In heaven who would ever need fiction? Everyone?
- Zachary
- Sep 29, 2023
- 1 min read
I imagine the greatest possible human civilization might have all kinds of literature, including fiction. As a Christian, I believe this parallels directly to heaven, which is where. Perhaps they’ll be far beyond mere books, exploring celestial literary forms that might make the current collective of human literature seem like a drop in the ocean. My earlier self would have thought this hypothetical perfect society wouldn’t need fiction because they’re already perfect and don’t need to read about imaginary worlds! However, I speculate an alternative view: perfection in this sense is not static, because humans are inherently finite. The next best option is a different sense of “perfection:” to infinitely increase in greatness, as we infinitely improve in our character and everything else about us. Thought precedes accomplishment. Our superior minds will understand literature in ways we could never fathom, working cosmically faster than our actions. As such, even simple stories may be seen in incredible, unfathomable ways. Furthermore, understanding the depth of reality is the fundamental essence of our humanity—as Socrates said, “A life not examined is a life not worth living.”

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