Do you read?

[Anonymous]

I was deprived by parents who didn’t push me to read, so I’m making up for it as an adult. I try to read as many classics as I can. I just finished The Aeneid and am currently reading Moby Dick. So well written and a great story. Earlier this year, I reread Brave New World and 1984, back-to-back. Brave New World, in particular, was very prescient in it’s depiction of a near-future society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TikTok gets so much hate but the idea that it’s just trying your brain is not true. Or at least it can’t be frying your brain more than americas funniest home videos or Saturday night life or dancing with the stars.

The truck is getting off it but it’s not as hard as people think. Adults (who aren’t depressed) can do it.

(Of course if you have concerns about data privacy I respect that.)

Oh really? (and please don’t try to claim most adults’ usage is not “constant.” It most assuredly is, as those hundreds of “quick checks” of the phone a day add up to hours).

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/34138/20211025/tiktok-bad-brain-constant-social-media-streaming-narrows-collective-attention.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One more tip - leave your phone out of arm's reach. It's much easier to avoid scrolling or texting when your phone isn't right next to you.

Or in another room (if you have a kid out who may need to reach you, a sick parents, etc, turn your ringer way up).

[Anonymous]

I used to read so much pre kids but I tend to go for the easiest entertainment option now and pull out my phone or watch something on tv.

I have this unfortunate habit of judging myself for my book choices and I wish I didn’t. I enjoy thriller mystery type books but I always feel as though if I’m not reading something highbrow or “important” I might as well be watching tv. Of course this isn’t true but continue this thought pattern, especially when friends tell the names of impressive books they are reading. I need to pick back up a mystery and stop telling myself it’s not good enough.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I started reading again When my youngest was 3. I average around two books per month. I check out e books from the library, so I am motivated to finish them before they disappear.

[Anonymous]

I am currently reading The Thursday Murder Club and I had to stop reading The Kite Runner because it was too sad. It's okay to read just for fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to read so much pre kids but I tend to go for the easiest entertainment option now and pull out my phone or watch something on tv.

I have this unfortunate habit of judging myself for my book choices and I wish I didn’t. I enjoy thriller mystery type books but I always feel as though if I’m not reading something highbrow or “important” I might as well be watching tv. Of course this isn’t true but continue this thought pattern, especially when friends tell the names of impressive books they are reading. I need to pick back up a mystery and stop telling myself it’s not good enough.

All my serious reader friends have genre styles they also enjoy, whether mysteries or rom coms or sci-fi or whatever. I just finished two really good literary fiction novels (The Vanishing Half and Circe, would highly recommend both) but next up for me is a Laura Lippman novel -- always deeply satisfying and easy to read. I also love Louise Penny for the same reason. Or, if I'm in a sci-fi mood, Becky Chambers is fantastic and John Scalzi has a lot of great books perfect for the beach or a plane ride.

I usually read 4-5 serious books a year and the rest is more fluff, or sometimes background reading related to a project I'm working on. No guilt. I've been reading for pleasure since I could read. Also, I write some and you know what -- the really good mystery, thriller, sci-fi, and romance authors are incredibly skilled at what they do and could write circles around a lot of more "literary" writers. Genre does not have to mean Dan Brown or James Patterson. It takes enormous talent to write very plot-forward, satisfying books. I actually prefer this to people who read all the books they are "supposed to." I would rather discuss someone's favorite romance novels than find out what yet another person thinks of Jonathan Franzen, you know?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Pre-pandemic I read every work-day on my lunch hour. Now that I work from home, I read before bed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that the digital world (laptop, tablet, and phone) have decreased my attention span. I think human brains are going to evolve (devolve?) as a result.

As for reading, I read constantly as a child but as I got older, became a parent, and had to read for college and professional purposes, I had no time for fiction or non-fiction reading that wasn't work related. Once I was settled in my career and my child was grown I rediscovered reading for pleasure, and it was amazing. I had not realized how much I missed it.

A few years ago I started listing to audio books. That caused some decreased attention span on book books (as I call them now to differentiate from audio). If a book does not grab my attention and feels like a chore to read it, I give up.

One thing that might help those who want to return to reading is to listen to an audio book while also reading the same book book. That might help hold your attention, and it's nice to be able to flip back and forth in case you missed a detail in the audio.

I do this all the time! Listen to book in car, read on kindle if out, book at home. Use a combo of audible and library books to not spend much. It really deepened my interest and access to books.

[Anonymous]

Not as much as I used to. My job is all reading and writing and it's just not how I like to unwind. I mostly read in bed at night unless I find something really absorbing.

If we're off work and visiting family, I read a lot more - probably a book every 2 days.

[Anonymous]

I do read now, but for several years I didn’t - after a lifetime of being a bookworm. I agree that phones & social media reduce our attention span.

Just read a few pages at a time. Whatever you can. But do it every day.

[Anonymous]

Books 📚 have always played a huge role in my life.

As a child, I remember going to the library often & walking out w/a large stack of books.

Especially during the Summer.

Books sustained me from boredom as I was raised an only child.

I still love to read, however now that I own a smartphone - watching videos on it have taken away the time + attention that I used to give to books (along w/other reading material!)

[Anonymous]

Libby app and kindle app on my phone. Check out books and buy them. Not everyone glued to their phone is scrolling social media, some of us are reading the Quixote.

[Anonymous]

Yes, constantly. Even on my phone it’s largely longform text instead of videos or social media. No idea why! I like mostly “highbrow” nonfiction, history, social sciences books and periodicals. I’m starting to read fiction again after a few years although I prefer TV and movies for fiction.

I have three youngish kids and read less when they were babies and toddlers, but it’s always been my refuge from childcare/work/housework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TikTok gets so much hate but the idea that it’s just trying your brain is not true. Or at least it can’t be frying your brain more than americas funniest home videos or Saturday night life or dancing with the stars.

The truck is getting off it but it’s not as hard as people think. Adults (who aren’t depressed) can do it.

(Of course if you have concerns about data privacy I respect that.)

Oh really? (and please don’t try to claim most adults’ usage is not “constant.” It most assuredly is, as those hundreds of “quick checks” of the phone a day add up to hours).

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/34138/20211025/tiktok-bad-brain-constant-social-media-streaming-narrows-collective-attention.htm

Fine, TikTok isn’t frying your brain more than any other social media, like twitter, Facebook, or DCUM.

Also I never claimed that most adults don’t check their phones a lot.