Now that we have already covered just how popular fantasy is, and why it is popular, there is an additional thing we need to discover.
As I read through the research for those articles, I could not help noticing something. It seemed as if people have some reluctance to indulge in their fantasy desires. Firstly, many people seem guilty to read fantasy.
Some feel they are too old, while others feel that their religious beliefs may hold them back. Finally, others have no guilt, but they just aren’t sure what benefits they will receive from fantasy.
So. Should you read fantasy?
You should read fantasy, because there is nothing wrong with reading fantasy. Its fine if you are above the expected age, because the majority of fantasy readers are adults.
Secondly, its fine if you are Christian because the most popular fantasy series tend to have Christian undertones/inspirations in the first place. Finally, you should read fantasy because fantasy has a number of physical benefits for your life.
Fantasy increase your cognitive capacity, allowing you to think in new and creative ways, while also providing exercises that train your mind to grow accustomed to the sorts of cognitive strains.
Additionally, it lifts your mood, and as a consequence, could not only improve your health, but also improve your productivity, thus improving your ability to compete in life/business/school.
Admittedly, these are extremely boisterous claims.
However, I have seen a lot of studies that back these points up, so if you find you are still unconvinced, here is the additional information that expands on each of these points.
Is It Ok For Adults to Read Fantasy?
It is Ok for adults to read fantasy. A lot of studies and surveys done found that the majority of fantasy readers tend to be adults any way.
A study conducted by fantasy-hive found that the typical fantasy reader was a woman in her 60s, who reads books in paperback and on her tablet. or maybe on an ereader.
This may be surprising to learn, but the typical expectations are met with the other part of the study. This is the part of the study that discovered that the typical reader of this genre could also be a man in his 20s who reads his books on his smartphone, or in paperback.
But of course, a single study was not enough, so I went looking for another.
Tinadubinsky also conducted a survey to track the desires of their readers.
However, instead of focusing on the gender of the readers, this time they tried to gage the age of the readers. What they found is that 53.1% were over 40 years of, 36.7% were 26 to 40 years old, and 8.2% were 18 to 25 years old.
In total, that would mean 98% of the SSF consumers were people over 18 years old. Thus, they were adults. But this study was a university centric study.
My favorite study on the subject is the next one.
A research paper from James Cook University did a study in science fiction, and fantasy.
The paper is a collection of multiple papers that were done throughout the years that detail the demographics of fantasy readers, going back to the 1900s. This way, we get to observe the shift, and change of fantasy readers demographics with the progress of society and technology.
This paper shows that the modern age of readers were in their late 20s, with the mean age being about 42.3 years. Also, they found that most readers say that they discovered their love for fantasy at around 15 years of age.
Is It Ok For Christian to Read Fantasy?
It is Ok for Christians to read fantasy. After all, some of the most popular fantasy books are Christian inspired fantasy books.
With how prevalent talks of demons, and monsters tend to be in fantasy books, it is not uncommon for Christians to believe that fantasy books somehow condone these things, or wish them into the world.
However, if you’ve ever read any fantasy book, you will know that by the end of the story, usually the demon or dark king is defeated. The stories are more so a celebration of the defeat of evil, than the celebration of evil itself.
If you find you are still convinced, just look at how many popular fantasy books are Christian inspired.
The most popular is “Lord Of The Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien. Then, you have “The lion, The witch, and The Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis. Finally, we have a more surprising entry into the list, and that would be J. K. Rowling, and the Harry Potter Series. Knowing of the controversy of Harry Potter in the past, it is easy for people to mistakenly think this story is none Christian.
But it is, and the author has spoken at length about it. However, if you remain unconvinced, there is a lot of books you could get that delve deep into the symbolisms in the story that show its Christian heritage.
9 Reasons to Read Fantasy
1. Fantasy helps increase your imagination
It books will help you increase your imagination if you read them.
This is the most obvious advantage of fantasy.
As I often mention, with all the sorts of literature out there, fantasy, and maybe sci-fi, are the two that delve deep into imaginative spaces. These stories create entirely new world, and exotic spaces that require you to stretch your mind to understand. And because you wish to enjoy the story, you do it.
In this way, fantasy helps you increase your ability to imagine things.
2. It helps increase optimism/boldness
“SPIDERMAN FALLS ON HIS FACE VIDEO”
Fantasy allows you to increase your optimism, or boldness.
Another common feature of fantasy is the simplicity of the stakes. There is one bad guy, who is overwhelmingly powerful, and we watch as our unlikely hero not only climbs the ladders, but eventually overcomes the villain.
This kind of input allows you to be bolder in life, and take more risks.
3. Fantasy helps increase world thirst
It allows your to increase your thirst for adventure, and your curiosity for adventure.
When you read about new lands that are inspired by some places that are apparently real, you can’t help but wish to see the place. Or when you read about a group of people inspired by real people, you become curious about those people in the real world.
Reading fantasy allows you to be comfortable living your life with no cognitive closure.
4. It allows you to have proper idly posture
Fantasy allows you to be able to rest easier, thus relieving your mind so you can rest well for tomorrows mental strain.
There is something known as the Zeigarnik effect.
Basically, when you are working on something, and you put it aside without completing it, the work stays in your mind for the rest of your day. Thus, your mind remains working. And when you get back to work on the thing the following day, your brain is strained and unable to continue.
The are a number of ways to break this effect, but the simplest is to start readin fantasy stories. When your mind is taken to another world, where you can loiter around unfocused, you will find yourself relaxing.
After all, reading is as relaxing as having a hot cup of coffee.
5. It helps you connect you to virtuous themes
Fantasy allows you to become a more virtuous person.
This one is a bit more personal. One of the things that I found use to confuse me a lot about fantasy was the honor of the knights.
I personal could not understand why they never did what had to be done, in spite of how people may feel or think about them. But the more I behave like that in my life, the more complicated it got. But the more I started living life in a way more reminiscent to a knights, the more I started seeing it fall into place.
In short, go buy a 3000 dollar armor, and start cutting lizards at the streets. It puts the universe into perspective.
6. Fantasy allows you to be more sympathetic
It increases your EQ, and you may become a better person.
This was better expanded upon in this article.
7. Fantasy improves your literacy tolerance
It increases your literacy tolerance.
When you begin reading as a child, you may find that you can barely finish a 20 page book. But when you are an adult fantasy reader, you are often used to finishing 2000 paged books.
This is because you are reading something that you are actually interested in seeing its conclusion, which is one of the massive benefits of fantasy. Soon, you’ll find you are comfortable reading mountains and mountains of books, even none fantasy ones.
8. It improves problem solving skills
Fantasy also improves general problem solving skills.
There is a phenomenon in psychology known as cognitive closure.
This is explained as the human desire to eliminate ambiguity and reach closure. The article on referenced earlier goes into details. It speaks of how there are two types of people. There are people who are comfortable living with no cognitive closure, and people who can’t bare living with no cognitive closure.
It was shown that people who read more tend to be exposed to a variety of characters, who experience complex situations. As a result, these people have to read the whole book before they can find closure to the character’s situation. Thus, they train their ability to tolerate living with no cognitive closure.
Those who master living with cognitive closure can better tolerate dealing with problems, and as a result, fantasy improves people’s problem solving skills.
9. It improves your concentration skills
Fantasy also improves your a bility to concentrate
This one must be the easiest to understand. If you are reading thousands of pages every few weeks, than your ability to pay attention also increases. It’s also worth noting that the attention span of humans has fallen to 8 seconds due to all the media we are consuming. Being able to concentrate on a single thing is nothing short of a super power in the modern day era.
Consider yourself a sort of superhero then. Once you can do that easily, you will be that much closer to mastering mastery.