>Even if you cheat, is reading 15 short, bad books better or worse than reading 0? If it's done as a chore to hit a certain number, or in a performative spirit

>Even if you cheat, is reading 15 short, bad books better or worse than reading 0? If it's done as a chore to hit a certain number, or in a performative spirit to show others how much one has read, I think that person would get more value spending those hours doing something in which they have an authentic interest. Also, it's not an all-or-nothing prospect. A better question might be, "Is it better to read 15 short, bad books or 3 longer, more challenging books that one may not even fully understand on the first reading?"