Want To Read Others' Thoughts? Try Reading Literary Fiction
I was really surprised to see how relevant this story was to my current train of thought. He suggested that I listen to the story and substitute "books" for "architecture." The bit referred to a study that has been performed, studying the effect of reading on people's perceptions of other people and their emotions and thoughts. Participants that read a piece of literary fiction (rather than popular fiction) were much more likely to "read" people correctly.
In one portion of the clip, Raymond Mar states that there used to be a stereotype that reading is a solitary activity, but in reality, readers are imagining themselves in a social environment. But interacting in the real world is very different from an imagined interaction.
I think that architecture is a wonderful bridge between these two ideas. Literary fiction leaves it to the reader to interpret this fantasy. Architecture can do the same thing. Themed architecture doesn't have to hit you over the head. Architects can create "literary" spaces, not just "popular" spaces.
Fiction allows people to imagine themselves in a world, manufacturing a social feeling. Architecture can bring people together through a shared experience. The experience may mean something different to every person that utilizes the space, but they are free to interpret it and grow from it however they please.
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