There have been so many actual studies done on how reading fiction actually DOES improve empathy, so we probably do have that to thank!
There's this tendency I've noticed on the Internet-- and when I feel myself getting worked up it's a good sign I've been on the Internet too long-- of well-intentioned Awareness sort of things, where people feel the need to point out every instance of Something Not Right, but never offering solutions or acknowledging progress. Drives me crazy because I know their hearts are in the right place (most of the time-- sometimes people are just trolls), but it's just such a NEGATIVE way of looking at issues. I think it can even be counterproductive, because you get like, "oh, look, females are still underrepresented in movies, I guess since this problem keeps going on then it can never be fixed." OH! And people wonder where the "that's just the way it is" attitudes come from. They come from constantly being informed of a problem without being shown any solutions.
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chiming
Re: Love this!
Date: 2014-03-17 12:56 pm (UTC)From:There have been so many actual studies done on how reading fiction actually DOES improve empathy, so we probably do have that to thank!
There's this tendency I've noticed on the Internet-- and when I feel myself getting worked up it's a good sign I've been on the Internet too long-- of well-intentioned Awareness sort of things, where people feel the need to point out every instance of Something Not Right, but never offering solutions or acknowledging progress. Drives me crazy because I know their hearts are in the right place (most of the time-- sometimes people are just trolls), but it's just such a NEGATIVE way of looking at issues. I think it can even be counterproductive, because you get like, "oh, look, females are still underrepresented in movies, I guess since this problem keeps going on then it can never be fixed." OH! And people wonder where the "that's just the way it is" attitudes come from. They come from constantly being informed of a problem without being shown any solutions.