Upgrade Your Reading Game: Why we should be reading Biography and Memoirs instead of social media posts?

As human beings, it's natural for us to be curious about other people's lives. Yes, most of the time we might be minding our own business but sometimes we may find ourselves drawn to the stories of others. Whether it's for inspiration, wanting to find comfort amidst our own problems, or to hear about the struggles and triumphs of someone else, we find solace in hearing other people's life experiences.

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There is a universal, human appeal to hearing other people's stories. Perhaps it's because storytelling is an integral aspect of our shared human history. The need to learn about the experiences of others seems hard-wired into our collective psyche.

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However, not all stories are created equal. There is a difference between simple story, click bait or shallow gossip and the art of storytelling. Stories that are relatable, authentic, and genuine have the power to transcend mere entertainment and become a source of guidance, wisdom and inspiration. That's where biographies and memoirs come in - offering us a real-life account of a person's experience and their journey through life.

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These are several reasons why we should upgrade our reading game from social media posts to reading biography and memoirs:

1.????? Biographies and memoirs provide more context.

?Biographies and memoirs offer more in-depth and comprehensive account of a person's life. They present a detailed insight into an individual's upbringing, background, experiences, and challenges that shaped who they are. It has a clear and nuanced viewpoint of an individual's life, which allows readers to understand them as a multi-dimensional and complex person.

In contrast, social media posts are often curated and present as one-sided, often only favorable representation of a person's life. Social media encourages people to present a carefully curated and filtered version of their lives, making it difficult to assess the accuracy and authenticity of the information presented. Furthermore, social media posts often focus on the surface-level aspects of a person's life, and therefore, do not present a full picture of their story.

What biography and memoir do best is highlight the complexities of each human being which often left unnoticed in social media posts.

2. Biographies and memoirs provide more historical context.

Biographies and memoirs are a valuable source of historical information since they offer an intimate look into the life and times of individuals who lived through a particular era. By providing first-hand accounts of significant historical events in which author discusses cultural, economic, and social factors that influenced their lives in a certain time period, autobiographies can enhance our understanding of the past and its impact on our world today.

On the other hand, social media posts typically do not provide in-depth analysis or historical context. Posts may mention historical events, but only in passing or as a backdrop to a personal story. Due to the limited space and character count, social media posts do not provide an extensive account of the event or its significance, making it difficult to gain a comprehensive understanding of the historical moment.

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3. Biographies and memoirs offer deeper understanding of the human condition.

Biographies and memoirs offer readers a deeper understanding of the complexity and depth of the human condition.

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Our worldview is usually limited to our own experiences and beliefs, which sometimes makes us close-minded. However, reading about the struggles and victories of people from various backgrounds can open our minds to different perspectives. Through this, we can develop greater empathy and understanding towards others. By examining the experiences of others, we can broaden our horizons, enhance our problem-solving abilities, and foster positive relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.

Conversely, social media posts often focus on surface-level aspects of a person's life. Social media platforms encourage people to present a filtered version of their lives, which often lacks depth or authenticity. Social media posts may only capture a fleeting moment, without revealing the full context or meaning behind it, which can lead to our snap judgements to an individual. Without understanding the bigger picture, social media posts may present a partial and potentially misleading portrayal of events. This can lead to misguided or unfair judgments about someone or something.

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4. Biographies and memoirs offer the opportunity to have virtual mentors.

By reading about someone's life experiences, we can gain more insights into how certain individual made decisions, handled challenges, and achieved success. This knowledge can inspire us to develop our own recipe for success. Since biographies present a more detailed insight into the struggles, joys, challenges, and triumphs that shaped the author’s life we have better understanding of the complexity of human experiences, hence, we gain insight as to how our shared experiences can unite or divide us.

Through reading memoirs, we might find ourselves relating as well to a specific experience or challenges author have to face, which makes us feel more inspired to overcome similar challenges.

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5. All the juice is spilled in biography and memoirs.

Biographies and Memoirs offers us a glimpse into the lives of real people, whether they are famous public figures or ordinary individuals. In these accounts, the authors tend to reveal intimate, personal details that we might not have known otherwise. Most of these books contain highly personal and candid information that reveals the author's personal experiences, opinions, and feelings. This honesty and openness may create a lot of buzz in the online world, but nothing beats a juicy information that are backed up by the author's unique blend of creativity, emotion, and trustworthy narration of the events.

So now, are you up to upgrading your reading experience?