Random 60: Reading. | Favorite on Viddler.
In this fast paced, Twitter-powered world it seems like all we do is consume shorter, and shorter bits of data. First it was blog posts, now it is micro-blogging with services like Twitter (I’m cdevroe by the way). I believe reading books can really slow us down, disconnect us from the Internet for a little while, and get us back to consumer larger ideas.
What do you think? When was the last time you read a book?
9 Comments
Reading anything lengthy is tricky. When I used to ride the subway and PATH every day, it was easier, because I had good amount of time with nothing else to do. I read my fair share of graphic novels and comic books, but the bulk of my reading is on the web. A few hundred items pass through my Google Reader every day, and even though I skim and skip many of them, I do find a few good thing worth reading.
If reading is reading (as opposed to reading books is reading) than I probably read more than I ever have. Sure, the quality is debatable, but it’s hard to find the time for quality with an RSS reader than never seems to stop updating!
I think it might be time to trim the fat on your Google Reader subscriptions. (Not this blog, please.) I think finding a little bit of time, even if only an hour here and there, to read a book is a good exercise in getting away from the screen.
I’m trying to get back into reading for sure and actually have got some reading time in the last two weeks or so.
It’s tough since there are so many things you can spend your time on now, unfortunately, reading generally takes a back seat.
I want to do so many things – get in shape, practice guitar, do work, stay focused on important things – it’s difficult to make the time to read a book, but it is rewarding when you do.
I forget the phrasing of the saying, but good things are hard to do – or something like that. So perhaps that is why it is difficult to find the time to read – because it is awesome.
I think reading longer pieces regardless of the medium, forces you to focus and think about that topic. I loved sitting down and reading Anathem for 30 minutes here and there because it made me think. I’d spend an hour “reading”, but I’d have read for 30 minutes and then spent the next 30 minutes sketching ideas in my mind about what I had just read and the concepts introduced therein.
One thing I do have to say is that as people read less books and more websites, we need to point people toward quality consuming. Example: Even if it’s a once in a while thing, a lively debate about the relevance of the modern aristocracy (celebrities, fat cat CEOs, etc.) for someone that normally reads all the gossip mags and their online equivalent.
There are quality conversations happening online relevant to people’s interests, even for people who spend hours online reading about Paris Hilton’s dog’s new haircut.
I don’t know about you, but I have no idea about Paris Hilton’s dog and I’m so happy about that. I’ve managed to nearly ignore celebrity gossip save what I hear in general conversation with people. I do not read any of that crap.
And, I agree with you, getting into debates forces people to thoroughly explore an idea from every angle. GREAT point.
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Great topic. Loving the random 60. Keep it up.
Well, you are not alone. Hah!
LOL! That’s classic.