When I tell people that I read everyday they are shocked, when do I find the time?! Between classes, and clubs, and exercise how is it that I can read every single day?? The truth is that many college students read everyday. We read content, slides, and subtitles all the time. While some may argue
this is trivial, we read captions, stop signs, and if you’re like me you read that entire news post that they put in the bathroom by the toilet that says “spreading news one flush at a time.” People often argue that this type of reading ‘does not count’ which, after after careful consideration, I found the underlying argument to be between deciding which type of reading is more important.
For simplicity’s sake lets consider the two over arching genre’s of the reading world, fiction versus nonfiction. Both have their own incredible contributions to the reader and both have what I perceive as drawbacks. Nonfiction reading provides an incredible wealth of knowledge and can be one of the most effective forms of learning. On the other hand nonfiction reading often lacks the wonderful stories and plot lines that draw in the reader of fiction writing.
Let us again consider the billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates. According to an article on his reading habits Bill Gates has only read 17 novels in the last 8 years. This may seem like a lot but this is coming from the man who has also recommended 17 nonfiction books from on author alone in the same time-frame. The article starts to pick apart this habit and criticize his lack of exposure to literary fiction arguing the benefits of literary fiction. They say, “Literary fiction, which tends to focus on the psychology of individuals, provides a window into the inner lives of strangers in other times and places. It’s this preoccupation with sensation and thought that makes the form a powerful tool for developing empathy.”
Now I do not know about you but I certainly do not feel like I am in a position to criticize one of the most successful men in the world but their arguments do have merit. Fiction does have an ability to teach moral lessons through stories that nonfiction simply cannot compare to.
That being said the Institute for Writers raises a fair argument in the defense of nonfiction. They argue that in the age of endless information there should be exceptional value placed on solid facts and information.
Personally, I find both fiction and nonfiction to be valuable in their own ways. Fiction teaches me morale lessons through the actions of characters and plot. Nonfiction keeps my mind sharp with facts and research. Perhaps this insight will open your eyes to “both sides of the isle” and the literary world can move on in peace.
Wow! I would’ve never believed someone if they told me Bill Gates has only read 17 nonfiction books in the past decade. I think there’s a beautiful harmony in having both nonfiction and fiction reading in such a large abundance in the 21st century. I completely agree with the sentiment that fiction is a psychological analysis in some regards. By nature, what we write is an offshoot of what we may be thinking below the surface which makes empathy so much stronger through the reading of books.
This was very diplomatic; I, too, believe that both types of literature have their merits (though I can’t remember the last time I willingly read a work of nonfiction). There should be no arguments over “superiority” or “value” or “importance”; while not all writing is of the same caliber, time spent reading is always time well spent.