A Thelemic View on Fiction

[Moon1ight]

I'm often drawn to fiction, but find it unfulfilling when I pursue it. I've been wondering about what its proper role is. I think I understand now.

The Paradox

Producing fiction - games, novels and so on - is apparently the True Will of some people. However, it's hard to imagine that consuming fiction is someone's True Will. So are the producers to create for nobody? That seems wrong.

The Resolution

"Fiction conveys experience" (https://www.lesswrong.com/tag/fiction) says Yudkowsky. However, reading Sword and Sorcery fiction  won't teach you *much* about either. What it will show you is whether you are drawn to these topics. It helps with finding your True Will. That is its function.

If, however, you already know your True Will, then you should stay away and "Do what thou wilt—then do nothing else." (https://hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib2)

[Robert Solvec]

Now that I think of it, fiction can be looked at like kind of a buffer zone for reality.  Not so much that it renders reality necessarily, but it's an "experience" we can have and learn from without having to actually be in the situation.  I find my personality is very influenced by music, stories, and artwork of all kinds, and would consider it an important part of real life