Anyone that shuns reading is an ass. I don’t recall, however, seeing anyone take that stance here. Ever. There are plenty of people who have no problem, if not actually “shunning” ,at least expressing their disdain for those who don’t.
Agreed, except, again, I don’t recall ever seeing someone take the stance that people that aren’t into sports are somehow deficient.
Really? You think if one doesn’t read they" ought not be here"? You do understand I’m speaking of reading for pleasure and not the actual * ability * to read, don’t you?
For that matter, what difference does it make if it’s free and “low-brow” or not? I’m speaking to the issue of a certain snobbery I’ve noticed. I commented on it (as is my right to do, being a paid member). Sorry you find it silly, but it’s just an observation like any other topic of conversation here.
Would this be covered under your intent not to be snooty? Because this is easily the most condescending thing I’ve read so far. Thanks for the pointers, but I think I’be got it :rolleyes:
I assure you I am * not * like you, because I may make an unpopular observation, but this kind of useless shit would never come from me. Your suggestion that I might “quit bitching or leave or something” has been filed under “d” for dumb fuck".
Thanks for your astute observation. I’ll try and adjust while you’re trying to remove the " I don’t really know how to participate in a conversation before acting like a douchebag" stick out of your ass.
All other things being equal, I’d prefer a voter who only read Joe Wambaugh–not a bad writer, and one with a fair amount to say about crime and police–to someone who didn’t read at all. It’s not just the subject matter that’s important, but also that reading–even reading dreck that’s much worse than Wambaugh–stimulates the imagination and improves critical thinking.
I’m sorry, I’m not understanding. Are you saying my OP and my own ass are up your ass? Would this be an example of the “high brow” nature of this board that you so charitably tried to explain to me? Is this physically possible?
I’m not a big contributor to The Pit, as I don’t like to engage in the kind of exchange that conversations sometimes devolve into here. Don’t get me wrong; I get a huge kick out of some of the verbal warfare. You, however, are not qualified, and I am not interested enough. I’m not proud to speak to another the way I’ve spoken to you, but in all fairness, you did get on a mighty high horse, which is offensive enough in itself, but then you didn’t even make an interesting or valid point.
Pot, meet kettle.
And, I get a bug up my ass about people who rhaposidize about food and wine. So? The readers and book lovers here aren’t going to change because you disapprove of their love–and even of their arrogance and possible snobbery. Who cares?
I do know that kids who like to read tend to do better in school, which can’t be a bad thing, all round. Up to 3rd grade, you learn to read, after 3rd grade, you read to learn. Those of us who lust after new fiction and argue over plot points and author’s POVs etc are just like foodies or lovers of horsebackriding or god forbid, rollerderby. But say you love to read, get caught reading–and it is for some reason, highly suspect to those who don’t share it. You are either pitied for being a wallflower or looked at askance as some kind of closet Commie/terrorist. Why do Americans so fear an intellectual? Get over yourselves, already.
Gotta ask. Does this really happen often? As I’ve said, I’m not a big reader for entertainment, but many in my circle are. I have never seen this sort of reaction to them. Quite the opposite really, most people I’ve notocied that aren’t big readers usually seem pretty impressed when they find out.
Read an autobiography on [url= Booker T. Washington - Wikipedia] Booker T. Washington[/ur;] once. Said the only thing he could read for pleasure was biographies about great men. Guess you could say he also came from a working class background as he was an ex-slave from Virginia. He just couldn’t see the point in making the effort to read made-up stories when he could instead read to learn something.
Come to work with me–watch as I tell the folks that I have to read an entire book for a class. Watch their eyes bulge. :rolleyes:
see, the whole, “gee whiz, that’s alot of reading!” attitude is just as bad as the “she’s just got to find the right man. you would rather spend Saturday noc with a book than go out” attitude that I used to get when I read thru college etc.
maybe times are different now, but I am going off of my experiences.
Same here. I didn’t realize it was such a big deal. I’ve never been treated that way over reading. I’m tempted to think that people are exaggerating for dramatic effect.
We regularly discuss things here that aren’t likely to change. It’s possible that someone here will try to tone their arrogance down a bit. Who knows.
Is there one post in this thread that says it’s not important for kids to read? Has anyone here said that they don’t understand why some people enjoy reading? Or that people who read for pleasure are to be pitied? Any posts like that at all?
I spend a lot of time reading for pleasure, and I’ve never had that sort of reaction either. All the comments that non-readers have made about my reading have been positive.
Whoa, whoa, whoa now. This has gone completely off the proverbial track. You get a bug up your ass about people who rhapsodize about food and wine? I don’t blame you. Might you provide some links to threads where said wine and food afficianados make a point, or even mention, their disdain of people that don’t share that passion?
You say that people that love to read aren’t going to change? Who asked them to? I stated that I myself am an avid reader. No disapproval here. That isn’t the original point. The point was my observation that * some * literary types have put themselves on a pedestal.
Who cares? Well, who the hell cares about anything we discuss here? I can’t believe how many times a point I’m trying to make is met with the “who cares?” defense. Sweet Jesus, I will ask again, who cares about * any* of the minutae that is discussed / debated here. I thought that’s what this board was about.
You’ve provided the example that kids who like to read do better in school. Well, duh! I’m behind you %100. But I * never * questioned or debated that.
You’re not the first person to bring up being put down for being an avid reader. Again I say, I’ve never encountered that. I am and have always been “a reader”. If I’ve hit a
sore spot, I’m sorry, but that has absolutely nothing to do with my original comments.
There is no need to defend reading; it is not being attacked. You (generic you) are not being attacked. I simply commented on something that I’ve observed.
To sum it up:
I am an avid reader and have always been.
I have nothing against people who now or will in the future read.
People that don’t read are not stupid.
All people that * do * read are not academic snobs.
I read this entire thread before following your link, and the first thing I noticed in the other thread’s OP was this: “…bring something to occupy your mind. A book, a magazine, a game, knitting, something, anything.” I think that one sentence explains the entire other thread. Why would you take any more offense at “I bring along three books” than “I bring along a PSP with three games” or “I bring along a bag of yarn and three things I’m knitting”? We can talk about anything except books?
What’s wrong with being a troglodyte? Reading in a cave can be quite enjoyable.
Seriously, though, people who love to read tend to love to talk about what they read. That’s why there are so many reading groups in the world. After reading something that I really enjoy, I want to find other people who have read it and share my excitement. What’s wrong with that?
It’s not a noble cause. I enjoy reading Plato and Homer, but I also read Ed McBain’s police procedurals, Ivan Doig’s historical fiction, McCaffrey’s Pern novels, Stanley Gordon West’s slice-of-life novels, all kinds of non-fiction, and (shame!) Star Trek novels. Heck, I even read Janet Evanovich books. Nothing noble at all, but I enjoy talking about my reading, just like I enjoy talking about my other hobbies.
That isn’t what he is talking about. It’s not that they talk about what they read, it’s that they talk about that they read. “Yep. I’m a reader. Yep. Love to read.” This is not a problem just with reading–you find these sort of people everywhere. It’s the differnece between somoene who loves to hike and talks all the time about all the cool places they have been (interesting) and the person who loves to hike and talks all the time about how they love to hike and how hiking is so healthy and how it is they don’t understand people who don’t enjoy hiking and how they think it’s sad that other people haven’t felt the endorphin rush they feel when hiking and how criminal it is that people don’t take their kids on hiking trips (boring and snobbish).
