I have to give a lecture tomorrow on the importance of reading #literature for any professional. Do you guys have any thoughts on that?
@luisa Ooooh, yes-- there's research that demonstrates that reading fiction increases the capacity for empathy and the ability to innovate.
@SuzanEraslan true! and that can only be good in all aspects, right?
@luisa I mean, I think so... Depending on what the profession is, either or both of them are critical. It's also apparently good at giving the brain a rest from logical-only thinking, so it's essentially taking a bath (in the Archimedes sense). It helps you solve problems by keeping you from focusing on the problem, thus giving the mind the break it needs to solve the problem.
@SuzanEraslan thanks for commenting the subject :) I think you are right and it is an underrated kind of knowledge because it is a difficult one to measure or to perceive objectively. and the irony is that literature is important to decrease our dependence on (supposedly) purely objective views of the world
@luisa I mean, I majored in dramatic literature, so I'm all about how important it is-- and it's a constant battle to convince people that both literature and theatre are actually important despite their seeming lack of contribution to productivity. Here's a few articles for reference:
@luisa Who is your audience for the lecture, if you don't mind my asking?
@luisa https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/07/22/does-reading-fiction-make-you-a-better-person/?utm_term=.bbd1c4b89c51