readers and charachters

[Mr.Grey-Cat]

so I had this question today, but hey, how far do fictional characters play in your life ? or to be more clear, how far do you depend on fictional characters in your daily life?

for example, there is this guy in the omniscient reader, that always imagine what the mc would do in his situation, and we also see in anime some character that actually prays to their mc for lending them powers in their daily life, not to mention how we sometimes find some people on the net, that use their waifus portrait as a lucky charm, and et cetera. and so let me ask you.

do you actually do any of the above? maybe a little of all? maybe you don't and would actually feel disgusted from seeing someone do so? well, I don't know, and so I am asking to see your opinion.

do people living by the power of fiction really exist in the real world, or is it just some bullshit we hear in Reddit? well then, hope I would hear your response soon.

 

[KiraMinoru]

so I had this question today, but hey, how far do fictional characters play in your life ? or to be more clear, how far do you depend on fictional characters in your daily life?

for example, there is this guy in the omniscient reader, that always imagine what the mc would do in his situation, and we also see in anime some character that actually prays to their mc for lending them powers in their daily life, not to mention how we sometimes find some people on the net, that use their waifus portrait as a lucky charm, and et cetera. and so let me ask you.

do you actually do any of the above? maybe a little of all? maybe you don't and would actually feel disgusted from seeing someone do so? well, I don't know, and so I am asking to see your opinion.

do people living by the power of fiction really exist in the real world, or is it just some bullshit we hear in Reddit? well then, hope I would hear your response soon.

Sounds like Reddit bullshit to me, though I’ve never seen anything like that said on Reddit. The only people I could ever see doing such things are the ones who’re delusional or just lack so much self confidence in their own abilities that they turn to self induced suggestion to deceive themselves.

 

[SailusGebel]

I don't do anything of the above. I won't feel disgusted. Yes, such people exist.

 

[Traineye]

I keep my internet life separated from my everyday one. Not like I don't talk about anime irl tho.

 

[K5Rakitan]

I pray to the real-life version of my character Marc.

 

[Kitsura]

I like to imagine myself in the worlds I create but not the other way around

 

[KoyukiMegumi]

I like to imagine myself in the worlds I create but not the other way around

Same.

 

[EternalSunset0]

so I had this question today, but hey, how far do fictional characters play in your life ? or to be more clear, how far do you depend on fictional characters in your daily life?

for example, there is this guy in the omniscient reader, that always imagine what the mc would do in his situation, and we also see in anime some character that actually prays to their mc for lending them powers in their daily life, not to mention how we sometimes find some people on the net, that use their waifus portrait as a lucky charm, and et cetera. and so let me ask you.

do you actually do any of the above? maybe a little of all? maybe you don't and would actually feel disgusted from seeing someone do so? well, I don't know, and so I am asking to see your opinion.

do people living by the power of fiction really exist in the real world, or is it just some bullshit we hear in Reddit? well then, hope I would hear your response soon.

Not at all. I won't mind if you or others do it, though.

Although I'd like to play along with those "gacha prayer circles" and occasionally have those "waifu lucky charms" to joke about with my friends. But I don't really believe any of it.

 

[Mr.Grey-Cat]

Not at all. I won't mind if you or others do it, though.

Although I'd like to play along with those "gacha prayer circles" and occasionally have those "waifu lucky charms" to joke about with my friends. But I don't really believe any of it.

Well, I don't think occasional jokes are the same as every day, you know? but, again, who am I to say?

still, I just got curious, you know? about how a lot of people say that if they don't have this or that, they would just die, or how about some posts these days, appear just too obsessed, so I tried asking.

It's not like I meant anything big or personal, nor am I judging, I am just curious if those people really exist or not.

 

[BlackKnightX]

so I had this question today, but hey, how far do fictional characters play in your life ? or to be more clear, how far do you depend on fictional characters in your daily life?

for example, there is this guy in the omniscient reader, that always imagine what the mc would do in his situation, and we also see in anime some character that actually prays to their mc for lending them powers in their daily life, not to mention how we sometimes find some people on the net, that use their waifus portrait as a lucky charm, and et cetera. and so let me ask you.

do you actually do any of the above? maybe a little of all? maybe you don't and would actually feel disgusted from seeing someone do so? well, I don't know, and so I am asking to see your opinion.

do people living by the power of fiction really exist in the real world, or is it just some bullshit we hear in Reddit? well then, hope I would hear your response soon.

Let’s be honest, every single stories we’ve read influence our behavior and beliefs whether we realize it or not. When we read a story, we are actually living in someone else’s life. We feel what they feel and experience what they experience.

So, yes. It changes our beliefs and our way of living. You might not even realize it cuz it happens at the subconscious level.

That said, as to answer your question; yes and no. Some uses the ‘power of fiction’ in real life consciously. Some uses it without realizing it. But either way, all of us who’ve read fictions use ‘the power of fiction’ in one way or another.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

so I had this question today, but hey, how far do fictional characters play in your life ? or to be more clear, how far do you depend on fictional characters in your daily life?

for example, there is this guy in the omniscient reader, that always imagine what the mc would do in his situation, and we also see in anime some character that actually prays to their mc for lending them powers in their daily life, not to mention how we sometimes find some people on the net, that use their waifus portrait as a lucky charm, and et cetera. and so let me ask you.

do you actually do any of the above? maybe a little of all? maybe you don't and would actually feel disgusted from seeing someone do so? well, I don't know, and so I am asking to see your opinion.

do people living by the power of fiction really exist in the real world, or is it just some bullshit we hear in Reddit? well then, hope I would hear your response soon.

I believe you are referring to a chunibyou.

Personally, I may fantasize about my waifus and fave characters and jokingly talk about them to my friends. Though I never actually used it as a crutch during tough times, never even thought of it. Maybe that's cause I always like to keep a fine line between fantasy and reality.

It really depends on the person. They could've experienced something traumatic which caused them to depend on fictional characters. So it's not something I would hold against them.

 

[SakeVision]

I used to be obsessed with the character of Akemi Homura for many years, including but not limited to writing essays analyzing madoka magicka on the anonymous imageboards, purchasing almost every figure, pillow, and poster featuring her, and rewatching related anime on various hallucinogenic drugs.

 

[bananapink]

Nah, I don't depend on them. But I admit I tend to compare some unsavory fellas around me to the unsavory characters I read sometimes. Manipulative, delusional, the types who think they're high up a pedestal :)

 

[Akivien]

I really don't associate characters w people i know,

 

[Cipiteca396]

I feel like there's a lot of assumptions flying around here in every direction.

Why do you have to be obsessed with a character to depend on them, or vice versa?

Why do you need to drag them into the real world, or compare them to people you know?

If you didn't depend on the character to some degree, you wouldn't read fiction. Even if it's just, "I need to relax, keep my mind off work." That's still leaning on fiction to help you deal with the real world.

Frankly, everyone on this forum should probably answer this question with something like, "Yes, a large portion of my life is based on fictional characters. Be it the ones I like, or the ones I made up myself." Hell, it's even more prominent if you're making money off your story. Your life is literally linked to your fiction, since it's what keeps you fed.

 

[greyblob]

I feel like there's a lot of assumptions flying around here in every direction.

Why do you have to be obsessed with a character to depend on them, or vice versa?

Why do you need to drag them into the real world, or compare them to people you know?

If you didn't depend on the character to some degree, you wouldn't read fiction. Even if it's just, "I need to relax, keep my mind off work." That's still leaning on fiction to help you deal with the real world.

Frankly, everyone on this forum should probably answer this question with something like, "Yes, a large portion of my life is based on fictional characters. Be it the ones I like, or the ones I made up myself." Hell, it's even more prominent if you're making money off your story. Your life is literally linked to your fiction, since it's what keeps you fed.

That's a lot of mental gymnastics.
And wouldn't it be the opposite? Fictional characters are wholly dependent on the author, and fictions (in a lot of cases) are dependent on the readers to keep them alive.

 

[Cipiteca396]

That's a lot of mental gymnastics.
And wouldn't it be the opposite? Fictional characters are wholly dependent on the author, and fictions (in a lot of cases) are dependent on the readers to keep them alive.

The thing is, they aren't alive. A fictional character doesn't depend on anything. Yet people are willing to pay for something that doesn't exist? Why? Are they delusional? Most likely not.

People continue writing and reading fiction because they depend on it for something. It holds some kind of power over them. Just by reading it, you let the fiction affect your life, the real world.

And it's not like the reverse doesn't happen. For example, say you encountered a Youtuber/Streamer you like. Would they react to you the same way they react to their chat? Would you even want them to? These are real people, and yet they also create a fictional version of themselves that they use to entertain others.

 

[greyblob]

i just woke up i cant go into a philosophical rant

People continue writing and reading fiction because they depend on it for something. It holds some kind of power over them. Just by reading it, you let the fiction affect your life, the real world.

depend is a very strong word to use. it's entertainment that's all. people won't break down when their favorite novel/movie/tv show stops or gets cancelled.

Just by reading it, you let the fiction affect your life, the real world.

yeah I don't know about that. if someone's life revolves around a fiction its a clear sign of mental illness.

And it's not like the reverse doesn't happen. For example, say you encountered a Youtuber/Streamer you like. Would they react to you the same way they react to their chat? Would you even want them to? These are real people, and yet they also create a fictional version of themselves that they use to entertain others.

I have no idea what this means. are you talking about parasocial relationships?

 

[Cipiteca396]

depend is a very strong word to use. it's entertainment that's all. people won't break down when their favorite novel/movie/tv show stops or gets cancelled.

You're not wrong, usually. What if every novel/movie/tv show gets cancelled?
Your statement isn't true because fiction is powerless, it's true because people have an alternative to go to. In order for it to be meaningful, you'd have to scrap the concept of fiction entirely. (Including things like daydreaming, personal ambitions/dreams, etc.)
Would people still be alright with that? I don't think so. Depend is the right word.

yeah I don't know about that. if someone's life revolves around a fiction its a clear sign of mental illness.

Every second you spend reading fiction is time you could have spent doing something 'real'. You don't have to be obsessed with it for it to affect you, as I already said. Your statement has the net value of "All people who read fiction are mentally ill." And to be fair, I'm sure a lot of people genuinely believe that. Why would anyone waste time reading about fake people in a fake world when they could do literally anything else, unless they were delusional?

 

[greyblob]

You're not wrong, usually. What if every novel/movie/tv show gets cancelled?
Your statement isn't true because fiction is powerless, it's true because people have an alternative to go to. In order for it to be meaningful, you'd have to scrap the concept of fiction entirely. (Including things like daydreaming, personal ambitions/dreams, etc.)
Would people still be alright with that? I don't think so. Depend is the right word.

I never said fiction was powerless. I said it's all entertainment, and it's true. sports, videos, streams, games? it's all the same.

Every second you spend reading fiction is time you could have spent doing something 'real'. You don't have to be obsessed with it for it to affect you, as I already said. Your statement has the net value of "All people who read fiction are mentally ill." And to be fair, I'm sure a lot of people genuinely believe that. Why would anyone waste time reading about fake people in a fake world when they could do literally anything else, unless they were delusional?

this argument is really terrible. you can't work 24/7, but you shouldn't fuck around for the whole day either. it's all about moderation. the time you spend playing a game isn't wasted as long as you have enjoyed yourself.
Also, almost everyone I know considers reading, novels included, a decent hobby, and wish they did the same. I've never heard of anyone call those who read mentally ill.