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Warning: This topic may cause thinking. Avoid on weekends.
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Cyberpumpkin
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:06 am    Post subject: Re: Warning: This topic may cause thinking. Avoid on weeken Reply with quote

THE Moosed wrote:
A question I was asked at an interview for a college writing program which is to take place over the summer:

What would you say if someone told you that fiction writing was unimportant?


If someone asked me that, I'd answer honestly: "A lot of it sure is," because there's a lot of complete schlock that gets end-cap exposure.

My respect for that person as a thinker would probably drop, somewhat unless they were joking, since saying that is a mixture of absurd and tedious. Absurd because human beings naturally create fiction and narrative.

Tedious because if you took them up on the argument, they'd go the old "Well a person wouldn't die without fiction writing! Right? Right? I'm right, huh! A human being could live without fiction so therefore it's not important! Ooooh, I'm so right!"

That would be right, if "important" meant the same thing as "necessary for biological survival". If that's what your argument boils down to, then yes, you're right, but you've turned the question from a somewhat interesting (to some people) one about aesthetic philosophy into an idiotic one about human physiology.

EDIT: Nice work, guys. You know who you are.
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Rocky Sullivan
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fiction is best whence inspired by history.
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THE Moosed
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I guess I'll post what my answer was. Even though it's not as deep and philosophical as Cyberpumpkins. XD


Fiction writing is a good for persuasion and innovation. Novels like To Kill A Mockingbird and Fahrenheit 451 are powerful because they make people think about the issues they both address.

To Kill A Mockingbird addresses the issue of racism and holds between the lines some powerful arguments against it- even if racism isn't a big deal today.

Fahrenheit 451 talks about where our technology is taking us and what the future will be like if humanity keeps relying on technology like we do. The book was written fifty years ago, and it's interesting and somewhat scary to see all of what the author predicted that actually came true.

If you think about it, both novels both gave their arguments in more powerful ways than just giving a speech.



Of course, that's not the only reason I think fiction writing is important- I also think it’s good for innovation and entertainment. But I believe at the interview they told me to only give one reason. And I don’t feel like thinking now.

And if you’re wondering what I’m doing posting at noon on a Wednesday, I have a fever of 102.2 and my head’s about to explode. So I’m not at school.
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Tsuta
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Feel better, Moosed. Being sick is no fun.

And nice response. Was it supposed to be short or long, though?
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THE Moosed
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just went with long to be safe. Smile
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Mavhunter
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awww. Poor Julie! Feel better. And awesome points.
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Its_The_Sneak!!!
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

well, innovation maybe, but I don't think entertainment is important.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its_The_Sneak!!! wrote:
well, innovation maybe, but I don't think entertainment is important.

Tell that to Roman emperors. To keep the Romans peaceful and not-revolt-y, the Colosseum was built to keep the people entertained. Plus, it generated revenue, gave the people something fun and exciting to do (not much in ancient Rome), and was a way to deal with slaves, prisoners, etc. (which also entertained people) by using exotic animals.

It's huge, ITS. It's bigger than you even KNOW. It blows your FREAKIN MIND.
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Its_The_Sneak!!!
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...
yeah, entertainment is big, but I don't think it's important.
And I LIVE on entertainment.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

that's a hell of a generalization, its.

i mean, are we talking all entertainment, anything entertaining, or just movies and art?
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Cyberpumpkin
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ITS, do you have a secret interpretation for the word "important" that you'd like to share?
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't read all of this thread but I do see that there might be a couple of points of contention.

In just media absoprtion, it's not so much the work that really matters (though this is just in the act of reading, I'm talking about) but the individual's reaction, methinks. If no one reads fiction or is too illiterate to understand what it's saying you can't walk away with any message or reaction, and then whoever wrote it has their worked rendered useless. But if you read it and get something from it, then you're good to go, and it's not actually meaningless, I guess.

Sorry if that came out terribly, but I usually associate the humanities with a lot of bullshit and that's one skill I sorely lack. I love to read, haven't done a lot of it lately, and I do like the messages that a lot of these books have, but discussing them is another story.

I'm at school... plagiarizing outlines... probably spelled that incorrectly.
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Its_The_Sneak!!!
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cyberpumpkin wrote:
ITS, do you have a secret interpretation for the word "important" that you'd like to share?
it's not secret... importance is relative. I'm trying to see the hypothetical person from his point of view... he's probably a nihilist.

And if something isn't important, that doesn't mean it's bad or meaningless.
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DJ The Stick
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I enjoy fiction. Good, thought provoking books like the one I just finished I, Robot are really nice to relax with in the evening.

-DJ
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Cyberpumpkin
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its_The_Sneak!!! wrote:
Cyberpumpkin wrote:
ITS, do you have a secret interpretation for the word "important" that you'd like to share?
it's not secret... importance is relative. I'm trying to see the hypothetical person from his point of view... he's probably a nihilist.

And if something isn't important, that doesn't mean it's bad or meaningless.


In that case, fiction is not important1 but it's very important2.
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