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> Why do you think that reading in general is good? It exercises your imagination, your vocabulary, and ironically your writing ability. And that doesn't even

> Why do you think that reading in general is good? It exercises your imagination, your vocabulary, and ironically your writing ability. And that doesn't even count any new knowledge gained from books - not guaranteed with fiction, but it still happens quite often. All skills which are valuable for the rest of your life too.

PurpleRamen 3y ago
> It exercises your imagination, your vocabulary, and ironically your writing ability. That strongly depends on what you are reading and what your average level of education is. And considering we are talking about Booktok and UK, or any other country with similar levels of education, I'm not really sure if this is even remotely true. Booktok seems to favor more trashy, silly books, not the kind of content which will enrich your vocabulary or imagination. And I'm saying this as someone who also likes to read such trashy content.
- falcolas 3y ago
  Considering that the average reading comprehension level in the US is 7th Grade, I think we're fine recommending that people read - even if they're reading trashy books.
hotnfresh 3y ago
The bulk of what actually sells and gets read is deliberately written to be very easy to read and follow, to maximize potential market size. It’s a reaction to the shrinking size of the total market, and why YA and YA-reading-level books (if not nominally YA) now dominate. Been trending that way for 20 or so years. “Any reading is good reading” is an attitude that’s true and useful for young kids, but is less true as they get older, and not true for most adults. At some age and level of development, reading the next Harry Potter prequel book isn’t any more improving than binging a middling TV series.
- Spivak 3y ago
  This attitude is why people stop reading when they become adults. It's no wonder people burn out of it so fast when you want it to literally be homework. Like good god, easy to read should be a compliment to the author's ability to effectively communicate. They're books not puzzle boxes, calling "not easy to read" a virtue is absurd. Go read some bad fanfic and see for yourself how difficult to read and follow doesn't mean good.
  - grepLeigh 3y ago
    I wish I could up vote this multiple times. I've received so many "heavy" recommendations in my 20s and 30s, from people who read (at most) 1-2 books per year. Some people I know have stopped reading altogether, since they can't find the energy to get through "edifying" material. If that resonates, my unsolicited advice is to: 1. Read for fun. If you're you're going to nosh some brain junk food, it might as well be a book. Enjoy it! 2. Don't be afraid to stop reading one book so you can start another. I've seen so many people try to finish a book they're not enjoying, then stop reading altogether. 3. Once you've (re)cultivated a habit of reading, you might have more tenacity for that hallowed "edifying" material. I'm reading and noodling on "Tensor Calculus for Physics" exercises as a bedtime activity, but that was preceded by months of reading YA spec/sci fiction to unwind.
  - hotnfresh 3y ago
    Nobody said all reading had to be terribly beneficial. I just object to the idea that it necessarily is. That it’s not is fine. Some folks claim it’s virtuous and better for you than, say, watching so-so TV shows, just because it’s READING, and I happen to think that’s plainly silly. And also that it’s fine that it’s largely not. There are multiple ways I could have intended “easy to read”, and I mean that this, from the post I was responding to: > It exercises your imagination, your vocabulary, and ironically your writing ability. Is readily sacrificed, in most salable books, to avoid challenging the reader, because readers who don’t like to have any difficulty with a book are a much larger market than those who want that. You would agree that “See Spot Run” may offer little improving to most adults, even if they enjoy reading it, yes? Then at most we disagree about where that line falls. But, again, it is fine if 40-year-olds like to read See Spot Run. There’s not anything wrong with it, it just bothers me when people paint reading as always some wholesome activity. It’s not—not always, probably not most of the time—but also that is OK.

PurpleRamen 3y ago

> It exercises your imagination, your vocabulary, and ironically your writing ability. That strongly depends on what you are reading and what your average level of education is. And considering we are talking about Booktok and UK, or any other country with similar levels of education, I'm not really sure if this is even remotely true. Booktok seems to favor more trashy, silly books, not the kind of content which will enrich your vocabulary or imagination. And I'm saying this as someone who also likes to read such trashy content.

falcolas 3y ago
Considering that the average reading comprehension level in the US is 7th Grade, I think we're fine recommending that people read - even if they're reading trashy books.

hotnfresh 3y ago

The bulk of what actually sells and gets read is deliberately written to be very easy to read and follow, to maximize potential market size. It’s a reaction to the shrinking size of the total market, and why YA and YA-reading-level books (if not nominally YA) now dominate. Been trending that way for 20 or so years. “Any reading is good reading” is an attitude that’s true and useful for young kids, but is less true as they get older, and not true for most adults. At some age and level of development, reading the next Harry Potter prequel book isn’t any more improving than binging a middling TV series.

Spivak 3y ago
This attitude is why people stop reading when they become adults. It's no wonder people burn out of it so fast when you want it to literally be homework. Like good god, easy to read should be a compliment to the author's ability to effectively communicate. They're books not puzzle boxes, calling "not easy to read" a virtue is absurd. Go read some bad fanfic and see for yourself how difficult to read and follow doesn't mean good.
- grepLeigh 3y ago
  I wish I could up vote this multiple times. I've received so many "heavy" recommendations in my 20s and 30s, from people who read (at most) 1-2 books per year. Some people I know have stopped reading altogether, since they can't find the energy to get through "edifying" material. If that resonates, my unsolicited advice is to: 1. Read for fun. If you're you're going to nosh some brain junk food, it might as well be a book. Enjoy it! 2. Don't be afraid to stop reading one book so you can start another. I've seen so many people try to finish a book they're not enjoying, then stop reading altogether. 3. Once you've (re)cultivated a habit of reading, you might have more tenacity for that hallowed "edifying" material. I'm reading and noodling on "Tensor Calculus for Physics" exercises as a bedtime activity, but that was preceded by months of reading YA spec/sci fiction to unwind.
- hotnfresh 3y ago
  Nobody said all reading had to be terribly beneficial. I just object to the idea that it necessarily is. That it’s not is fine. Some folks claim it’s virtuous and better for you than, say, watching so-so TV shows, just because it’s READING, and I happen to think that’s plainly silly. And also that it’s fine that it’s largely not. There are multiple ways I could have intended “easy to read”, and I mean that this, from the post I was responding to: > It exercises your imagination, your vocabulary, and ironically your writing ability. Is readily sacrificed, in most salable books, to avoid challenging the reader, because readers who don’t like to have any difficulty with a book are a much larger market than those who want that. You would agree that “See Spot Run” may offer little improving to most adults, even if they enjoy reading it, yes? Then at most we disagree about where that line falls. But, again, it is fine if 40-year-olds like to read See Spot Run. There’s not anything wrong with it, it just bothers me when people paint reading as always some wholesome activity. It’s not—not always, probably not most of the time—but also that is OK.