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Does Reading Fiction Make You a Better Person?

As a literate society, the idea that reading fiction makes us better people is ingrained in us. However, even if reading fiction makes us more empathetic people, the relationship between empathy and action has been the subject of debate in the academic community.

Less Empathy, More Kindness

You are likely familiar with the idea that you can feel too much of the suffering of others. This is sometimes called “burnout,” a word that was coined in the 1970s. But it’s not a new insight; the idea has many origins, including, to my surprise, in Buddhist theology. I first learned this from a discussion I had with Matthieu…