Three ways understanding the arts can make you a better person

We can all think of one person we know that seems to have a great understanding of diversity, culture and the communities around us. Worldly intelligence and knowledge of one’s self is impressive, and often recognizable in everyday conversation.

Some of the most accepting, open-minded and intelligent people that I know are studiers of the arts. Whether it be through formal or informal education, literature, music and art have the power to shape the way you interpret the world.

If the last book you read was Goodnight Moon, no judgement, but here are three ways appreciating literature now can make you a better person.

Use your internal monologue as a guide — what stands out to you? Focus on characters, dialogues, settings, conflicts, resolutions and relationships. Focus on specific lines in the text that affect you. Focus on the popular opinions that you may disagree with — we desperately need diversity of thought.

You don’t have to be reading great literary work to recognize these elements within literature. Don’t let literary snobs discourage you from reading anything you’re willing to pick up. There are conclusions to be drawn from even the “corniest” of novels.

Allow time to think about the text and specific instances within a story. One thought-provoking line hidden within a piece of literature can make a long read worth your time.

I’m not telling you to avoid the news, but reading literature about current and systemic issues can be rewarding. Say you read an article about police brutality and it strikes you, supplement that reading with a book, whether it be fiction or nonfiction.

A good author will have the ability to provide you with an incredible amount of insight, without having the experience for yourself. Reading is an opportunity to get an inside perspective, learn about diversity, about culture and about empathy.

If you use literature as an additive, read about the environment, racism, immigration, gun control or other issues that are dividing the country today. Form your own opinions and use them to direct your conversations, attention and action. Master one topic and devote your time to it.

Why do we feel so disconnected from people living in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries? They can seem as foreign as aliens, living in conditions that we couldn’t imagine in this day and age. While their realities may look a lot different from ours today, there are similarities in the fundamental elements of humanity that have withstood time.

I can’t think of three more fulfilling concepts — learning about yourself, about the present and about the past. Each of them intertwine, allowing deep analysis of any literature to change yourself and your perceptions. So, don’t worry about the Barnes and Noble employee’s side eye, pick up the trashiest novel you can find if that’s what will get you reading.

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