I haven't read a new fiction-based novel in ages. Does anyone know if smartphone texting and usage encroaches the storyline like it does with modern tv shows?
Yeah I have a lot of older books, but was specifically asking about modern novels and if texting/smartphones were written into the plots like all modern tv shows
I am not seeking a particular storyline but rather was addressing the question of whether smartphones have factored into the storylines of modern novels as they have in modern tv shows. Apologies if the question wasn't clear.
I guess my main thought would be that narratives are written by many different authors, using different styles, telling different stories. So I'd imagine that there's stuff all over the place -- including narratives that heavily focus on text-messaging and others that don't mention it.
> As a side note, read science, history and philosophy books. It's mind boggling how much better these books are than social media. If a book sucks, move onto the next one(or tell yourself you will read it later).
I mean, I'm not 100% sure why you're asking about smartphones/texting, but if I had to speculate, you might find some of the stuff on TV a tad boring? If so, you'd be in good company!
As the above comment described, non-fiction tends to be far-superior for intensive consumption (while some light-hearted fictions, especially web-comics, can be neat compliments on the side -- xkcd and SMBC being obligatory examples).
If you do take to consuming fiction, the most interesting stuff would seem to be things that can be viewed from different angles. For example, the concept of "demiurge" has been commented on many times, from ancient philosophy/religion to modern variants, in manga/anime, serial-fictions, discussed in philosophy forums, occult texts, etc. -- so if you explore that, then it's not really just some simplistic linear narrative, but rather can be an exploration through many different lenses in many different media, adding depth not found on TV or in books.
Broadly, a lot of existential-ist conception can be a basis for such explorations. Like Heaven/Hell -- there a lot of kids might start with the Bible, then expand to other biblical texts (as a starting place: [Biblical Hermeneutics](https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/)), Dante's "Inferno"/"Purgatorio"/"Paradiso", the take from "Paradise Lost", and a whole slew of modern stuff all over religion, philosophy, books, comics, video-games (seriously -- some video-games have neat lore systems!), and more.
In such explorations, Wikipedia and search-engines (like Google) can be great because they help call attention to connections to explore. Because it's these connections to look at things from multiple dimensions that can add depth, beyond just the perspective of a single source.
Anyway, long rant short, my point's that if you're bored, then perhaps time to stop reading old-fashion fictional books in favor of some more interesting stuff. 'cause common narratives really are pretty dull.
(Alternatively, if you like old-fashion fictional books but just didn't like smartphones, sorry for the rant. =P)
No offense, but my eyes glazed-over at your post. Yes, my point is it seems like every tv show on netflix etc, incorporates people texting/interacting with their phones which bores me but I guess since it is part of normalized daily life now, it is what it is. Thanks for the suggestions though.
Yeah, sorry, perhaps indulgent on my part. I enjoy different perspectives, being both why I'd advocate what I did above and why I'm so curious about your comment about smartphones -- which, I imagine, for you was merely a passing comment of little import that it's weird for someone to be so curious about.
