notes on feednet: fictional meaning

Feednet is a quarterly-ish news roundup on technology, community organizing, and learning how and what to learn. Read old versions here.

Notes on Feednet: meaning or whatever, it's super chill

Hi,  this week i'm curious: is there a piece of fiction that helped you create meaning and purpose in your life ?   most writers and artists that I've talked to would say any good fiction helps you create meaning and purpose in your life -- especially if it reflects themes and questions in your own life back to you. (if you are an writer and artist who says "no way" to this, tell me why).   But that's not necessarily the motivating force behind most of the fiction I engage with.   if i'm into a piece of fiction, it's not because it's helping me find meaning, at least not at first.  i mean, there aren't people turning on Succession or Love is Blind*** thinking "this will reflect my worst qualities back to me, enabling my personal growth," right?   if i put any thought into what i watch, read, play, it's first and foremost because it fulfills a personal need (escape! wish fulfillment! validation! a reminder it could be worse!).   i think if something were billed as "helping you make meaning in your life" i would... not watch it. (except for home improvement shows).   but then, once I am tricked into watching shows like midnight gospel*, i feel better.  and when I think about fiction that did help me create meaning in my life,****** though it feels deeply embarrassing or sort of early 2012 thinkpiece to admit it, i'm pretty sure i would not have figured out what i did about my life without that fiction.  all of the very depressing statistics (right now and always) about loneliness, connection, trauma, suffering, grief -- they all come back to meaning.**  when and where do you find meaning and purpose?  is there a piece of fiction that helped you create meaning and purpose in your life ?   email me back/let me know.  --  stay safe,

• H  ***I know it's Dr. Lachey's most daring experiment yet, but it's also... fiction. ** this is from social work, socialism, neuroscience, all the high school existential lit, and most major religions, kind of. * for better or worse, I've talked w more people about questions of meaning like death and existence bc this show is on. ****** the first season of the Jessica Jones tv show is definitely how i started to stop drinking. but that doesn't mean it was a good show!  ********** more Working 2050 is coming soon, plus some resources on narrative in organizational development.