What it is
Literature works through our ability to see ourselves in others. A story is more than its plot; it’s a chance to live an experience through someone else’s eyes, an “embodied simulation.” Through that imitation we recognize, relate, and sometimes change. It’s why a character’s win can lift you, and their pain can make you cry.
How it shows up for me
It’s why I read fiction and watch anime without guilt. Some of my most useful lessons about courage and loyalty came from characters, not lectures.