nefepants replied to your post āIām bothered by the phrase āfiction influences realityā for a really,...ā
Way to misunderstand what that means. Fiction doesn't affect the weather, but someone making fiction that implies global warming is a myth would affect the way some people view the topic.
I... know what it means? Thatās why I suggested āfiction influences peopleā as an alternative.
Iāve seen people encounter this phrase on itās own, without the context of how itās normally used. They do occasionally go āwait, these people think fiction influences reality universally? Like, including the weather?ā Itās not a correct conclusion, but from the phrase and the little bits of context theyād seen around it, that was the conclusion they drew. And while āfiction influences reality universallyā is a reductio ad absurdum, that can be persuasive. Itās worthwhile trying to avoid people being able to do that.
āFiction influences peopleā is harder to draw bizarre conclusions from. Also harder to argue against. Thereās scores of example admitting fiction influenced them (see: all the politicians who cite Ayn Rand as an influence).
Iāll admit this is an incredibly pedantic point. Like, incredibly.Ā In which case: Hi, Iām WollfyLuna, and Iām incredibly pedantic.