/lit/ - Literature

>implying anything means anything
plen

To increase the understanding by bringing new view points and ideas to the reader. But literature is just philosophical ideas dressed up in narrative, so it will always be inferior for self-improvement.

>>6724442
What is the main goal of art? Is there a goal?

>>6724489
art seems to have more of a purpose than life

>>6724460
so what's the best alternative, literature-hater?

>>6724495
he wants you to read self-help books or worship a god

one or the other

>>6724495
Proper philosophy.

>literature-hater
I love literature.

>>6724489
Depends on the piece of art you dip

>>6724442
Literature is at best a gripping commentary on the human condition. This is its main goal, and wether or not the reader benefits from this, should be irrelevant.

>>6724442
Any work that aims to be more than simple entertainment will make a case for seeing the world a certain way.

As far as the benefit to the individual and society, we use art to gain insight into other people, places and times in history through what is essentially a refined sort of empathy. You can do as you please with the information so gathered. A very powerful man I know studied Classics and Art History before going into finance. He used that knowledge to set himself on a course to power and great wealth, but it can be used to guide on the way to any number of goals.

>>6724520
Why not just work?

>>6724658
What do you even mean? As in why not work for wages full time instead of studying at a university when you're young? Why not work every hour of every day instead of reading sometimes?

To either of those, I'd say because your immediate surroundings are unlikely to provide all the perspective and information you need. If you want to be rich, then university for at least some time is pretty much a requirement (no, your contractor uncle who also has a couple of subway franchises is not rich).

>>6724696
Do you believe that people like John Rockefeller, Astor, Rothischilds were all Bachellor of Arts?

>>6724511
Agreed.

>>6724755
Shit changes. All the old money people currently alive have degrees, that's for sure. Even Elon Musk and Zuckerberg are shockingly well read (z-man's pre-college education is astounding).

>>6724460
Man what the fuck you mean by self-improvement and how can you compare it with literature?

>>6724863
They have degrees because they want. They don't need. When you are born in the money you don't need.

1. To provide entertainment
2. To provide knowledge
End

>>6724442
literature does not have a singular goal, obviously. you might as well ask what the goal of painting or music is.

>>6724442
to me, the most valuable art are pieces that can change a young person for the better. Better is obviously dependent but if literature is focused on a circle jerk for older people, finnegans wake, it is worthless. Young people change the world, old people don't unless they are changing young people.

Change is not necessarily good but on this shit earth world, there is still a TON of room for growth.

Fucking reductionist bullshit.

>>6724442
To arm the proletariat for class struggle.

>>6725265
can you imagine a person who actually thinks like this. They would be the coolest nigga

>>6724442
>well-being, economy and intellect improvement of literated individuals

>>6725270
Its really easy to learn to think like this if you're a worker. It is in your self-interest.

>>6725157
you forgot about the third one: wisdom :3

>What is the telos of literature
Autists man, never change

The utility of art is an unplanned byproduct of the art itself, never a primary aspect

>>6725333
no, to think those words, proletariat, class struggle etc usually comes from a person of higher education and therefore usually richer than the poor they speak about

>>6725453
Maybe in your society mate.

>>6725153
>You can network with the super rich at universities
>networking with rich people is useful to getting rich yourself
>therefore going to university can be useful to getting rich yourself
That's the most pragmatic approach to whether or not to go to university.

Another point is that using the brain sharpens it, and having a well-regulated mind is good for most things. Studying art demands quite a bit from the brain.

My first point is still the most important. Art is a way of getting inside the minds of thousands of people with very different experiences from your own, multiplying the perspectives one is able to consider. "working more" alone will not do that so one who strives to be successful will strike a balance between working and engaging with art.

I strongly suspect that you're just rationalizing working long hours and never leaving your hometown and feeling guilty for not reading as much as you know you should.

>>6724489
Aesthetic ecstasy.