# Why is someone reading over your shoulder annoying? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430 "2012-09-21T20:54:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430/21 "2014-09-21T21:04:33Z")
Even worse, is the possibility that it’s a zombie sneaking up on you to feast on your brains. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430/22 "2014-09-21T22:28:07Z")
I guess we have different reasons. I wouldn’t mind someone reading over my shoulder, except that it creates some vague moral obligation not to turn the page unless they are ready. Since I read fairly fast, this annoys me. Otherwise, I couldn’t care less. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430/23 "2014-09-21T23:53:33Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Even worse, is the possibility that it’s a zombie sneaking up on you to feast on your brains. What if someone is reading over your shoulder as you read this thread, saying, “Hey, why are you reading a zombie thread?” ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430/24 "2014-09-22T00:44:34Z")
Having someone read over my shoulder means that person is both getting into my personal bubble and interrupting my thoughts - both personal space and the ability to have a full thought without being interrupted are immeasurably valuable to me now that I have kids. I spend most of my day unable to think an uninterrupted thought, whether because my children and husband speak to me all at once or because I’m at work being constantly interrupted. The mere thought of having someone do that to me when I have enough time to sit down and am able to think makes me want to stab someone. Not that I feel strongly about it or anything. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430/25 "2014-09-22T16:52:00Z")
It seems for me to be very dependent on the situation. I used to teach Computer Science so I spent a lot of time looking over student’s shoulders at screens as well as having people look over mine. As long as it was a “sharing” situation, it was fine. But if someone starts looking over my shoulder when it is a “me” situation, it is absolutely mega-annoying. Go figure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-someone-reading-over-your-shoulder-annoying/635430.md?page=1)