When our social skills are refined through reading habits.
A while ago... OK, a long while ago, I stumbled upon an article in Scientific American about a study conducted on empathy and literature. To summarize the study, findings showed that reading literary fiction can raise one's empathy and social skills by helping us understand the psych different kind of people.
These books usually have us dealing through the character's life and wondering what would we do in their place. As we read more on these kind of situations we begin to sympathize with the character and eventually understand their choices. Following this I began to wonder, does this happen to others as well?
Once I was talking with an old colleague, he was telling me about how he needs more time to pursue his dream and like this he would not have enough time to practice his skills. I am no where near his kind of world, and yet I added, "you also need time to apply for auditions and endless rehearsals". He thanked me with "you understand!" I apologized for being so forward though I know nothing about what he does, and told him it comes from reading a lot of life situations and understanding the complexities of them. Ever since then I realize the value of reading and how it has helped me become a more understanding and forgiving person. It has helped me see a wider range of people and places that otherwise I would have not.
These books usually have us dealing through the character's life and wondering what would we do in their place. As we read more on these kind of situations we begin to sympathize with the character and eventually understand their choices. Following this I began to wonder, does this happen to others as well?
Once I was talking with an old colleague, he was telling me about how he needs more time to pursue his dream and like this he would not have enough time to practice his skills. I am no where near his kind of world, and yet I added, "you also need time to apply for auditions and endless rehearsals". He thanked me with "you understand!" I apologized for being so forward though I know nothing about what he does, and told him it comes from reading a lot of life situations and understanding the complexities of them. Ever since then I realize the value of reading and how it has helped me become a more understanding and forgiving person. It has helped me see a wider range of people and places that otherwise I would have not.
