Looks as though our host has abandoned us here, effectively leaving the dungeon keys to the…ahem…“troglodites.” 
He’s still working his way through the responses, I think he’s just gotten past Miller’s post. 
Actually, I sort of agree with him. I contributed to that thread, and some of the responses struck me as being more “look at how much I read” and “readers are smart, non-readers are dumb” rather than just a discussion of waiting room habits.
He seems to have shot himself in the fute.
What’s everyone going on about? Can’t seem to follow what with the numerous books I am reading.
My gf and I were just discussing this. About a year ago, I gave her a book I had just finished. She read it and expressed her happiness that I had shared my book with her. So, I started giving her each book I finished. Turns out she was overwhelmed/embarrassed. That was never my intent, so now I give her only the cream of the crop; one a month instead of a couple a week.
Sure, I read… but what if I’m reading the wrong books, and every week God just keeps getting madder and madder? :eek:
Then I will be sent to Reader’s Hell, wherein I will find myself inside the largest, most beautiful library ever built, only to find the shelves are stocked with James Frey, Christopher Paolini, Reader’s Digest condensed books, Oprah’s Book Club, and Sylvia Browne! GAAAAHHHHHH!
I need to toss that Bible. It’s been filling my head with bad ideas.
I enjoy reading. I don’t want a medal, or a trophy. You don’t have to bow to my superior intelligence, either. Though it would be nice.
But the next person who says “you like reading??” in the same incredulous-and-slightly-grossed-out tone they might use in saying “you like licking aardvarks?”, will get whacked over the head with one of my books. And I’ve been reading hardcovers lately.
I’m surprised nobody has claimed the rhinestone tiara and the bouquet of flowers yet. Dibs!
Okay, first of all I didn’t mean to post and run; just had to tend to an unexpected matter here at work. I also anticipated the spelling / grammatical corrections I would receive. My fault for not taking the time, but, what can I say, it was just something that got caught in my brain and I felt the need to spew. I put it out there knowing it would put people on the defensive, and it has(good comebacks, by way).
Perhaps if I’d worded it a different way, in a different forum it might have gone over better. Apologies to any who took genuine offense.
That being said, some of you have kind of reinforced my opinion on this matter.
As always, feel free to nitpick my spelling, sentence structure, user name or anything else that tickles your fancy. My question is, am I a minority of one in noticing this? Remember, I said I’m a reader too (my terrible typing aside). I was really kind of coming to the defense of the " troglodytes" t.r.o.g.l.o.d.y.t.e.s. “troglodytes”. Since most of what I saw upon quickly scanning the replies were sarcastic remarks about the mistakes in my post, I’ll assume I am the only one who has noticed an underlying attitude and will try to adjust my own attitude accordingly, or at least not voice it.
What if I hijack my own thread and ask how dopers who don’t read feel? Do you feel insulted by those who look down on you? Have you picked up the same vibe I’ve described? If so, do you care?
Somehow, I don’t think you’ll be getting a huge number of answers here.
OMG i reed im bettr thn U!!!111
Not really relevant, but that thought made me laugh.
Hey, if the Left Behind series is in Reader’s Heaven, I’ll be happy with Reader’s Hell.
I go through spurts where I read a lot, maybe 2-5 books a week, then I will go weeks without reading more than a magazine. I can sometimes be one of those people who you will see staring off into space, because sometimes my mind just likes to be quiet. I don’t need to be entertained at all times, and that includes tv or radio or books or whatever. In fact sometimes I like to stare out the window for hours on a long car ride, I find the scenery and lack of mind occupation soothing. So maybe there are those who see me and think ‘idiot’, I don’t know.
Sometimes my life is so full of stuff and thinking of what comes next that I can use 20 minutes or so to just let my mind shut off for a while. I really like to read and I do read a lot, but I don’t need to read all the time. I am different from one of my sisters, who I believe is like a lot of you, that she will have a book on her at all times and if there is 30 seconds of downtime she will be reading. I tend to not pick up a book unless I have a chunk of time to get into it. So yes, if I am going to be in a waiting room all afternoon I will likely bring a book, but 20 minutes, probably not. I recently also spent a lot of time in emergency rooms and although I had a book with me I was too preoccupied and/or in pain to read and probably did complain about the wait because I was worried. People in those places are more likely to be under stress so I cut them some slack.
I also distinguish between reading fluff and reading something that stimulates my mind, and I sometimes find that people who read a lot can be condescending to those who don’t read as often, even if what they are reading is Star Trek Fan Fiction and nothing else. I do read all kinds of stuff from fluff magazines to the latest bestseller to classics, but I don’t need to have a book with me all the time.
I guess I can see both points - some people are amazed at how much I read but compared to many of you or someone like my sister I don’t read that much. And I will point out that for many people reading is difficult, for those with learning disabilities or simply slow readers it is not the effortless task it is for many of you, a mid-size novel can seem an impossible task. If you never learned to like reading for fun as a child you aren’t likely to love it as an adult. So let’s let both sides live in peace, please
Can I also say once and for all that there are some really good books on Oprah’s list. There. I said it.
:: picks over the prizes not yet taken ::
OOOO! OOOO! There’s still a pony! Gimme that pitchfork and I’ll dig it out.
Yep- there are good books on Oprah’s list.
I am somewhat tired of these threads–why should those who love to read have to justify it to anyone? I never hear the same said about Motocross or Vietnamese tantric sex toys.
I think it may well be a truth universally acknowledged that reading improves the mind and improves critical thinking skills. Yep, even Harlequin romances. Maybe not Left Behind books (and why weren’t they left behind?).
I don’t see that happening with TV-well, maybe a bit of HBO. And certainly not with mainstream movies. Reading engages the intellect in ways that TV and film cannot.
That is not to say that other media are not valuable or valued. This is a really lame thread (there I said it).
A quick check of my AIM name will confirm why I am behind you 100% on this.
Since all the other prizes are gone, I’ll take the Licked Aardvark, please.
I’ll take the 42" Plasma HDTV and the open top sports car. Just because they haven’t written a book about them, all the readers missed them.
Damn - and all I got was a picked nit.
I’ll take my winnings in the form of a Barnes & Noble gift certificate, thanks. And if those are all gone I’d like to have a UNlicked Aardvark.
Also, when I started reading this thread I got so upset I let out a yell which started a small tremor in the massive piles of books I have around me. One of them fell over and I was bonked on the head by an unabridged dictionary. I’m afraid I may have to sue.