People who dont read books

Chuck Stone

The best book I ever read I found in the cubby hole when looking for something to read. I love that book so much that I read it every time I feel like things are getting difficult. I guess it's a bit like a bible for me only it's about a real person.

I tried to contact her through her ethnic community in the US but they couldn't find her - wanted to tell her that her survival story was truly inspirational. If I ever have enough money I will donate it to making a film about her survival story.

She's my hero.

h57xiucj2z946q

mariano rivera wrote: »

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies...The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin

Who gives a ****?

--Kaiser--

Ethan Colossal Kickback wrote: »

Who gives a ****?

Eloquent

ebixa82

mariano rivera wrote: »

Just the last few days in work. 4 or 5 lads who i work with, all with 3rd level qualifications who DO NOT READ Books.



As in the have never picked up a book to read for pleasure


:eek:

The reasons being:

- No time
- One fella said he did read Roy Keanes book but no other and he insisted he never read another book.
- Its boring

They actually were proud of this. (Personally would be embarrassed)


As i said these are all (apparently) educated people


(Dear Mods, I cant put this on the books boards as people who dont read books obviously dont read the books board)

Reading books isn't a sign of intelligence.

The fact that you read and have posted such a ridiculous thread is proof of this.

If someone who has no formal education spends their lives reading fantasy novels would you consider them more intelligent than an educated person who doesn't read?

Reading books is a hobby. As is knitting.

Reading newspapers informs people of what is happening in the world politically and economically. Doing this would perhaps make someone more knowledgeable.

AnonoBoy

ebixa82 wrote: »

Reading newspapers informs people of what is happening in the world politically and economically. Doing this would perhaps make someone more knowledgeable.

What about books about politics and economics?

conor93a

I read books all the time. I know people who have never read a book in their lives. Some of these people are far smarter and more successful than me.

Brinimartini

newbie2 wrote: »

Are you saying that if you're educated you should read books?

Well, the likelihood of reading is increased with education as the habit has been established but I know educated people with small children who just don't get a chance to read for anything up to 5 years because they're knackered all the time.

Brinimartini

1ZRed wrote: »

So what's the big deal?
You don't have to read books, it doesn't make you any less intelligent than someone who does

Maybe not but you will be less informed and thus a duller person conversationally and maybe in yourself too.
I feel sorry for people who miss out on the sheer pleasure of reading and learning new stuff or just relaxing and being entertained by a good thriller.

ebixa82

AnonoBoy wrote: »

What about books about politics and economics?

Yes indeed Sir. But the OP doesn't specify this.

I could be wrong here but he/she presumes reading sci-fi/fantasy/holiday romance all contribute to increasing one's intelligence, just because someone sits down and reads them.

later12

Agricola wrote: »

Its all very well to say "Screw you OP, just cos I don't bother with your hobby doesnt mean im not smart n' dat, right?".... But the point is that people who read regularly / widely, are generally more interesting people than those who don't.

It depends what you find interesting.

Personally, I would much rather hear an illiterate traveller's account of his life, or the 90 year old farmer who lives up the road from me (fairly sure he only ever reads the obituaries) tell me about his life in the 1930's than subject myself to some old fart spluttering out quotes he read about Waugh or Wagner.

By all means, do read; I love to read. But I'm very dubious about the notion that reading makes you 'more interesting'. From my experience, many of the most interesting people I know have far too many exciting things to be doing than reading books.

That's my entirely subjective viewpoint, and so is yours; but yours is a little unfair on those who are not particularly inclined to read for pleasure.

nbar12

pennypocket wrote: »

Ha, didn't know they offered a bio. On a side note, read your Hunger Games, see it calling you from across the room inside its little paper bag... What the hell, you may even enjoy it... Just be aware its a rip off of Battle Royale.

ha I might enjoy it but I just can't see myself sitting down to read it! I didn't even read the novel for my Leaving Cert English! That's how much I dislike it!

Chazz Michael Michaels

I work in a technical statsy type job which is quite taxing on the noggin, as a consequence I am never in the mood to read or do anything that requires much thinking in the evenings.

ebixa82

Brinimartini wrote: »

Maybe not but you will be less informed and thus a duller person conversationally and maybe in yourself too.
I feel sorry for people who miss out on the sheer pleasure of reading and learning new stuff or just relaxing and being entertained by a good thriller.

That is complete bollix.

Less informed? Duller conversationally?
Again this has got to do with reading newspapers, not books.

I could sit down and spend a week reading The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Ulysees, but if neither come up in conversation (about said books) then I will be no more or less dull.

I work a 50 hour week and go to the gym most evenings, if I had time to read a book I would, but I don't. I would however spend at least an hour per day reading Irish Times, BBC news etc.

Sit me down with someone who's a John Grisham addict and I bet I'll be more informed and less dull conversationally.

Border-Rat

What I really do love is history-buffs who watch 4 hours of history channel on Sky a month but have never picked up a book. If you read enough history then watching stuff like that is like eating skittles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those kinds of people almost always have laughably cartoonish contemporary political outlooks. A well read person who studies history will eventually understand geo-politics in the present.

ebixa82

Border-Rat wrote: »

What I really do love is history-buffs who watch 4 hours of history channel on Sky a month but have never picked up a book. If you read enough history then watching stuff like that is like eating skittles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those kinds of people almost always have laughably cartoonish contemporary political outlooks. A well read person who studies history will eventually understand geo-politics in the present.

For someone who claims to be well read that last sentence is completely non-sensical.

Border-Rat

ebixa82 wrote: »

For someone who claims to be well read that last sentence is completely non-sensical.

Yes, nonsensical to you maybe.

ebixa82

Border-Rat wrote: »

Yes, nonsensical to you maybe.

What about a non-well read person who studies history?

Shryke

ebixa82 wrote: »

Yes indeed Sir. But the OP doesn't specify this.

I could be wrong here but he/she presumes reading sci-fi/fantasy/holiday romance all contribute to increasing one's intelligence, just because someone sits down and reads them.

As opposed to eating them I presume. You could be wrong alright, or it could be that you're not understanding fully what other posters are saying here, which when taken as a whole comes across as well articulated and reasonably nuanced enough for a person to understand if they wanted to.

ebixa82 wrote: »

For someone who claims to be well read that last sentence is completely non-sensical.

It makes perfect sense. Are you disagreeing in some way?
You're being very defensive here and you're not alone. It's fairly sad and to be honest it's coming across as anti-intellectual. Throwing about the idea that most pro-readers here are proposing Twilight and pulp thrillers as intellectual stimulus is being worse than facile about the issue. You and a few others should really take it to Personal Issues at this stage.

Border-Rat

ebixa82 wrote: »

What about a non-well read person who studies history?

Well you're just being pedantic now. Maybe then you should tell us the most effective way of studying history. Apparently its not by reading it?

--Kaiser--

ebixa82 wrote: »

For someone who claims to be well read that last sentence is completely non-sensical.

You may not subscribe to the sentiment but it is certainly a sensical sentence.
"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it"

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

I'm very surprised that some people believe those who enjoy fiction to be boring. The most interesting people I know all love to read fiction.

Temptamperu

I don't mind people who don't read, but it would be hard to be in a relationship with someone who doesn't read.

Mongfinder General

Other than daily newspapers, I hate reading. The majority of my reading is done through my ears. Boring as fcuk and "I like reading" is something that you put at the end of a resumé to fill the page. Depending on memory retention, people who read extensively inevitably expand their vocabulary, knowledge and possibly even they're way of thinking. However, the information read is secondary so I find that most well read folk lack originality and a good chunk are dull as fcuk.

CL7

I read books. Oh look, here's a list of books that I...

mariano rivera

ebixa82 wrote: »

That is complete bollix.

Less informed? Duller conversationally?
Again this has got to do with reading newspapers, not books.

I could sit down and spend a week reading The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Ulysees, but if neither come up in conversation (about said books) then I will be no more or less dull.

I work a 50 hour week and go to the gym most evenings, if I had time to read a book I would, but I don't. I would however spend at least an hour per day reading Irish Times, BBC news etc.

Sit me down with someone who's a John Grisham addict and I bet I'll be more informed and less dull conversationally.

OK OK


I have had this conversation with quite a few NON BOOK READERS

The BUSY excuse

I always ask them do they know Obama?

Barack Obama

You know the President of the USA, leader of the free world etc.

He be busy

Ya think he get time to read any of them there books?

Misticles

I have a masters and I don't read books. I love listening to music.
Only recently I finished the second book that I have ever picked up by choice.

I just have no interest in reading books as I feel music plays a much larger role in my life and it's more appealing to me.

Different people have different interests.... Go figure :rolleyes:

bodice ripper

Not reading is fine.


people who have never read for pleasure and then pick up Harry Potter/50 Shades/Twilight? Keep those eejits away from me.






















































Yeah, mostly women obviously. that just makes me angrier

Jellicoe

mariano rivera wrote: »

Just the last few days in work. 4 or 5 lads who i work with, all with 3rd level qualifications who DO NOT READ Books.

Never confuse having qualifications with being educated.
Unfortunately, they are two completely different things.

Shryke

Misticles wrote: »

I just have no interest in reading books as only recently I finished the second book that I have ever picked up by choice..

I cleaned that up.

People seem to be going on about other hobbies but they don't figure in to it. The discussion isn't about how much free time a person has. I don't know anyone that reads that doesn't have other hobbies and interests. I don't know where the notion is coming from that a person can't read something if they have another hobby.

You wouldn't get these comments for anything else. I can't go to the gym because I enjoy watching films and they're just such a bigger part of my life. See how ridiculous that sounds?

A person not reading is grand as I've said already but the reactions on here are anything but.

Helix

not reading books isn't all that big a thing, particularly when there's so much information available for people to read online

*edit*

i read very few books these days for the above reason, and i'm a professional writer. so i certainly wouldn't be looking down on people who don't write for a living who aren't fans of reading books

Helix

ebixa82 wrote: »

I could sit down and spend a week reading The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Ulysees, but if neither come up in conversation (about said books) then I will be no more or less dull.

if you were to sit down and have a full blown conversation about the lord of the rings books, you would be among the dullest people on the planet, to be fair

whendovescry

Anyone who doesn't enjoy reading or sees it as a waste of time, please consider the following quote from Carl Sagan, and you will never undermine something as important as reading ever again:

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work magic.”

Helix

whendovescry wrote: »

Anyone who doesn't enjoy reading or sees it as a waste of time, please consider the following quote from Carl Sagan, and you will never undermine something as important as reading ever again:

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work magic.”

to be fair, there's nobody who uses boards who doesn't enjoy reading to some extent, given the nature of the medium on which it's hosted

HalloweenJack

If you don't want to read, that's fine.

However, people who actually BRAG about not reading are just trolls and I'll steer away from them.

Mongfinder General

whendovescry wrote: »

Anyone who doesn't enjoy reading or sees it as a waste of time, please consider the following quote from Carl Sagan, and you will never undermine something as important as reading ever again:

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work magic.”

WTF? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. I'm furious with myself for reading the crap you just posted.

Jellicoe

Helix wrote: »

not reading books isn't all that big a thing, particularly when there's so much information available for people to read online

*edit*

i read very few books these days for the above reason, and i'm a professional writer. so i certainly wouldn't be looking down on people who don't write for a living who aren't fans of reading books

Tip : Use a capital letter at the start of your sentences, and brush up on your grammar.

AllWasWell

The 'no time' excuse is a load of crap..if people enjoyed reading they would make time for it..I have some friends who claim that they love to read and they're always going on about books they really want to read yet they never seem to have the time.

I did an undergraduate in english so I'm always reading something, and i won't deny that it is difficult to make time for it. For books that I had to read but didn't particularly enjoy (like Ulysses) I would try to read for an hour in the evening and another hour or two b4 i went to sleep, but books i read for pleasure I'd have to stop and remind myself to make time for dinner!

Back when the Hunger Games books were really popular me and a friend of mine both said we really wanted to read them so we bought them the same day, I had the three books read in a few days, and she still hasn't started to this day, claiming that she's too busy with other stuff, yet without fail she would be on facebook every night for hours and twitter.

I know it doesn't come across like it but i genuinly don't judge people for not reading, especially if they genuinely don't like it, everyone is different. I love books but thats me..The one thing i hate is the 'no time' excuse..if you don't like reading just bloody well admit it!

Helix

Jellicoe wrote: »

Tip : Use a capital letter at the start of your sentences, and brush up on your grammar.

thanks for that helpful tip. i'll be sure to keep it in mind whenever i'm posting ramblings on internet forums. with top class advice like that it's strange that i'm the one making the living from writing and you're not. life is cruel sometimes

Gbear

Reading is, aside from being enjoyable, hugely important in developing good english language skills. It doesn't need to be Joyce to do that but it probably needs to be above something like Twilight.

I would equate being proud of not reading to being proud of ignorance. That's not stupidity but specifically a lack of knowledge.

Reading about things, whether it's science, psychology, economics or whatever gives you more knowledge. While it's not imperative to acquire more knowledge to be a good person or anything, avoiding it is certainly not something one should be proud of.

I'm not sure whether reading makes you more intelligent, although, particularly with children, I suspect it does, but it does make you know more and that can never be a bad thing.

Jellicoe

Helix wrote: »

thanks for that helpful tip. i'll be sure to keep it in mind whenever i'm posting ramblings on internet forums. with top class advice like that it's strange that i'm the one making the living from writing and you're not. life is cruel sometimes

Thank God I don't. It would be much too boring for me. I just don't want to see your wife and kids starve. You should take more pride in all forms of your writing.

Helix

Jellicoe wrote: »

Thank God I don't. It would be much too boring for me. I just don't want to see your wife and kids starve.

surprisingly, it's significantly less boring than pointing out a lack of correct punctuation and use of slang and shorthand on message boards

Jellicoe

Helix wrote: »

surprisingly, it's significantly less boring than pointing out a lack of correct punctuation and use of slang and shorthand on message boards

As a professional, you really should take more pride in your written word, and set a good example.

Helix

Jellicoe wrote: »

As a professional, you really should take more pride in your written word, and set a good example.

i beg to differ. my posting on boards has precisely zero relevance to what i do in work and, ridiculous as it sounds, i quite enjoy the fact that i have less keystrokes to worry about by posting this way. think of it as my own bizarre version of downtime

Jellicoe

Helix wrote: »

i beg to differ. my posting on boards has precisely zero relevance to what i do in work and, ridiculous as it sounds, i quite enjoy the fact that i have less keystrokes to worry about by posting this way. think of it as my own bizarre version of downtime

I get it, you're paid by the word. Quantity, rather than quality.

the groutch

Gbear wrote: »

Reading is, aside from being enjoyable, hugely important in developing good english language skills. It doesn't need to be Joyce to do that but it probably needs to be above something like Twilight.

I would equate being proud of not reading to being proud of ignorance. That's not stupidity but specifically a lack of knowledge.

Reading about things, whether it's science, psychology, economics or whatever gives you more knowledge. While it's not imperative to acquire more knowledge to be a good person or anything, avoiding it is certainly not something one should be proud of.

I'm not sure whether reading makes you more intelligent, although, particularly with children, I suspect it does, but it does make you know more and that can never be a bad thing.

you can have the most comprehensive vocabulary, and all the "book smarts" you want, that doesnt necessarily make you intelligent.
I know people who are completing college masters, doctorates, etc. who won't last 5 minutes in the real world, because their interpersonal skills and "street smarts" are non existent.

Helix

Jellicoe wrote: »

I get it, you're paid by the word. Quantity, rather than quality.

If I was paid by the word is be rich man lol

dirtyden

the groutch wrote: »

you can have the most comprehensive vocabulary, and all the "book smarts" you want, that doesnt necessarily make you intelligent.
I know people who are completing college masters, doctorates, etc. who won't last 5 minutes in the real world, because their interpersonal skills and "street smarts" are non existent.

What are street smarts? Where is this real world?

I went to university and got a degree and postgraduate qualification. Everyone that I knew in uni seems to be employed and doing quite well now. I would imagine having book smarts is quite attractive to most employers.

I will tell you one thing that will hinder you from getting a job in the 'real world' is not being able write a good CV and covering letter. You wont get as far as an interview in a lot of places now if your CV looks unprofessional, so things like grammar punctuation and in general a decent standard of english are quite important.

whendovescry

Mongfinder General wrote: »

WTF? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. I'm furious with myself for reading the crap you just posted.

That's Carl Sagan speaking, the closest thing to fcuking human infallibility you can get.

Please, oh wise sage, have you ever published anything?

If not, you can shove your opinions up your ass, that's their most appropriate location.

crazy cabbage

I would equate being proud of not reading to being proud of ignorance. That's not stupidity but specifically a lack of knowledge.

As the saying goes, If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life thinking that it is stupid.

People are talking alot about intelegance but there is 9 different independent forms of intelegance (well some say 7 and 8).

The intelagance that we are speaking of only really comes into play in 1 of them.

There is Naturalist intelligence, Musical intelligence, logical/mathematical intelligence, Interpersonal intelligence, bodily/Kinesthetic intelligence, linguistic intelligence, Intra personal intelligence and spatial intelligence.

So while reading may make you more 'linguistic intelligent', it doesn't nothing for anything else and it is important to point out that just becouse you dont read doesn't mean that you are not linguistic intelligent.

It is like in school we done one of these aptidude test. i scored the worst in the class in terms of spelling and grammer and anything english related but scored 99% in abstract reasoning which is almost unheard of.

who would ye say is more intelligent. The person who knows everything about swiming in theory but has never tryed swiming or the person who knows almost no theory but can swim no bother?
I would say that there are both inteligent but in different ways.

People read for pleasure and that is fine and brillent and more power to ya but please dont say that people who dont are not intelegent becosue in that case i can say with the exact same logic that people who dont run 5 miles a day are not intellegent or that people who cant reproduce music by listening are not intellegent and by the same logic i wouldn't be wrong...

Jellicoe

the groutch wrote: »

you can have the most comprehensive vocabulary, and all the "book smarts" you want, that doesnt necessarily make you intelligent.
I know people who are completing college masters, doctorates, etc. who won't last 5 minutes in the real world, because their interpersonal skills and "street smarts" are non existent.

Never confuse being well qualified with someone being well educated. There's a world of difference.

"Also, I know people who never done a masters, doctorate, etc. who won't last 5 minutes in the real world, because their interpersonal skills and "street smarts" are non existent". Same difference.