Do S's like reading fiction?

[swordpath]

Is it just me or do S's typically enjoy nonfiction, history and stuff of that nature, as reading material.

 

[ajblaise]

Does TV Guide count as nonfiction?

alright that was a low blow.

I think the nonfiction/fiction preference might have more to do with T/F.

 

[swordpath]

Seems like N/S would play in as well though, no? T/F might have something to do with it as well.

 

[ajblaise]

Yeah I think on average an S will enjoy nonfiction more, but not an SF compared to a NT.

 

[am_i_evil666]

I'm not sure what to say. Some (a big part) of the S people I know don't like to read any kind of book (but I don't think that the S is to blame for that, but more their own mentality).
On the other hand, my ESTP sister likes to read both fiction and nonfiction. And I know some other Ss who like to read fiction as well. There are some who would more likely read nonfiction as well.

 

[BerberElla]

My S friend loves fantasy fiction, it must be based in some kind of wordly lore/history though, like The Mists of Avalon, or The Clan of the Cave Bear. If it's too fantastical and out there she just won't enjoy it.

None of my other S friends, or family, read at all.

 

[Cimarron]

Not really into fiction. Fiction series are easier to get into, probably because it establishes a more "normal" feel, just from repetition alone. In other words, it feels too other-worldly on the first read, but after getting used to it (as in a long series) that doesn't really bother me much.

But that's just me.

 

[sarah]

Is it just me or do S's typically enjoy nonfiction, history and stuff of that nature, as reading material.

I enjoy both. I often read fiction for fun, and nonfiction if I want to learn how to do something specific.

 

[Tallulah]

I don't know if there's a correlation or not. Most NTs I know read a lot more nonfiction than fiction.

 

[Randomnity]

I like fiction and read it often, especially fantasy, or sci-fi if it's well-written. Definitely read more fiction than nonfiction, though I enjoy both in different ways.

 

[Giggly]

Is it just me or do S's typically enjoy nonfiction, history and stuff of that nature, as reading material.

^Yes

 

[The Ü™]

I don't have an attention span long enough to enjoy reading for long periods of time, but fiction usually bores me. But I'm more likely to pick up an informational or theoretical book before anything else...or just talk about intellectual topics on the Internet.

I just don't like reading things in a story form, be it fiction or nonfiction.

EDIT: Actually, I will choose a Google search before anything else.

 

[raz]

If I do read anything, I'd rather it be nonfiction. I won't say I've never read fiction novels from front to back. I've read a handful of them. The thing is, usually it's very specific. I'm not one to just go start reading a random fiction novel just because I want to. I mean, that's not to say that people who usually read a lot just read anything, but I'm usually more purposeful about it. I read A Walk to Remember, but that was because I watched the movie and wanted to compare the book to the movie.

When I was in elementary school, I read a lot of Goosebumps and a few random science fiction books. My bookcase is mostly filled with finance, accounting, management, self-help and mbti books. I have The Art of War, which I should get around to reading. I like books that serve as reference. Usually my problem with reading fiction, is I would skip the descriptions of the character's and their actions and go straight to the conversations. The descriptions were boring! I just wanted to know what they were talking about. It's just so automatic.

I actually started talking about this in the INTJ forum. I posted this:

I'm reading over Gifts Differing, and the part about Intuition is making some things make sense.

Communication from teacher to student begins with the spoken word in the classroom, where the student must be able to listen effectively, and later includes the written word in textbooks, which the student must be able to read. Because words, the necessary medium of education, have to be translated from symbols into meaning by the listener's intuition, the translation is naturally easier for intuitives than for sensing types. Intuitives use their favorite kind of perception, but sensing types have to use their less-liked, less-developed kind of perception, which takes more time and effort, especially when the words are abstract.

So, basically, reading is exhausting for Sensors and recharging for Intuitives. A stereotype of ISTJ is a student that excels because of their ability to adhere to structure and routine. I can understand why that would work, but as an ISTJ, the actual reading part of school is boring to me, unless it's REALLY interesting. This makes me remember a thread in this forum about what toys INTJ's played with as children. Most of you said you read....a lot, and that makes perfect sense.

This makes another thing about me make sense. I wanted to learn more about Excel, so I bought this massive Excel 2007 book. I tried going through it, but it was just...ugh. Although I saw a great application of the knowledge, the actually learning it through the book wasn't very feasible.

This would explain why the reasons for an S and N to read differ. The S only reads to gain something tangible from reading. The N reads purely for leisure. When I look at reading something, I think, "What am I going to gain from this?" A girl I work with that's an INFJ, she eats, sleeps, lives and breathes books.

These are mainly observations, and I'm enjoying Gifts Differing. I'm just wondering if I'm understanding this right.

The quote refers to a "listener's intuition" implying through the spoken word, but this sort of description can still make sense from a reading standpoint. It's not like Sensors are afraid of reading. I just took from this excerpt that reading might just be easier for intuitives than sensors. Sensors can definitely find something to read that they like and zip right through it. Are sensors less likely to read for leisure? Can this depend on where you fall on the sensor/intuitive continuum?

 

[sarah]

re the "Gifts Differing" quote...


NONE --I repeat--NONE of the people who prefer Sensing in my family think it's "exhausting" to read. In fact, my sister (SJ) and I are both librarians, and we read all the time for pleasure, and my SJ dad reads all the time for pleasure too. And a lot of my librarian coworkers prefer Sensing too, and they all read for pleasure. Seriously, if I believed it was "exhausting" for Ss to read, then I'd have to believe that every single library patron also prefers Intuition, which is totally and completely out-of-this-universe ridiculous.

 

[Nighthawk]

Most of the S's I know (all those close to me) prefer non-fiction. A few don't like to read at all. Just my highly anectdotal observation. Certainly not a scientific study. My ESFP father was a vorcious reader however, but mostly historical works.

 

[placebo]

My mom (ISFJ) used to read a lot of self-help books I think and she has encouraged me and my sister to read them before. Lately my ISJ sister has been reading a lot more books than me. My sister reads a lot of non-fiction books related to what she is interested in (from relationship books to books about buddhism to books about non-profits and social business). I can see ISJs as reading a lot more non-fiction than fiction, because they get more out of it that they can practically apply to their lives than they could get by reading fiction. However, somehow I see ISFPs as reading more fiction.. dunno. And ESFPs I can't really imagine reading. lol must be the ones I know.

 

[anainani]

I like fiction.
Lately though I've been reading nonfiction more. I'd have to say that a lot of S's I know don't read much either.
I think it could be because they don't appreciate as much "booksmarts", but rather prefer "experience smarts".

 

[Colors]

If I do read anything, I'd rather it be nonfiction. I won't say I've never read fiction novels from front to back. I've read a handful of them. The thing is, usually it's very specific. I'm not one to just go start reading a random fiction novel just because I want to. I mean, that's not to say that people who usually read a lot just read anything, but I'm usually more purposeful about it.

I feel the same way about nonfiction the way you feel about fiction. I read a lot of fiction, but nonfiction I don't go for unless I was interested in a specific topic at the time and went searching for more in-depth material.

I like reading fiction a lot, often fantasy. I don't have as much time for it as I used to though. My teenage XSFP brother is no bookworm like me, but he does a fair amount of reading too- we share a taste for some weepy "realistic" coming-of-age novels. He sometimes also follows the new trendy young adult fantasy/action series too. Don't think he'd ever willingly read a nonfiction book, unless it was required in some way. My ESTJ dad is currently really into spiritual books and self-help books and the strange amalgams in-between.

In other words, I don't really see a pattern between S-ness and reading/not-reading fiction. I think it's more of the habits you've formed ... the functions you seek reading to fulfill in your life?

I mean, for factual information, I more rely on various internet sources or textbooks. Popular-non-fiction seems to simplify the answer to pursue an agenda to me. My ISTJ neighbor was recently complaining that he is not in the habit at all of reading for recreation and he was finding it hard to even get finished with Peter Pan.

 

[wolfy]

Do Ns read non fiction too?

I mostly read non fiction.


Do Ns read non fiction too?

 

[Sniffles]

Overall I tend to read nonfiction. Only recently have I developed a limited interest in fiction stories.

I have The Art of War, which I should get around to reading.

I'm assuming that's Sun Tzu's version, as opposed to Machiavelli's or much less de Jomini's?

You also try reading On War by von Clausewitz if you ever get a chance.