fictionrather

Fictionrather is a neologism used to describe a cultural or cognitive tendency to privilege fiction in thought, media consumption, and interpretation over nonfiction. The term can denote a general preference for fictional narratives or a methodological stance in which fictional frameworks are used as primary tools for understanding real-world phenomena.

Etymology and usage: Fictionrather blends fiction with rather. It appears in online discourses and some media studies discussions starting in the early 2020s, without a single canonical definition, and is often applied descriptively rather than prescriptively.

Applications: The concept is used to analyze audiences who seek immersive worlds, writers who mix fact and fiction, and media producers who favor narrative coherence over empirical detail. It is also employed to examine how narrative strategies influence ethical judgments, political attitudes, and memory.

Examples: Popular genres and formats frequently discussed under fictionrather include immersive video games, speculative fiction, alternate history fiction, and fan fiction communities, where the primary appeal lies in coherent storytelling and world-building rather than verifiable accuracy.

Reception and critique: Supporters argue that fictionrather helps explain contemporary consumption patterns and the power of narrative. Critics warn that the term can oversimplify media ecosystems or dismiss legitimate engagement with nonfiction; it remains a contested, exploratory concept with limited formal consensus.

See also: narrative transportation, media literacy, fictionality, epistemology of fiction.