jr
    @GA-pk1jr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6710

    “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time”

    • @dianapreisser2146
      @dianapreisser2146 4 ปีที่แล้ว +42

      Albert Einstein said that

    • @huck6453
      @huck6453 4 ปีที่แล้ว +99

      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.

    • @llliiilll3624
      @llliiilll3624 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      If you put anything into quotation marks it doesn't become truth. Read "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson.

    • @huck6453
      @huck6453 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ​@@llliiilll3624 The same about rhymes :)

    • @llliiilll3624
      @llliiilll3624 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@huck6453 Sorry I don't understand what you mean by that.

  • @manvithas6814
    @manvithas6814 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7012

    Books, especially fiction, just makes you feel emotions that completely refresh your system making you more active, productive, and happy.

    • @mahmudabdi1363
      @mahmudabdi1363 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yah true

    • @0007JO
      @0007JO 4 ปีที่แล้ว +53

      Same with games and movies

    • @eyepatch1157
      @eyepatch1157 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      True af

    • @CourtneyCoulson
      @CourtneyCoulson 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Huh, I've never had an emotional reaction to a book.

    • @bed2000
      @bed2000 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @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

  • @aryanaggarwal4117
    @aryanaggarwal4117 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6193

    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.

    • @locutusdborg126
      @locutusdborg126 3 ปีที่แล้ว +262

      The art of being. I like it.

    • @asia7279
      @asia7279 3 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      Yes, thank you

    • @ender4344
      @ender4344 3 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      Yes! I needed to hear this :)

    • @alishaashraf3364
      @alishaashraf3364 3 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      I love this comment.

    • @siddhant1285
      @siddhant1285 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      क्या बोला है बंटाई

  • @sebxlopez
    @sebxlopez 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4228

    “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”
    ― Mark Twain

    • @craigmalcom6294
      @craigmalcom6294 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      That’s deep

    • @hhfbko
      @hhfbko 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Ok

    • @naveenswarnkar4180
      @naveenswarnkar4180 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ok 100% sure.

    • @gregdawe2786
      @gregdawe2786 3 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      @@KENNETHTXMMA not if he does't read.

    • @sanjaisrao484
      @sanjaisrao484 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I didn't get can anyone explain this phrase

  • @animeeddie2104
    @animeeddie2104 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3569

    Productivity youtuber asks "Is having fun a waste of time?"

    • @Tri_monster
      @Tri_monster 4 ปีที่แล้ว +138

      I'm actually happy he asked this because otherwise he would probably stop having fun

    • @junk5774
      @junk5774 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      i dont’t think he says he reads fiction to have fun though........

    • @abbad707
      @abbad707 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      EddieXXI lol

    • @abbad707
      @abbad707 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Tri Monster ye

    • @nayomiegh
      @nayomiegh 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      lolll

  • @leonardoborges8461
    @leonardoborges8461 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1674

    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.

    • @DrinkWater713
      @DrinkWater713 3 ปีที่แล้ว +78

      @@KENNETHTXMMA Really ? Meaning of life is to be attractive ? REALLY ?!

    • @galacticlavalamp6338
      @galacticlavalamp6338 3 ปีที่แล้ว +71

      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

    • @javier.alvarez764
      @javier.alvarez764 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      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.

    • @MargaritaMagdalena
      @MargaritaMagdalena 3 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      @@javier.alvarez764 We can't all be billionaires

    • @MargaritaMagdalena
      @MargaritaMagdalena 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@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?

  • @QuestionEverythingButWHY
    @QuestionEverythingButWHY 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3147

    “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
    ― George R.R. Martin

    • @henryruston9572
      @henryruston9572 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      The GOAT of fiction

    • @MS-fy4vk
      @MS-fy4vk 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Reading his books

    • @henryruston9572
      @henryruston9572 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      M Shaz me too, on AFFC. Which one you on?

    • @bertobrb
      @bertobrb 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@henryruston9572 lol no, fantasy maybe

    • @MS-fy4vk
      @MS-fy4vk 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@henryruston9572 the second book

  • @theladyluna_
    @theladyluna_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1671

    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

    • @oikstooru
      @oikstooru 3 ปีที่แล้ว +108

      also me: starts imagining myself in that scene

    • @PringlesOriginal445
      @PringlesOriginal445 3 ปีที่แล้ว +98

      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 :(

    • @kiranjitkaur2301
      @kiranjitkaur2301 3 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      LMAOO THIS IS THE FUNNIEST THING IVE READ TODAY “butt clenched” accurate 😭

    • @1Inked4Heart3
      @1Inked4Heart3 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      All of the emotions !

    • @99hollyberry
      @99hollyberry 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Empathy!!

  • @QuestionEverythingButWHY
    @QuestionEverythingButWHY 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1436

    “We read to know we're not alone.”
    ― William Nicholson

    • @googledoodle4680
      @googledoodle4680 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      This is the best quote I have ever read about reading!

    • @hercules5608
      @hercules5608 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@googledoodle4680 yes

    • @ender4344
      @ender4344 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      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

    • @forestduffe5576
      @forestduffe5576 ปีที่แล้ว

      Best quote.

  • @riyathakuria9086
    @riyathakuria9086 4 ปีที่แล้ว +646

    How nerd are you?
    Ali:- i read about reading.

    • @thedrifter3938
      @thedrifter3938 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@elpanderohabanero2915 I agree but what do you mean by movies?

    • @thedrifter3938
      @thedrifter3938 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Lenny Summers Are you talking to me? I didn't know movies used to used to be... Oh I get it now. My bad.

  • @sreeramoffcl
    @sreeramoffcl 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1001

    A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.
    -Tyrion Lannister

    • @najamgohar7547
      @najamgohar7547 4 ปีที่แล้ว +28

      *reads in Tyrion's voice *

    • @aidarouselabe23
      @aidarouselabe23 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      @@najamgohar7547with a cup of wine in one hand

    • @sinb561
      @sinb561 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Good reference mate

    • @maaizasiraj8008
      @maaizasiraj8008 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      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

    • @hekoriginaljni6489
      @hekoriginaljni6489 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      He didn't mention which books. I suppose he rarely reads fiction

  • @udokafintelmann6803
    @udokafintelmann6803 4 ปีที่แล้ว +977

    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

    • @Stephanie-xz7qd
      @Stephanie-xz7qd 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @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

    • @Stephanie-xz7qd
      @Stephanie-xz7qd 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Eli Sa Ohh ich komm auch aus Österreich! Aber ich spreche den Dialekt leider nicht, kann ihn nur verstehen😣

    • @thisistinnytrying
      @thisistinnytrying 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Eli Sa where in Austria you from? I’m from vooralberg Bregenzerwald

    • @castlenovelist97BOOKS
      @castlenovelist97BOOKS 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yes. Agreed. I encourage people to have imaginations. But for the longest time I believed in vampires.

  • @armitahosseini8683
    @armitahosseini8683 3 ปีที่แล้ว +312

    “Books challenge and interrogate. They give us windows into the lives of others and mirrors so we can better see ourselves.” - John Green

    • @juniorqindes8335
      @juniorqindes8335 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      How? .-. I think people into fiction just say shit. That’s another reason it’s bad. :T it makes you stupid

  • @kalten4787
    @kalten4787 4 ปีที่แล้ว +449

    I can read lots of fiction book but when it comes to textbooks have trouble reading few pages.

    • @FluffyFuwa
      @FluffyFuwa 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Same 😅

    • @elite4wellness
      @elite4wellness 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Same here

    • @samhangster
      @samhangster 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      im the opposite

    • @cynthialeaf8358
      @cynthialeaf8358 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      haha yeah that's because I don't care what the textbook says, even though I should

    • @googledoodle4680
      @googledoodle4680 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Same here😂

  • @MS-fy4vk
    @MS-fy4vk 4 ปีที่แล้ว +471

    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

    • @JuliaN-ti9zv
      @JuliaN-ti9zv 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      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 :(

    • @ToomanyFrancis
      @ToomanyFrancis 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      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.

    • @vincenzocapuzziello3466
      @vincenzocapuzziello3466 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Why have you stopped watching movies if movies are "fiction" just like "fiction"-books?

  • @DrBlueCow
    @DrBlueCow 3 ปีที่แล้ว +360

    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...

    • @crowley7110
      @crowley7110 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      True

    • @UWotM-hy6sb
      @UWotM-hy6sb 3 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      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

    • @Navhkrin
      @Navhkrin 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      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

    • @vaibhavi.singh.
      @vaibhavi.singh. 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@UWotM-hy6sb exactly

    • @VILLA2192
      @VILLA2192 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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

  • @danielaamaro5210
    @danielaamaro5210 4 ปีที่แล้ว +286

    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!!

    • @FM95.5
      @FM95.5 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Haha, own what you like!

    • @pdxdonut
      @pdxdonut 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      "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

  • @Olesya1215
    @Olesya1215 4 ปีที่แล้ว +79

    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.

  • @hauteclere2369
    @hauteclere2369 4 ปีที่แล้ว +178

    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.

    • @ohohnenyeoo2654
      @ohohnenyeoo2654 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      💕💕

    • @sol_di_14
      @sol_di_14 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      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
      @Lama-lx8mn 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Consider Harry Potter 🥰

    • @hauteclere2369
      @hauteclere2369 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@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.

    • @sushigoose_
      @sushigoose_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I love those books, although I couldn't finish Kiterunner, it was a bit overwhelming

  • @nakedimanyane
    @nakedimanyane 4 ปีที่แล้ว +62

    "Read what you love until you love to read" - Naval

  • @amruthasmenonn
    @amruthasmenonn 4 ปีที่แล้ว +211

    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?

  • @studybuddy626
    @studybuddy626 4 ปีที่แล้ว +52

    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.

    • @bmasters1981
      @bmasters1981 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      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.

  • @Kaeph
    @Kaeph 3 ปีที่แล้ว +64

    He is reading A Court of Thorns and Roses... Uh, can he marry me?!

  • @ASMR-zg6nq
    @ASMR-zg6nq 4 ปีที่แล้ว +121

    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!

    • @ikigai999
      @ikigai999 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Me too

    • @exoticpash8823
      @exoticpash8823 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      So true!

    • @ender4344
      @ender4344 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yep lol

    • @zairnermuller4960
      @zairnermuller4960 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Why didn't you just skip to the final?

    • @hugoantunesartwithblender
      @hugoantunesartwithblender ปีที่แล้ว

      If you were close to your death, would you regret reading all those books and having fun with them. I doubt it

  • @valeriag9443
    @valeriag9443 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    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.

    • @shoegal
      @shoegal 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I agree. I definitely learned lessons on communication

  • @thunderstorms6886
    @thunderstorms6886 4 ปีที่แล้ว +61

    As someone currently pursuing a Master's degree in literature, I'm sad that this is even a question to other people 🙈

    • @feeshac1974
      @feeshac1974 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      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.

    • @Mimi-xi1bm
      @Mimi-xi1bm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      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

    • @juniorqindes8335
      @juniorqindes8335 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@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.

    • @juniorqindes8335
      @juniorqindes8335 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      .-. 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

    • @sophias8382
      @sophias8382 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@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

  • @kingo549
    @kingo549 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    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 💜✨🌺

  • @user-lo9vu8ok1m
    @user-lo9vu8ok1m 3 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    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

  • @sushs4192
    @sushs4192 4 ปีที่แล้ว +63

    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

    • @meathead919
      @meathead919 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Fiction readers have a better vocabulary than .. who exactly? Than people who don't read at all? Or people who primarily read non-fiction?

    • @viruchamp
      @viruchamp 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Bro science.

    • @Benjamin-ml7sv
      @Benjamin-ml7sv 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It's even harder with non fiction. Because there you can't understand whole pages sometimes if you don't know certain words.

    • @conversationcorner1837
      @conversationcorner1837 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Interesting.

  • @leoniegrosse9121
    @leoniegrosse9121 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    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!

    • @ayk4sh532
      @ayk4sh532 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Check out Daniel Greene's channel he's the best WOT TH-camr out there

  • @Pollymacho
    @Pollymacho 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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!

  • @hermie7872
    @hermie7872 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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! 👍🏻

  • @aryankinge2295
    @aryankinge2295 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

    Ali, a doctor : "Whatever that means"

  • @Guillaume-nw8pp
    @Guillaume-nw8pp 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Such a great idea to approach this question! Thank you for all the great content you are offering consistently :).

  • @sophiathephirst
    @sophiathephirst 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    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!

  • @xbabyxginx
    @xbabyxginx 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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.

  • @thomasreichhart5081
    @thomasreichhart5081 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    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? ;)

  • @madras-ponnu
    @madras-ponnu 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you as always for linking the papers. Geeked out!

  • @Slyyvie
    @Slyyvie 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    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! :)

  • @gsussb_
    @gsussb_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    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)

  • @bumbaclartboxing
    @bumbaclartboxing 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Ali, I’d love to see a list of every book you have ever read.

  • @jgardner404
    @jgardner404 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you, Dr Ali! I'll be using your insights in school to inspire the kids to read.

  • @lukejacobsdasilva2057
    @lukejacobsdasilva2057 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great video! Concise and full of non-biased information!

  • @s.h.y5259
    @s.h.y5259 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    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 😭

  • @chauswriting
    @chauswriting 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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.

  • @sairav6448
    @sairav6448 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you so much - that guilty feeling has been pestering me for the past few months and I needed this scientific study-oriented analysis!

    • @juniorqindes8335
      @juniorqindes8335 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Then why did you come here? .-. Where did you find it? I’d like to see it cause it’s no where to be found around here.

  • @ltotheop7512
    @ltotheop7512 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Ali, could you make a video on the best speed reading techniques and mindset? You’re the only one whose research I trust, and you always explain things in a way that makes them easy to understand. 🥺 Thanks

  • @AbroadonaBudget
    @AbroadonaBudget 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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.

  • @TheDentistryDiary
    @TheDentistryDiary 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    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 😁

  •  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

  • @theolacompagnon1261
    @theolacompagnon1261 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I needed this video 😂 I asked this myself too can relate 100% to everything you say

  • @SapnaKumari-fp2ut
    @SapnaKumari-fp2ut 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I am also a medical student. I practically live among fiction books and now I am proud to be a bibliophile.😍😍😍

  • @lechterred9519
    @lechterred9519 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    "Times you enjoy wasting, are not wasted"

    • @llliiilll3624
      @llliiilll3624 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      If you put anything into double quotes, does it become the truth? No. Try reading "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson.

  • @realpaatuhod
    @realpaatuhod 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Not even halfway through but I am loving this video! 🥰 (also I was trying to justify all the fiction I’ve been reading so this is great)

  • @emilyhllmn4
    @emilyhllmn4 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I absolutely loved Malorie Blackman’s noughts and crosses when I was around 12/13! I just read the second book in the series last weekend and am on the hunt for checkmate now😇😋

  • @matteo5399
    @matteo5399 3 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    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.

  • @PaladinofYeshua
    @PaladinofYeshua 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    You should check out the Dresden Files. Great series, sci-fi, wizardry detective, etc etc - great stuff!

  • @shaddjimenez4524
    @shaddjimenez4524 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    very informative and straightforward. 👍🏼

  • @soulfromgizeh3988
    @soulfromgizeh3988 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I find youre honesty so refreshing and brave! Respect you much!

  • @anonymous_246
    @anonymous_246 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    2:42 that wink, that damn wink where it all started

  • @surbhisawant3546
    @surbhisawant3546 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Off topic but this t-shirt really makes you glow

  • @unicornhorse1309
    @unicornhorse1309 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love this video! I feel less ashamed for enjoying fiction novels now. Thanks Ali!

  • @laurading7012
    @laurading7012 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I was literally wondering this question yesterday. So Thanks!

  • @sin3358
    @sin3358 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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!

  • @Joymwansa
    @Joymwansa 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    Ali: explaining why reading is good
    Me: "that ipad that I totally cannot afford is huuuuge"

  • @samdonelan6495
    @samdonelan6495 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi Ali. Great video thanks so much for keeping us entertained

  • @abcxyz2099
    @abcxyz2099 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    The world needed this video. Thanks Ali.

  • @danii5630
    @danii5630 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    When will you do another book review??? :) allready read Atomic Habits and The Unfair Advantage...

    • @eternity9691
      @eternity9691 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Whoaaa so quick

    • @100100freak
      @100100freak 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Was it worth it? Would you recommend it? What did you learn?

    • @danii5630
      @danii5630 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@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

    • @user-63451
      @user-63451 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      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.

  • @guy9486
    @guy9486 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Who else is missing the Monthly favorite series? 😭😭

  • @anikimfomana
    @anikimfomana 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great video, mate! I'm a Mexican English teacher and I'm going to use it for a class real soon.

  • @nurak3716
    @nurak3716 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It's my birthday today!! What a great video to begin my day!!

  • @cup1dcak3
    @cup1dcak3 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    One book recommendation : flowers for algernon

    • @Arlene001
      @Arlene001 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I second. That book was both highly insightful and engaging(and tearjerking).

  • @noor9396
    @noor9396 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    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!

  • @flowerinpink7315
    @flowerinpink7315 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow, you did a lot of research for a 5-minutes video. Thanks for summarizing it for us😀

  • @valerieramirez6446
    @valerieramirez6446 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I’ve been watching your videos and love them. They are very educational.

  • @rociofernandez1866
    @rociofernandez1866 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    I will send this to my mom when she tells me reading "The maze runer" for the fifth time is a waste of time.

    • @annacarrillo7405
      @annacarrillo7405 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      heck yea the maze runner rules!!!

    • @juniorqindes8335
      @juniorqindes8335 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      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.

    • @AngelR150
      @AngelR150 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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.

    • @juniorqindes8335
      @juniorqindes8335 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AngelR150 poop even though useful is still waste. So no, you are incorrect. There is an objective meaning.

    • @AngelR150
      @AngelR150 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      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.

  • @cutiepie4lyf674
    @cutiepie4lyf674 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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.

  • @kanyin5320
    @kanyin5320 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    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

  • @Tottie010
    @Tottie010 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love 'A court of thorns and roses'! I just ordered the 4th book today. I hope you're enjoying it!

  • @User-to7nb
    @User-to7nb 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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...

  • @ToomanyFrancis
    @ToomanyFrancis 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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.

  • @norahpinto8417
    @norahpinto8417 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Love the editing!! It makes the video more fun and interesting!

  • @manu_so
    @manu_so 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    thank u so much for this video. Im reading a lot of fiction and asked myself that question a lot. ❤️☁️

  • @evenessa
    @evenessa 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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.

  • @aaisharahman9883
    @aaisharahman9883 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    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

    • @melissataylor8996
      @melissataylor8996 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I saw ‘ACOTAR’ and couldn’t believe it!! I love that series and I’m dying waiting for the nessian book

    • @douloureux.
      @douloureux. 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Melissa Taylor omg i loved that series and didnt even know there was another book coming im so excited!

    • @siannlau5307
      @siannlau5307 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I saw acotar I had to do a double take and rewind

  • @steffie1106
    @steffie1106 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Alright then! I'm stocking up on my novels! lol! As usual your videos are awesome!
    Thanks for this Ali!
    - Lots of love from Singapore!

  • @snow5064
    @snow5064 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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.

  • @mernky3562
    @mernky3562 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    “Time you enjoy wasting was not time wasted” -John Lennon

  • @michaelperson4117
    @michaelperson4117 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I’ve learned much more from fiction books than books meant to change my life

  • @tanjawebster6751
    @tanjawebster6751 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This was very interesting, especially being a fiction/fantasy reader myself...btw if you like acotar series, throne of glass is even better!

  • @Parqaleeta
    @Parqaleeta 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    You're gonna love the Wheel of Time series. I have read it 4 times but it still amazes me with something new on each read

  • @ogusqiu6926
    @ogusqiu6926 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    This is a roundabout way of justifying reading Twighlight.

  • @prithvirajdj
    @prithvirajdj 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    What's the goal of being "productive"?
    Comment your thoughts..

    • @kryptoknight992
      @kryptoknight992 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      To be productive is not the goal, to achieve your goals, you try to be productive.

    • @huck6453
      @huck6453 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not living in your parents' basement without a job?

    • @nathantyrell4898
      @nathantyrell4898 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Not ending up homeless through continues negative decisions?

    • @everlastingideas8625
      @everlastingideas8625 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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.

    • @ohohnenyeoo2654
      @ohohnenyeoo2654 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Wissale Ch true

  • @ak-hj4xw
    @ak-hj4xw 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    YESSSSSS YOURE READING ACOTAR!!! I can’t WAIT for you to start on the second book!!!

  • @samhitak6216
    @samhitak6216 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Brilliant content in such limited time!

  • @daniyalfake9439
    @daniyalfake9439 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    If reading fiction is a waste of time, then congrats to me I have wasted my whole life

    • @ameaity
      @ameaity 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Honestly same

  • @eternity9691
    @eternity9691 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    others : reads fictions, watches this
    me : watches this, reads fiction

    • @Benjamin-ml7sv
      @Benjamin-ml7sv 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      If you are reading fiction because of this video, I can tell you that there are more productive things to do instead.

  • @AnNguyen-oz6qw
    @AnNguyen-oz6qw 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    So the vid came back after all, I was watching it half an hour ago then it suddenly disappeared. Thanks for doing the research about this for us Ali.

  • @fufiefilms
    @fufiefilms 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love your taste in books!!! I would not have guessed