Why We Care About Fictional Characters
Finding out that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker\u2019s father probably didn\u2019t have any practical implications for your life. It didn\u2019t translate into a raise at work or help you lose 15 pounds. So why do we care so much about the fates of fictional characters? William Flesch is the author of the book \u201cComeuppance: Costly Signaling, Altruistic Punishment, and Other Biological Components of Fiction.\u201d He argues that we root for good guys and gals because we love making bets on people. And, once we make those bets, it\u2019s imperative that we are proven right.