I did the same and had the same suspicion. If that's actually the case, the ideas and the writing don't change, but it changes how you feel about it doesn't it? Which brings up some really interesting questions.
It made me realize that part of why I appreciated it so much was that I felt like I had some level of connection with another person who lived and learned and had shared experiences.
But on another level, it's sort of like how I see good works of fiction that really hit me emotionally and I feel real emotions for people that don't exist. My thought goes something like "this specific story isn't true, but it's true for someone, somewhere."
It made me realize that part of why I appreciated it so much was that I felt like I had some level of connection with another person who lived and learned and had shared experiences.
But on another level, it's sort of like how I see good works of fiction that really hit me emotionally and I feel real emotions for people that don't exist. My thought goes something like "this specific story isn't true, but it's true for someone, somewhere."