How literature can help us develop empathy | Beth Ann Fennelly | TEDxUniversityofMississippi
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- čas přidán 14. 05. 2020
- Reading fiction can educate us emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, says Beth Ann Fennelly, creative writing professor and poet laureate of Mississippi. She makes the case for why we humans - and the world - continue to need literature.
Beth Ann Fennelly, Poet Laureate of Mississippi, teaches in the MFA Program at the University of Mississippi, where she was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. She’s won grants from the N.E.A., the United States Artists, and a Fulbright to Brazil. Her work has won a Pushcart Prize and three times been included in The Best American Poetry Series. Fennelly has published three poetry books: Open House, Tender Hooks, and Unmentionables, and a book of nonfiction, Great with Child, all published with W. W. Norton. A novel she co-authored with her husband, Tom Franklin, called The Tilted World was published by HarperCollins. Her sixth book, Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-memoirs, recently published by W. W. Norton, was named an Atlanta Journal Constitution Best Book of 2017 and a Goodreaders Favorite for 2017. Fennelly and Franklin live in Oxford with their three children. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
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For me, reading means living and experiencing another person's life,and escaping my reality
Abderrazzak Charaka same for me
Yes.
Same I read since im a child it saved my life a lot of times (kinda) :) ❤❤
Yeah I agree with you 100 percent
"medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."
- DEAD POET'S SOCIETY.
"READING LITERATURE, HELPS US READ THE ROOM " !!! Whoa.
"We read to know we are not alone."
But im alone?
+
Ichbims Derepep but are you alone mentally because in my opinion you’re not alone because say you’re in a building and there’s objects and places there well what would your mind think if you had to think about those things in a story or summer that you are reading and you’re not allowed
@@jordanmahonytheblindworld8483 i dont even understand what you are talking about. Could you please use dots and maybe better grammar?
Ichbims Derepep what I’m saying is we are never truly alone and that you know we have our imagination for a company that’s what I was trying to say you don’t have to agree with me but you that’s what I believe that we are never alone and that we have our imagination as a companion I apologise for my last, because are used dictation because I’m blind/visually impaired I mean my comment I’m sorry because I’m now garbling trying to write this comment to you
She has an exceptionally clear pronunciation. My money is on her habit of reading !
Although as an English person her pronunciation of "literature" is abominable.
Go home, turn OFF the phone and turn ON the Novel. I absolutely love it.
Switch off the electrical distractions, switch on your mind and imagination and enjoy a good book with a warm cup 😃👍
You live multiple lives when you read. I've manned the barricades in Paris, hidden from hired assassins in Seville, kidnapped a tourist in Florida, danced with an officer in Moscow...
Yes! Reading makes life more fun - countless adventures!
Maribel ICCM you’re not wrong there for me reading makes life more enjoyable and that I am the person that’s in the box and that I can be a part of this world and that I am forever transfixed or transpired in this world
@@jordanmahonytheblindworld8483 Thanks for your comment. Let's keep on enjoying our world. Have a good week.
Umberto Eco said this
I should thank my mom for showing me the joy of reading from an early age
It's amazing how you read a book and leave your surroundings. One of the best feelings in the world..!
..0all
uh N
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sorrlneed a new phone.hope soon.
True
I can tell that if I don’t read for a long time, I can feel that my reading skill decreases tremendously.
Growing up, reading was my escape. I could immerse myself in the world or life of anybody. I could laugh and cry and feel things that made my world seem a lot less intimidating. I'm grown now and I still read at least 2 books a week.
Beth Ann is a national treasure. A deeply important voice in America, whose wisdom becomes more relevant in weird times.
I think that literature and art in general are a way of connecting ourselves to something that unites all humanity. I'm not particularly spiritual, but there's something to art that makes me question myself and wonder if there's something higher that we can reach
This is why they have removed art and music from public schools. They want more disconnected worker drones, and less people who are balanced and able to think clearly.
The mind reading we do when we think about a character educates our emotional intelligence...
Reading the mind in the eyes test
Reading literature makes us more empathetic
Reading improves our social awareness
It sure improved mine.
As an English major, I love this!
I’ve been a reader of books since childhood. I was a quiet kid who was more engaged in a good book than in conversations. Often times, I never knew what to say. When reading a book, I always felt as though I was transported to a different world, one that was more interesting than the one I was living in.
Thank you, Beth. Love literature.
This video moved me in an ineffable way. Thank you for saying everything literature has done for me. It's the great passion of my life (though I'm a translator) and I'm glad you put words on why it is so.❤
Why did this feel more like reading than like listening to a speech ? 😍
I always always wanted to study literature, but instead settled for international development. But my love for reading and books lasts to this day.
I wish I could turn back time and sign up for her course. Ahhh she just kicked me out of my readers block!!!
Read because it’s GOOD! READING IS GOOD!
I was questioning whether my decision to do English lit at uni was a good idea- after watching this I have no regrets!
Wishing you the best!
I believe here that Beth Ann Fennelly gave more than a Love, Look at Literature. But an eye-opening moment of the sides of the book's points of view, missing our faces in them. As if the BOOKS are calling to us, for our return. I'm thinking they love us looking into them as much as we loved ONCE reading them from cover to cover. Sadly so many took the short cuts in life and read CLIF NOTES. Well done bravo Beth.
She is amazing!! One of the best speeches I’ve ever listen
Great speech. Literature makes for a more harmonious world. *thumbsup
Such an important talk, Beth Ann. Good to hear/see you again!
Loving this woman. She really gets it.
Thank you. It is so true.
I love this talk, and I need this outfit!
Wow !! I really enjoy her speech and must say this is 100% true.
This video is truly an eye-opener.
Thanks for posting. Literature and fiction in general not only stimulate empathy, but imagination and vision and problem-solving as well. I'm doing research on this.
Reading alows me to create a more MAGICAL REALITY!!
Impressive presentation ,I've been saying this for years and definitely consider reading widely and voraciously a great asset for any profession. I'm an anthropology graduate student and my love of reading definitely helps me conceive of ,understand and connect to the social realities of the people I study or read about in monographs. I remember a sociologist writing in an article how he'd gone to college having studied subjects like psychology and economics only for one of his professors to tell him he'd have done better to study English or history (though ultimately the social sciences are a broad church and people's experience of studying almost any subject can bring new insight into studying aspects of sociology/anthropology ). I studied English and Religious Studies and don't regret it for a moment !
I'm glad this appeared in my recommended section. Now I know what I will do this summer.
Why do you need to wait until Summer?
I always love these videos. They give me so much hope and inspiration!
I will definitely be using this time to be better version of myself by reading and will further my channel and work towards the goals I always said I coildn't because I "had no time".
Very well said. Thank you ma'am.
I love reading particularly English literature Thanks for sharing a great idea about reading 💖
Beautiful Beth
Loved it totally! ♥️
This literat(ure)ally one of the best presentations!
Lovely!! You rocked!!!
I could never find myself reading much in the past. Up until last week when I borrowed an ipad from my parents, I managed to read a whole book in 3 days. For some reason, it takes longer to read a physical book. Looking to build this habit during this pandemic
I absolutely loved this Ted Talk...very inspiring and insightful 💛
Hi Beth Ann, a very well done Ted Talk. So very true! If you read polls, you'll find that when asked "What was the last book you read?" Most people have to say, "the Bible"; which is not a bad thing, just a bit of a cop-out.
Reading is fundamental, to borrow a phrase.
shes stunnin
Wonderful presentation. This is very Enlightening content.
I was an English major! I remember learning from a scientist who minored in English that studying English is important in any vocation, because most involve some kind of writing - even scientists have to write reports
So true and while maths is the language of universe, one still needs to know english to study it.
@@andrian916 Yes, Maths is amazing, but the void is the not enough truly know how to communicate it. What's the use of maths if we can't help others to understand and to use our ideas the way we intended?
I loved this ♥️
Ive been lovin The Ranger's Apprentice lately. Book 9 now.
I read this series when I was younger. Loved it so much! Glad someone else knows about it :)
Amazing..
sobbing a little bit because if I'd seen this 5 years ago it might have made all the difference
It's never too late.
Nattersfluff if you are 5 years to late then don’t wait for another 5 years before you make a difference. Make the change now because no one else is gonna do it for you! 🙌
You can start reading a page tonight! Your still in the game!
@Nattersfluff : Just a simple fact: *hope is eternal.*
A year ago I was reading a classic novel from 400-900 pages every month. Nowadays I'm just studying and studying literature for class without much time nor space for a big book. It feels really differrent and I miss spending hours in a hundred other's lives and perspectives. I miss how clear minded reading makes me and how much more empathic I was. Most of all it is my favourite hobby and I adore big classics.
Love this
Many thanks for this great video. It is really informative and inspiring lecture. This video is very helpful for me because I have really figured that reading a fiction book is not just a journey through the other's people's life it' is also a journey through our life.
I love her hair! Attracted me to watch this video, lol - but yes, literature is an amazing gift! Thanks for taking the time to read this comment ;)
This was fascinating! Thank you Professor Fennelly. PS - I live to read
love, love this! love reading ever since iWas a kid😊❤️ -mila
Brilliant!!
When you have a book and 1000 of work, read a book and it would become 1000 of opportunities
Well said
Impressive presentation! 🙌🏽 Thanks for sharing! I read people pretty well and I live for a good book to read!
I think it depends on the quality of literature and level of literacy.
sadly, one of the most empathy impaired people who bullied me were into local literature, one of them is actually a self proclaimed poet himself.. i think this might be due to the literature that they read in my mother tongue are mostly shallow love stories, drama driven and lack good values to take home. They can't read English and view people who does as not part of their people, at least the demented ones.
I'm so sorry you were bullied...
For real.
Love to you - Me xoxo
@@AmberAmber it's okay, thanks for your kind words. TBH, it's their miserableness that made them do that to me.
@@Armz69 I'm proud & heartened that you're wired with a fortitude allowing you to see that it was undeserved - a product of their horribleness.
(I was bullied too - I'm still not doing well & it's been 30yrs. Hence, I feel an empathic-camaraderie with you & others like us who survived. Some of us escape our pasts & can go on to a wonderful life & I seriously & sincerely hope that's your case).
💕We're Earth's Children; whatsoever affects one of us - affects us all...💕☮🌍✊🖤🎶✌🏽💘🐾💕
@A R : Linguistic literacy opens doors to things like empathy. Unfortunately, it does not mean the reader will use those doors, or even understand the nature of the writings themselves. We are all individuals, and so we are all different. Take jordan petersen as a perfect example. Although his level of literacy is above common, his obvious lack of compassion and great reluctance toward understanding others who are simply different are obvious flaws.
@Elektric Skeptic : Those trials you've faced are a part of you now, and part of what makes you strong and wise. How you have chosen to deal with them is to your great credit. You and others who choose such paths have good reason to feel contented with who you are as individuals.
Really awesome 🤩
Thanks.
Reading during development creates a room in the head.
This is soooooooooo goooood
open up the libraries !!!
Yeah! Entice the kids in :>)
Not everyone can enjoy reading, it is only for the special few and tbh readers should be happy about that. As the world goes more modern each day, reading has faded in the crowd and might continue to fade in the future, but it should never die. It should be passed on to loved ones with hope, but never forced. Reading is special. Readers are special. The thing readers get from reading is ironically not something one could easily put in mere mortal words.
i was never into reading book's but lately i started trying to read some since past few years 😂 i still can't manage to concentrate myself in reading book it not excites me but every time when i see video's like this i wonder how it's possible to immense in the story
I see that Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics on top of that stack, girl. You know what's what.
Reading is not the only thing that increases your empathy level experience does to.
There are other ways to increase ones level of empathy, that's true. But there is no better way to become linguistically literate. We tend to think in languages, so being linguistically illiterate is the most major stumbling block to critical thinking.
Amazingg
I am a voracious reader and I missed both cues. Good visual cues in my opinion come from conversing with many people personally. As for blood flow, I am pretty sure another study would show that reading non fiction to be just as good. My son loves reading physics and doing math problems and I am fairly certain he has phenomenal blood flow.
Good job
I'm going to be the next on Ted Talks!
W-w-w-w-wow!! 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
Love your hair
Public speaking is an art.
well said.. Let me go grab a 📖
Woah I just identified the amygdala on an fMRI...guess that neuro class taught me something
thats good👏💯
The paradox with empathy is, if you want to have it you already have it.
It's Time To Let Out Corona And Learn Literature😊
I'm a reader since I was little, and I'm socially ackward because I know what people are thinking, their first impression, when they see me or they talking to me and I know if they like me or if they don't, what makes me quite insecure :(
You are not alone. We all do feel the same thing.
That dress is so cute omg
She's a redhead !!! 😍
I'm in.
If you want to be "lit" ... read any fiction piece by Toni Morrison OR Gabriel Garcia Marquez ... or Proust and the bite of madeleine ... feel and be felt! I encourage my students NOT TO MAJOR IN ENGLISH LIT ... not unless they love literature and are not looking to procure a 'get rich profession' which is what most of them chase and have been taught to chase. And often, I'm speaking to Bio Chem ... Comp Sci ... Psych majors ... (in the case of the latter, I rec a diagnosis of Woolf's Septimus or our dear protag in The Yellow Wallpaper ... the cross-discipline lit pieces. Luckily, most of my students are not Eng Lit majors (thank Heavens!!) because campuses just aren't investing in fiction, not like the past days (1960s-1990s)!! And if they are, they've appointed some white dude who is tenured and pretending to be an expert on say....Mexican-American lit ... which really means he's just riding what might be a popular theme for the now and for him to jump on some wave to carry out his tenured post. A shame too! Anyhoo, great TED! TFS!
I am a reading type. I read novels. I a a sentence nut. but I have difficulties putting down my phone 。。
She referenced facial studies that has shown to be scientifically invalid. She gave the statistical ability to read faces linked towards literacy as a causation rather than a correlation, and it is (probably) correlation alone, just like a tall person are more likely to be good at basketball, people with a greater interest in people might read more (the ability came before the practice). I believe the biggest downfall of a civilization is the inability to understand statistics, yet there's rarely (never?) been a good story about that outside reality's terror.
Please have more kids in tedx
Reading is that strange thing, that estranges you from reality, in order to better understand it. Daniel Pennac (French author)
As a reading loner, I believe that the decline of book reading has a much smaller effect than what was stated here. Putting yourself in the character's shoes applies to all storytelling media types, like movies and games, not just literature.
Rather, getting overstimulated with tragedies on the news that we can't change and make better, causes us to shy away from empathetic feelings as a self defence mechanism. The normal and expected response becomes "Why should I care? It's not like I can help those people half a world away, right? Let's just spare myself the grief."
Even worse, most people don't notice this happening to them as this is a gradual, subconscious process.
While I completely agree with your second point, I do not agree with your first. Take our *obviously* illiterate American president for example. The fact that so many Americans today are functionally illiterate means they are incapable of discerning when someone else (even a presidential nominee) is illiterate. We tend to think in languages too. This means linguistic illiteracy is possibly the most detrimental phenomenon to critical thinking.
Who has the 2 photos right?
"Regular readers score higher on the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes' test"
I cannot find a source for this and I'm trying to use in my Senior Capstone Project. Every source from TedX regarding this test in no way mention that regular readers score higher??
its probably inaccurate cause I barely read anything that's not non-fiction and I got both question right somehow.
Empathy is waaaay admirable jesture than sympathy
I m all for reading and do enjoy it, but asking for empathy from different social, political or otherwise influent people is unrealistic.
Yes, a doctor who is more sympathetic to your pain would be nice. But it's impossible.
Doctors cannot empathise with each death, with each pain, with each ailment. It would hinder their efficacy as professionals and destroy them mentally.
Lawmakers cannot empathise with every possible disadvantaged person. It would render their logic futile and the processes of making laws would become obsolete.
Engineers imagining what every person would feel should their product fails and hurt others could not live with themselves for 24 and commit suicide.
Empathy is for small scale interactions, not for people with immense flow and constant decision making.
However, reading does improve our ability to empathise, and i m all foe it ! :D
Not sure I agree with this. What if a person is an avid reader, but is autistic? And is a person void of empathy if they have difficulty reading someone’s body language, facial expressions, or social cues? Can they not still have compassion?
epic
Hmm, as a minority studying Engineering at university, my English professor of a different race was the only prof from whom I did not encounter racism.