Beliefs: How Stories Shape What We Think Is True

When we talk about beliefs, deeply held convictions that guide how people see the world, act, and choose what to read. Also known as core values, they’re not just what we say we believe—they’re what quietly decide which books we pick up, which characters we root for, and which endings leave us changed. Beliefs power everything from romance novels that make us believe in second chances, to thrillers that make us question if anyone can truly be trusted.

Beliefs show up in unexpected places. In historical fiction, stories set in the past that use real events as a canvas for human emotion and moral conflict, beliefs drive revolutions, silence dissent, and justify cruelty—making us wonder if we’d have done any differently. In self-help, books that promise personal transformation through mindset shifts and practical steps, beliefs are the target: change your belief about failure, and you change your life. Even in psychological thriller, stories where the real danger isn’t a monster, but the distortion of truth inside a character’s mind, beliefs are the weapon—used to manipulate, escape, or destroy.

Look at the posts here. One asks if beliefs can turn science into religion in Dune. Another digs into why The Alchemist feels like a spiritual guide even though it’s fiction. There’s a post on how dark romance plays with belief in love as redemption, even when it’s unhealthy. And one of the most powerful pieces here asks what the biggest adventure in life really is—turns out, it’s not climbing mountains. It’s changing your belief about who you’re allowed to become.

These aren’t random ideas. They’re all connected by the same force: what we believe shapes what we read, and what we read shapes what we believe. You won’t find fluff here. You’ll find real questions—about God’s name, about who reads YA and why, about whether reading can actually make you smarter. Each post cuts through noise and asks: What are you really believing when you turn this page?