I watched a video about reading better versus reading a lot

Submitted by Ninja_Pollito t3_ycofz0 in books

I was on board for a while. Taking your time with certain books really makes sense. But then he began trashing other channels that encourage fast reading, which I don't really have an opinion about, and then got on his soapbox about reading books that "matter". It really ruffled my feathers for some reason. At different times you may read books for different reasons, all of which may matter to you in a myriad of ways, not just in a way of "making you a better person". And so many interesting ideas and perspectives could be hiding in a book that this person would deem unworthy of his time. Why be so judgmental about what other people enjoy reading?

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[deleted] t1_itnclty wrote

Simple: click bait. They want to stir the pot for views.

Doesn't matter what they thought, for me reading is personal.

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lilacbookluvr t1_ito0h9v wrote

i will never understand book snobs. genres like fantasy and romance may not be "meaningful," but they're meaningful to me! i'm not gonna sit here and talk down on people who read self improvement and non fiction books because who cares?! reading is supposed to be fun! no matter what you're reading or how fast you're reading it. it's not a competition, so why do people try to make it one? 🤔

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Lanfear_Eshonai t1_itp43zm wrote

I dislike book snobs. Who is to say what is a book that "matters"? The books I read matter to me, and as OP rightly says, one reads books for different reasons at different times.

I read how I want and what I want. Its ludicrous to be judgmental about other people's reading habits.

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inspork t1_iton13c wrote

I always say that anyone who cares so much about the particular way other people read, be it audiobooks versus ebooks versus traditional, this versus that, etc., is usually more concerned with coming off as well-read rather than just enjoying the act of reading.

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SpotifyIsBroken t1_itp42ua wrote

Sounds like someone not worth paying any attention to.

​

edit: just to be clear...books are a lot like music to me. People read them for a variety of different reasons and everyone enjoys different kinds of books.

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Flander9 t1_itoyllz wrote

Read what you like, how you like.

Some people read for something deep. My wife reads YA fiction to relax. And I keep my mouth shut about my opinions about her book choices because that’s her thing.

Do I think people should be open to reading challenging, thought provoking book. Sure, I do.

But that ain’t her thing and that’s alright. She’s smart, she’s got a doctorate, and I’m a lowly public school teacher. She doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.

And honestly, with TikTok and Next Real Bachelor Ninja Warrior Princess… do we really want to criticize people for…reading?

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ErisEpicene t1_itp0o5b wrote

It annoys me seeing these things presented from such a negative perspective, because I understand and agree with a lot of these practices, but from the point of view of a slow reader. I have high reading comprehension but a low reading speed. I try to focus on reading things with depth and complexity because I'm not going to read substantially faster if I don't have to analyze as I go, so why not read something that wants and rewards ongoing analysis? But I don't feel any sort of superiority over it. If anything I envy people who can read something fun real fast. I'd do a lot more reading on the whole if I could throw a fun, easy read in between my deep, note taking, highlighting, researching books. It just takes me too long to dedicate that time to something that doesn't have a lot to give.

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EdenMaryoles t1_itr49x1 wrote

I want a speck of your patience.

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ErisEpicene t1_itri7b5 wrote

It's not patience. It's an attention disorder xd. I have a really hard time pacing, deciding what is important enough to carefully break down and analyze and what can be consumed quickly and moved on from. So I end up carefully going over every detail of every line no matter how important it is or isn't. So I try to read things relatively dense with important content and still sometimes go all pepe silvia over the writer's favorite or crutch words and phrases.

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infinitealchemist t1_itpzwkg wrote

I think the key to this is to not fall into the same trap ourselves. You may think something like, “I believe all books have subjective meaning to the individual who reads them, and all people should think this way instead of being so exclusive.” That’s just as problematic to me as demanding to others that “only certain books” have any meaning, and that’s objective for all people.

There are going to be people with both beliefs. I think we would all benefit from respectfully sharing those beliefs without stating them in a way that’s incendiary or denigrating. Believing objective meaning can come across as exclusive and pretentious, while believing subjective meaning can at times make beneficial communication between readers impossible

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mongreldogchild t1_itr3rwk wrote

I saw that one as well. Rolled my eyes and decided to watch something else. He's a book snob in the worst meaning of the word. There's a lot to be said for intentional and in-depth analysis while reading. But there's nothing wrong with reading for pleasure, reading things that aren't "beneficial", or reading things at a pace that doesn't suit him.

Not everything we do has to be a character building or spiritual growth exercise. Maybe that's what some people want to do with their ennui, but I have never felt that emptiness of soul that needs to be constantly filled to stave it off.

I've always thought that this idea is largely linked to classism in many ways. Either from someone who is on the top of the chain who wants to feel better about themselves because they aren't like the unwashed masses. There seems to be a trend towards self flagellation in the upper classes, especially, where everything has to be unpleasant. Read unpleasant things, make it homework, make it about self improvement etc just to stave off the ennui of spiritual stagnation.

It's just a form of masturbation imo.

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Ninja_Pollito OP t1_itrcu00 wrote

Everything you said here resonates. I am so bored with elitism, classism, and just the general, "I do this thing and it makes me better and more important than you." I guess I am also so weary of the whole productivity mindset. Even with my spare time, reading books, I have to be in that mindset or I am doing it all wrong. Sigh.

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rio-bevol t1_its3tzj wrote

Sounds like a video that doesn't matter. Find the videos that do matter :)

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[deleted] t1_itojqhy wrote

[deleted]

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Susccmmp t1_itoybcq wrote

I don’t think all reading is intended to be equal.

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Ninja_Pollito OP t1_iton1ee wrote

I have read many classics, for sure. And certainly not all reading is equal. Most of us are likely to agree on that. But what matters to us as individuals and where we find meaning can be a very subjective thing. He seemed to find meaning and value in the classics of the Western canon, which is great. But there are a lot of interesting works outside of this, as well. And if reading what some might consider trash novels gets someone through the day, who am I to judge?

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mongreldogchild t1_itr41se wrote

>All reading is good, but is all reading really equal?

Equal in what? And why does it matter if it is?

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Greenery72 t1_ittaebu wrote

Hi, reading is not supposed to be a "judging contest", or a competition, or anything else , for that matter, other than what it is supposed to be, READING! Not fast, not necessarily slow, just read, and whatever video this is that you had mentioned, waste of time! JUST READ whatever you fancy! Thanks

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stuckondialup t1_itti4mi wrote

I just got into the world of booktubes this past week and saw that video. Same as you I agreed with the first part and just couldn’t with the rest. I blocked that channel. Can’t stand gatekeeping.

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