Now that you know the importance of fiction...
What are you supposed to do about it?
Libraries are closing not only across the country, but all over the world. Fiction is being marginalized by middle schools, high schools, and in universities. The question that government officials ask regarding fiction isn't "How do we get children to read?" but rather, "Should we try to keep them from reading certain things, and if so, how?".
Given all this, it must be easy to assume that I'd ask you to do some vital thing in order to turn this around. And you'd be right.
Are you ready?
Enjoy fiction. Take pride in enjoying it. Let others see you enjoying it, unashamedly. Don't make excuses for it. Don't belittle it. And don't stand for others belittling it. Stand up for fiction. It is this uncomfortable silence after someone has called fiction "frivolous" or "immature"--it is these halfhearted attempts at defending it, as if with hidden shame, rather than pride--that we quicken the startling rejection of fiction that our society seems to be clambering toward.
One more thing. When you have the time, visit a library. Borrow a book (or three). Libraries are exactly as magical as you remember them to be, I can assure you.
Given all this, it must be easy to assume that I'd ask you to do some vital thing in order to turn this around. And you'd be right.
Are you ready?
Enjoy fiction. Take pride in enjoying it. Let others see you enjoying it, unashamedly. Don't make excuses for it. Don't belittle it. And don't stand for others belittling it. Stand up for fiction. It is this uncomfortable silence after someone has called fiction "frivolous" or "immature"--it is these halfhearted attempts at defending it, as if with hidden shame, rather than pride--that we quicken the startling rejection of fiction that our society seems to be clambering toward.
One more thing. When you have the time, visit a library. Borrow a book (or three). Libraries are exactly as magical as you remember them to be, I can assure you.