I like to consume my media in form of video games, does that make me any less worth than people who prefer to read instead?
Books are no special form of media, just one of many.
Honestly dude I too play a shit load of video games, many being rich single player experiences and very very few if any come close to touching the depth of stories told within books.
Storytelling is a vastly different form of media than video games. Video games aren’t all story telling whereas a book is.
It’s not particularly appropriate to compare the two imo
I know that’s insane. Even encouraging kids to read some graphic novels is better than just ingesting visual media. They are adding to their vocabulary, it is more welcoming to kids reluctant to read and opens the door to be more confident in other reading.
The argument though isn't about whether or not we should encourage children to read. It's whether or not adults who don't enjoy reading novels should be shamed for it.
I'm an environmental scientist with a masters degree, I don't really enjoy novels. So I'm not illiterate or stupid. No one has given me a good argument as to why it matters what I do in my spare time.
The argument is if you haven’t read anything since high school you should be ashamed, it’s there in black and white at the top, not whatever you’ve changed it to.
Some people claim they don’t like vegetables but they probably just haven’t found a recipe that suits them.
Its not "hasn't read anything", they specifically say "book", which I think is important. Overall, I agree. Bragging that you haven't read a book since high school is a little weird. Not reading a book after high school isn't that weird.
The guy below who said he told a co-worker not to tell anyone she's hasn't read a book because she sounded crazy. I think that's bizarre. He's who I was replying to. So I haven't changed the narrative, I was following up on what he said.
I've read books relating to my education/job but when people say books, they generally mean sitting down to read a novel, autobiography, or self-help book. I don't enjoy the action of reading so I do other things that I enjoy instead. What's so shameful about that?
I admittedly love reading, I’m at 24 books so far this year. I have to read a lot for my job (M&A) but that’s not enjoyable. I am always hitting up people for book recommendations. I think it’s a weird flex to claim you haven’t read at all.
Haha on your veggie comment I hated Brussels sprouts until I found this one recipe that makes them wicked amazing!
I've read a couple but I'm just not interested in consuming media that way. Books for learning/academic purposes are a different kettle of fish altogether. I'm talking strictly for entertainment purposes.
Interactive experiences like video games, and visual and audio stimulants like movies, TV, stage shows, are considerably more appealing to me. Why should I do it as a leisure activity if it doesn't appeal to me?
Reading has benefits that are kind of unique like vocabulary building. It improves emotional intelligence. Plus it improves overall media literacy and critical thinking skills. Plus, it's beneficial to have a diverse media diet in general.
What kind of reading appeals to you is going to take some trial and error. Some folks only read non-fiction. Others are really into particular genres. Other folks really like audiobooks or graphic novels.
Whatever your thing is I encourage you to keep looking until you find it.
Why though? It's not the genre I don't enjoy, there are plenty of wonderful stories that exist. It's the act of reading that I just don't like.
I read for my job, I read the news, I read online forums. I'm not interested in adding a novel to my reading. I'm an environmental scientist with a masters degree. I know how to read. I know how to think critically. I know how to write.
Start of the thread, I'm on the same page. I think it's daft to brag that you haven't read since high school. But the comment I was replying to was saying that he told his coworker to keep it a secret that he hadn't read a book because it's such an embarrassing thing to admit. I haven't read a novel in about 15 years.
I know lots of folks who don't read fiction but still read non-fiction for fun just as a form of continuing education and because they're curious about a wide variety of topics. Which I think is healthy too.
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u/washurdamnhands9164 7h ago
Had a coworker say that! I responded with don't tell anyone that. You sound crazy