Talk:Past: Chapter 2/@comment-32127574-20190208064930

"When people don't read books, it proves that they aren't lonely."-Osamu Dazai, Nyozegamon

When I read this I laughed way harder than most people would. Because I remember that in 7th grade, I started spending my lunches reading books instead of socializing with my peers. I discovered that my over active imagination -one of the few things I genuinely feel proud of about myself- was more than enough to keep me entertained. Visualizing the scenes described in the book, analyzing the motives and emotions of each character, trying to predict what direction the plot would take next, it was wonderful, and for once I was truly content with how I decided to spend my time. I no longer had to depend on others for approval and acceptance, I no longer had to bend over backwards to please everybody only to fail and be mocked and manipulated behind my back by my supposed "friends". I did what made me happy, and didn't care what others though of it, didn't care if everyone else left me, because I no longer relied on human interaction, because the world on the pages and in my head was more than enough for me. I was truly happy for the first time in my life. Now I have real friends, who love me for who I really am, flaws and all, the way Hide loves Kaneki, and I never would have been comfortable enough with myself to show them every side of me without fear of rejection if it weren't for the period of self-imposed isolation and social independence granted to me by the world of literature. So, in a way, I can both agree and disagree with Dazai's quote; on one hand, I never felt lonely so long as I had my own thoughts to keep me company - in fact, I felt safer and freer than I ever had in my life. But from an outsider's perspective, it would have probably seemed unhealthy. Oh well, to each their own. Sorry for rambling and spilling my guts (but that's what this wiki's for, am I right Rize?) in this sappy impromptu essay, but it was the perfect oppurtunity to do some much needed venting, as well as make it clear just how much a book can mean to a person. It's an escape from reality into a world of fantasy, and by writing fanfiction, you essentially become the god of your own little version of that world. Basically, what I'm saying is, a reading is a hell of a lot more than a mere hobby for some people. Sometimes, it's the only thing keeping them going.