How literature can help us develop empathy | Beth Ann Fennelly | TEDxUniversityofMississippi

Reading fiction can educate us emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, says Beth Ann Fennelly, creative writing professor and poet laureate of Mississippi. She makes the case for why we humans — and the world — continue to need literature.

[abderrazzakcharaka]

For me, reading means living and experiencing another person's life, and escaping my reality

[robertwhitehead]

Hi Beth Ann, a very well done Ted Talk. So very true! If you read polls, you'll find that when asked "What was the last book you read?" Most people have to say, "the Bible"; which is not a bad thing, just a bit of a cop-out.
Reading is fundamental, to borrow a phrase.

[Verticom]

Ive been lovin The Ranger's Apprentice lately. Book 9 now.

[trapid]

The paradox with empathy is, if you want to have it you already have it.

[Kate-fzrp]

Woah I just identified the amygdala on an fMRI...guess that neuro class taught me something

[diegotv]

Who else is here from a boring English essay?

[arulfrancis]

"medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

- DEAD POET'S SOCIETY.

[arulfrancis]

"READING LITERATURE, HELPS US READ THE ROOM " !!! Whoa.

[McFraneth]

You live multiple lives when you read. I've manned the barricades in Paris, hidden from hired assassins in Seville, kidnapped a tourist in Florida, danced with an officer in Moscow...

[emilymann]

"We read to know we are not alone."

[arulfrancis]

She has an exceptionally clear pronunciation. My money is on her habit of reading !

[.Koreans.American]

I can tell that if I don’t read for a long time, I can feel that my reading skill decreases tremendously.

[ephraimkihahu]

Go home, turn OFF the phone and turn ON the Novel. I absolutely love it.

[manigupta]

It's amazing how you read a book and leave your surroundings. One of the best feelings in the world..!

[tolqar]

I should thank my mom for showing me the joy of reading from an early age

[scottstedman]

Beth Ann is a national treasure. A deeply important voice in America, whose wisdom becomes more relevant in weird times.

[swayampurnaa]

When you have a book and 1000 of work, read a book and it would become 1000 of opportunities

[Armz]

I think it depends on the quality of literature and level of literacy.

sadly, one of the most empathy impaired people who bullied me were into local literature, one of them is actually a self proclaimed poet himself.. i think this might be due to the literature that they read in my mother tongue are mostly shallow love stories, drama driven and lack good values to take home. They can't read English and view people who does as not part of their people, at least the demented ones.

[Talkinglife]

The mind reading we do when we think about a character educates our emotional intelligence...
Reading the mind in the eyes test

Reading literature makes us more empathetic

Reading improves our social awareness

[ValterKuechel]

I think that literature and art in general are a way of connecting ourselves to something that unites all humanity. I'm not particularly spiritual, but there's something to art that makes me question myself and wonder if there's something higher that we can reach