"I don't read and I'm proud of it"

[random]

(Note the quotes)

Anyone heard of this app "Blinkest"?

It summarizes books for you, into 15-minute snippets that you can listen to, instead of reading the book.

I suppose I kinda get it, maybe, sorta, no not really.

I don't think I'm any less busy than most, but I don't get wanting to skip on reading for education or entertainment. Ok, maybe if you want quick summaries of a few books that you're considering digging into, but not as a practice. Also not too sure how much I would trust it on anything political or controversial.

But I think what bothers me the most is the ad I've been hearing recently where they guy seems almost proud of the fact that he "blinks" books instead of reading them.

I've worked with people who have told me they haven't read a book since college. Not something I understand: I haven't read a book since last night.

Probably just me being curmudgeony (not sure if I'm old enough to do that legitimately though). But I had to vent. Thanks for listening.

 

[Magicman]

Cliff Notes?

 

[skeets]

I wana see them do war and peace or the Iliad in 15 min

 

[Henro]

(Note the quotes)

Anyone heard of this app "Blinkest"?

It summarizes books for you, into 15-minute snippets that you can listen to, instead of reading the book.

I find I save even more time by not bothering with such things...and by only reading what I have a specific interest or need to read.

Of course, OTT doesn't apply in my case...LOL...many times over...

 

[Carl in France]

No one should be proud of being deliberately lazy, yet they are.
I read, all the time. I am also working on stuff all the time.
The old adage of 'do nothing of no value' applies. How many waste their time and complain they have no time?

 

[NCL4701]

Lack of substantive reading by some large percentage of the population explains quite a lot about the current societal climate in the US.

 

[orange crusher]

Lack of substantive reading by some large percentage of the population explains quite a lot about the current societal climate in the US.

Apps and computers explains the rest..................................

 

[skeets]

The bain of society

 

[random]

No one should be proud of being deliberately lazy, yet they are.
I read, all the time. I am also working on stuff all the time.
The old adage of 'do nothing of no value' applies. How many waste their time and complain they have no time?

I think that's what bugged me the most. In the ad I'm talking about, the guy says something about stars, and the girl is impressed: "You must read a lot". His response is along the lines of "No, I don't read, I use blinkist so I don't have to"

I GET that it's an ad, but that approach is appealing to laziness.

Get a summary of a few books you're considering / comparing BEFORE reading? Fine. Using "cliff notes" for full understanding? Not so much.

I suppose the hour-ish in the evening I spend watching my shows may not be of value, but it's also the only time I'm not doing something, so it has relaxation value at least. And half the time I'm watching DIY, woodworking, or cooking shows so I'm still learning something (usually)

 

[Henro]

Actually, thinking about it, I do read a lot, but only for the purpose of gaining information that I can use at the moment. I do not read fiction at all these days, and have not for a long time.

When I want to numb my mind, what I do is watch the Star Trek series on Netflix. There are a lot (A LOT) of episodes, and believer it or not, a man like me cannot remember all the details.

OR I watch football on the commercial channels. But not much any more. Same net effect.

I think both Star Trek and football server the same purpose...push reality into the background for a while..

NOT complaining...works for me...LOL

 

[GarryBlack]

I still think reading is important. And I'm not talking about reading only education literature. but also different novels, and so on.
I believe reading has positive influence on a person, and make them more educated, interesting

 

[D2Cat]

I have a friend who can not read. He's had some kind of disability his whole life. He traveled with me some and I give him a road map and show him where we were and where we're going, then ask him what's the next town. He'll spell out the letters and then try to announce the word. After a trip he is much better and understanding the words.

What he is extremely good at is solving mechanical problems. I think it's because he grew up on a farm and saw how things worked and developed his creative ability by looking at pictures and making things. He could time an old square baler faster then any nearby dealer!!

FARM SHOW magazine heard about some of the things he'd made and asked him to write up a story and send some pictures. He told them he could send some pictures but not writing anything. They agreed to call him to visit and then they'd write the article.

If one can read and doesn't, they're no better then one that can not read.

 

[DaveFromMi]

I wana see them do war and peace or the Iliad in 15 min

They must hire auctioneers for narrators.

 

[Biker1mike]

I have always loved to read. One of the few 'jocks' that actually read the homework and the Hobbit.
I have had a Kindle for years. It let me read in a clean room environment while waiting on tools.
Love fiction and history but will read just about anything.
When I heard all the commotion over The 1619 project I just has to read it. Turns out most of the talking heads never read the book and were just spouting BS or they choose to ignore it.
Two out of three kids are avid readers.

 

[johnjk]

Kinda the reason we are in the condition we are today. Society as a whole doesn’t do research or dig in to issues themselves, they just parrot what they get on their smart phone or 24hr news feed and take it as gospel

 

[JonathanParks]

Since childhood, reading has been my hobby ( not sure if it can be called a hobby ), and I don't understand people who don't read. Moreover, a few group mates say that there is no point in reading. And I totally agree with this phrase " If one can read and doesn't, they're no better than one that can not read" from the previous comment. Of course, people may not have a lot of free time because of studying and working, but I believe there will be time if there is a wish. I also have a busy schedule, I have homework and a part-time job, but I still manage to find some time to read because it helps me develop myself. My dissertation is connected with that theme, and here https://edubirdie.com/buy-dissertation, I got help with theoretical information and literature analysis, and now I'm collecting practical materials. I made a questionnaire on people's attitudes to reading ( how often they read, what they read, the importance of reading for them), etc. I've got only ten responses for now, but I can say that half of the people read a book or something once in a few months. So I'm really interested in getting more responses and seeing what will be there.

 

[Freeheeler]

My wife reads all the time, book after book, and enjoys discussing with her friends. I only read when I have to. I only read to learn, I just don't enjoy sitting and reading a book. Everyone is different. I enjoy being outside doing 'stuff'. I'd rather mow the lawn listening to Tool and sipping a beer than sit in a chair and read some fiction novel. If I enjoyed it I'd probably be reading the book my wife just finished, and complaining that the lawn needs mowing

 

[Geezer3d]

I enjoy reading and have reread some of my favorite books several times each and get something new out of them every time I read one. For people who can't read or don't think they have the time there are audio books that you can listen to while driving.

I suppose the only justification for using Blinkest, or Cliff Notes or other similar summaries is if you are required to know a little bit about a book for school or your job but are not actually interested in the book.

 

[Daren Todd]

(Note the quotes)

Anyone heard of this app "Blinkest"?

It summarizes books for you, into 15-minute snippets that you can listen to, instead of reading the book.

I suppose I kinda get it, maybe, sorta, no not really.

I don't think I'm any less busy than most, but I don't get wanting to skip on reading for education or entertainment. Ok, maybe if you want quick summaries of a few books that you're considering digging into, but not as a practice. Also not too sure how much I would trust it on anything political or controversial.

But I think what bothers me the most is the ad I've been hearing recently where they guy seems almost proud of the fact that he "blinks" books instead of reading them.

I've worked with people who have told me they haven't read a book since college. Not something I understand: I haven't read a book since last night.

Probably just me being curmudgeony (not sure if I'm old enough to do that legitimately though). But I had to vent. Thanks for listening.

I listen to audio books while on long drives. 15 minutes snippets wouldn't cut it.

Sounds like it's geared towards those folks that like to discuss the "Latest" book but font want the hassle of actually reading or listening to it.

 

[old and tired]

I'm so bad, I don't even read the whole cliff note... I just skim over it.

Had to "read" a book in this leadership class... me and the other guy in class found it on youtube. Only difference between me and that other guy, I knew you can play it back at a higher speed so I didn't have to listen the whole 8 hours!!! All the ladies actually read the book.