More when I was younger. The general negative reaction (when I get one) is “You read… for fun?”
I still get a bit of that nowadays, but the general tone is more of just head-shaking acceptance than anything else. I generally look at my co-workers who speak with quivering anticipation of their next trip to the gym to pump iron or to go out and play sports with a similar reaction. Both activities are, to me, at best a necessary commitment, something that I have to do because I am obligated to do so, while reading is something that is relaxing and fun for me. So I can understand how they feel that way, they’re just geeks about different activities than I am.
I think I started reading for fun in the fifth grade. My parents made us read every night from 6-6:30~45 or later 7-8ish as long back as I can remember. I doubt it was that long in the younger years but there was always reading time, didn’t matter what you read as long as you were reading. Everyone has always had a book. I find it weird when I see or hear of people not reading. I do not think anyone in my family has gone to college for more than 2 years, and only a couple that did that, so I do tend to scoff at people that use an education to exlpain why they read. I remember having to explain to my teacher in highschool why I carried Carlos Castenada books with me(ok, I was kinda high probably) but they would never see me reading the assigned books. It usually ended up I would read them in a few days and by the time the test came around I would either have to re-read the book or just wing it.
That done I ride public transportation to work every day. I am encouraged on how many books I see. I look askance at people that are not reading. Luckily I will report I see about a third of people on average with their noses in books while riding the train.
On a related note, when it was really popular to hate on people for reading Twilight and what not, I felt the need to point out… they’re reading. Twilight today, the Silmarillion tomorrow, or something like that. Gotta start somewhere.
I don’t get askance looks although I do get a lot of lack of acknowledgement that I AM reading as opposed to being available for conversation. I can work at my desk for hours and not be interrupted but the minute I pull out my kindle for lunch time, it’s apparently chat time.
I am told I shouldn’t complain because I could leave for lunch and not be bothered but I keep holding out hope that I can just take my lunch at my desk and be left alone. Yes, I realize it’s hopeless.
“Books are stupid.” “I can’t understand how you can read all the time, I don’t have that kind of brain.” Dunno if it’s made them think I’m any smarter though (probably not). Though admittedly if I had one of those fancy new phones I might be fiddling with that instead (or reading something on it, more likely).
Occasionally, though it’s very rare now. I do still get the lifted eyebrow, as someone else said, about fantasy and sci-fi, and there is a woman in my office who once said, “I DON’T READ” in the loudest, most disapproving voice possible when someone else asked her.
It also helps that I have a great deal of self-confidence now. Honey Badger just don’t give a shit. Judge me, don’t judge me, I’ll keep right on reading, tyvm.
I take something with me when I’m going to be waiting. If it might be a long wait I take both a book and a Sunday crossword puzzle. Usually the book is a Math/Science non-fiction book. Most recently Taming the Infinite: The Story of Mathematics from the First Numbers to Chaos Theory by Ian Stewart.
And I get weird looks.
I don’t get it. These other people just sit there. Don’t read (there’s magazines around), don’t play on their phones, nothing. They just stare into space (or at me). And I get the weird looks.
Of the course the staff of the office are always asking me about crossword puzzles, why I do them, etc. Not so interested in the books, pretty used to those I guess. They are, if you pardon the term, puzzled by me liking to solve puzzles.
Now, if I started up a conversation with them about the Kardashians, that would be “normal”.
The TV! It drives me crazy that every waiting room I go to there just has to be a huge TV for people to sit and stare at, slack-jawed. Can’t we just shut it off and have quiet for a while? People can entertain themselves in other ways.
I wear cargo shorts when I can, typically suburban dad that I am. I always have something to read in one of the side pockets - a book I am reading, my Kindle, a section of the NY Times folded up - something.
I find I pull the reading material out all the time - and the folks I am around tend to say “damn, I wish I had thought of that”…
Cats are legally obligated to give humans a nasty look from time to time. It’s in their contract, if they don’t do this they have their Cat Card suspended or even revoked.
Personally I’ve tended to find that 10-year-old bullies don’t grow into decent well-rounded adults, they’re still bullies but usually just hide it better because its a little less socially acceptable behaviour in a supposed adult.
Its rare for someone to be outright rude like the woman I mentioned in my OP but its definitely not common for someone to have a book close at hand whenever possible. In my experience at least.
If you read a lot some (many?) people tend to think you’re just showing off, I turned off a facebook app where I would list my current read because of the smart comments I was getting, most light-hearted but some very much not so.
Although for a single shining moment I was ahead of the cool curve by being one of the first people to own a kindle, people used to ask about it with genuine interest, now every common schmoe has one…
I remember getting some comments, ranging from incredulous to nasty, occasionally, but they pretty much slid off, and I don’t remember what they were exactly.
ftg: So how is ‘Taming the Infinite: The Story of Mathematics from the First Numbers to Chaos Theory by Ian Stewart’ ? it sounds interesting.
I have to wonder where you guys live that you’re getting this.
Although I was once talking to my ex-boss about packing for vacations. I tend to pack a lot, and have a ginormous suitcase that’s usually packed to the gills. ex-boss said that she’d just shove a sarong in her purse and go. She asked what all I packed, and I mentioned books, among other things. “Books?!? What do you need with books?!?”
Yeah, that got me a few odd looks. I used to do that all the time.
One of the first things I did when I got a smartphone was find a good e-book reader. In fact, I use my phone for that function (or as a music player when walking or driving) more than I do the Internet connectivity.
Maybe I’m completely oblivious, but I have never in my life gotten a weird stare for reading a book or doing a crossword or whatever. Never. In all the cities I’ve lived in, it was commonplace to read while commuting on your bus/subway/tram/etc. It would never occur to me that anyone would find this odd.
