Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"... Do Conservatives read as much fiction as Liberals?"
(1) I have no idea. I guess conservatives will answer and some small scale data can be collected, for what its worth.
(2) I'm not a self-described conservative, but I'll answer anyway because I'm happy to play into a situation which I suspect will be used (by whomever) in the future as proof that Group X is clearly anti-intellectual, and they will offer up proof of this in some future thread by scanning back into the old threads and linking to this one..... and they will say to everyone, "See, see.... look at all those fiction haters. No wonder they are anti-intellectual, and so this almost certainly explains why they want to shut down public education!", or whatever other similar bizarre deduction one might make in relation to persons not liking fiction.
And my answer is that I rather dislike fiction, bordering on despising fiction. All the more so when it is in book form, which I think is a complete waste of time. If the world had never had so much as one fiction book written, I would not shed so much as one tear over that fact, and think the world might in some ways be better off for it.
The last time I read a fiction book was in school. I will no longer read fiction of my own volition (though I will confess I was tempted to once or twice, because there was a certain book I thought might be interesting.... but after thinking about it for many years I decided I will not succumb to that temptation by reading trash [whereas by "trash" I mean ALL fiction].)
If it's not a book on mathematics, science, engineering, law, medicine, history, or even any number of usable books on myriad 'trades' or hobbies, etc... then I have very little use for it.
To the extent that fiction books can sometimes be used to "spark the imagination" so as to promote a certain idea... one of the most common claims I hear in support of the so-called value of fiction, I say B.F.D. You can accomplish the same goal by writing a more direct book, with far less fictional elements and less fictional diversion, if that is your goal. All of the distracting plots and subplots of fiction simply waste the time of the reader/viewer, as if the writer had some idea that he wanted to convey, he could do so in a more efficient manner by simply getting to the point, and dispense who the format of conveying an idea in "storybook" format [which I liken to a format for children].
Fiction I can tolerate in the context of entertainment, but nobody is going to ever sell me on the idea that it should be viewed as a good vehicle for education.
-----------------
So there we go, "proof" that libertarians are radically anti-education, they want to send teachers to concentration camps, they want to outlaw liberal arts, they hate literature, they would purge fiction books from the world because they are anti-intellectual, or whatever political point might be the ulterior motive of this thread.
And if no real pretext was meant by this thread.... well..... I really do hate fiction, and it wasn't just hyperbole.
In defense of fiction, I will say that reading those super thick Tom Clancy novels early in my life helped me to become fluent in English. THough I have to say, fictional books are better for your brain than television. At least with fiction books, your mind is working, whereas TV is just mindless
What genre you looking at? Historical fiction? Fiction in general?
Says the "old" pot to the "new" kettle.
Oh, please, interpretation of literature is always subjective, and I am using the term "literature" rather loosely here, based on what I am seeing of the benchmark of the subject by the posters.
"... Do Conservatives read as much fiction as Liberals?"
(1) I have no idea. I guess conservatives will answer and some small scale data can be collected, for what its worth.
(2) I'm not a self-described conservative, but I'll answer anyway because I'm happy to play into a situation which I suspect will be used (by whomever) in the future as proof that Group X is clearly anti-intellectual, and they will offer up proof of this in some future thread by scanning back into the old threads and linking to this one..... and they will say to everyone, "See, see.... look at all those fiction haters. No wonder they are anti-intellectual, and so this almost certainly explains why they want to shut down public education!", or whatever other similar bizarre deduction one might make in relation to persons not liking fiction.
And my answer is that I rather dislike fiction, bordering on despising fiction. All the more so when it is in book form, which I think is a complete waste of time. If the world had never had so much as one fiction book written, I would not shed so much as one tear over that fact, and think the world might in some ways be better off for it.
The last time I read a fiction book was in school. I will no longer read fiction of my own volition (though I will confess I was tempted to once or twice, because there was a certain book I thought might be interesting.... but after thinking about it for many years I decided I will not succumb to that temptation by reading trash [whereas by "trash" I mean ALL fiction].)
If it's not a book on mathematics, science, engineering, law, medicine, history, or even any number of usable books on myriad 'trades' or hobbies, etc... then I have very little use for it.
To the extent that fiction books can sometimes be used to "spark the imagination" so as to promote a certain idea... one of the most common claims I hear in support of the so-called value of fiction, I say B.F.D. You can accomplish the same goal by writing a more direct book, with far less fictional elements and less fictional diversion, if that is your goal. All of the distracting plots and subplots of fiction simply waste the time of the reader/viewer, as if the writer had some idea that he wanted to convey, he could do so in a more efficient manner by simply getting to the point, and dispense who the format of conveying an idea in "storybook" format [which I liken to a format for children].
Fiction I can tolerate in the context of entertainment, but nobody is going to ever sell me on the idea that it should be viewed as a good vehicle for education.
-----------------
So there we go, "proof" that libertarians are radically anti-education, they want to send teachers to concentration camps, they want to outlaw liberal arts, they hate literature, they would purge fiction books from the world because they are anti-intellectual, or whatever political point might be the ulterior motive of this thread. And if no real pretext was meant by this thread.... well..... I really do hate fiction, and it wasn't just hyperbole.
I suspect I won't be disappointed if in five months time, somebody dredges this thread up and tries to link persons disliking fiction with all manner of political positions. For example, they will say that this thread shows Group X tends to hate fiction, therefore they are __fill_in_the_blank__ (my bet is on the buzzword "anti-intellectual"), and this will then be offered as "proof" that the mean, nasty, bad guy fiction haters want to __insert_some_random_political_diatribe__ (e.g. "this is proof that they hate teachers," "..that they hate public education"... "that they hate all education," etc...)
I guess you don't watch tv either.
Why are you so worried about how your post is going to be "seen" tomorrow or 50 years from now?
Quote:
If it's not a book on mathematics, science, engineering, law, medicine, history, or even any number of usable books on myriad 'trades' or hobbies, etc... then I have very little use for it.
Right. Because you are a mathematician, scientist, engineer, lawyer, MD, historian... all wrapped up in one and in your free time.
Liberal Ideology is a work of fiction. It's not real, it doesn't work, and it never will work in the harmonious, utopic fashion that your choice of reading material tries to convince you.
Liberal Ideology is a work of fiction. It's not real, it doesn't work, and it never will work in the harmonious, utopic fashion that your choice of reading material tries to convince you.
Why are you so worried about how your post is going to be "seen" tomorrow or 50 years from now?
Anyone that reads forums long enough (though it arguably does not take long at all) begins to find a certain level of amusement in the way certain things are predictable and formulaic. Discussion forums have always had that quality. This discussion is no different. Give it enough time and somebody will almost certainly exploit the topic to try to draw a nonsensical political conclusion offered up as proof based on peoples reading preferences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sawdustmaker
Right. Because you are a mathematician, scientist, engineer, lawyer, MD, historian... all wrapped up in one and in your free time. Jack of all, master of none?
Are you lashing out with irrational comments simply because I disparaged fiction? Shall I turn that pointless question around by inquiring along the same lines about what phantasmagorical mastery the many legions of fiction enthusiasts have acquired by reading lots of that genre by many authors? Shall I sarcastically ask what use there is in being a "Jack of All Fiction?" After all, if you can ask that question of non-fiction enthusiast, then so too can I ask that question in return of fiction enthusiasts. What's good for the goose, is good for the gander.
Reading large amounts of fiction does not necessarily make one a master of fiction any more so than reading large amounts of non-fiction makes one a master of those subjects. But between the two, which is the more knowledgeable individual in theoretical and applied matters (and is a genuine mastery of one or more subjects even really the desired goal - and if so, how loosely or tightly does one 'use' or 'abuse' the word 'mastery'). To even seriously entertain the question as to which of the two groups have a more useful knowledge base, on average, would simply be an exercise in dishonesty (dishonest to others, but worse, to oneself).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sawdustmaker
I guess you don't watch tv either.
Already stated before that I understand peoples desire to be entertained (and yes, that obviously includes fiction books, not just television and movies). Most television programs in the United States are entertainment oriented. A notable difference between entertainment television programs and reading fiction books for entertainment, is that people often don't delude themselves into thinking that they are doing some great benefit to themselves when they watch television. They know its entertainment, first and foremost, and they accept it as such.
So long as nobody tries to over-sell fiction as the better vehicle for education, then I'm accepting enough to understand that people often desire some kind of "creative outlet" to keep from snapping from whatever mental stresses they find in life.
Last edited by FreedomThroughAnarchism; 07-18-2011 at 01:41 AM..
My favorite two writers are Grisham and King, both of which tend to have a more liberal slant. I have read everything that they have written. I was trying to think of anything that I have read that had right a leaning side to it. The only thing that I could think of was Atlas Shrugged, although it was not very well written.
Do Conservatives read much fiction or do they just listen to talk radio all of the time?
Do you assume that anyone who's opinion is different from yours has never read what you have read? I read a lot. I also understand that fiction is fiction. I've always suspected, and there is quite a bit of hard data to support my suspicion, that many Liberals have difficulty distinguishing fiction from reality.
Someone once said, "Liberals dream up magical worlds in their minds and then pretend they live in there." ... or something to that effect.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
