Could fiction have contributed to the survival of modern humans? Lee Child speculates that fiction must have had a role in survival because there wasn’t room for a seemingly non-essential leisure activity thousands of years ago. Fiction, therefore, could have served as morale boosters and subtle instruction that fostered a healthy recklessness. This recklessness could have inspired modern humans to traverse the far reaches of the Earth, unlike the sensible and overly cautious Neanderthals, who likely did not dabble in fiction, and who didn’t explore far from their homes. Read full article here
