To read or not to read

Like taking a walk, I can’t think of a time I regretted reading something. A real thing, not just a sign or a bumper sticker. Even an article from someone I disagree with or something poorly written. Especially since getting married, reading material is a great way to break out of gossip and home logistics.

On the flip side, I can’t think of a video piece (movie, YouTube, or social media story) that I can fully get behind. Even the most inspiring Ted talk or indie piece.

Perhaps I haven’t read anything bad enough or watched a good enough movie (I watched Forest Gump btw). Maybe I’m not receptive, or some other personal bias. Objectively thought, the type of cognition is different, changing the feeling of engagement. The content can be the same but as it's been argued extensively, the medium is the message.

Considering how reading has benefited our species, this will sound like the stupidest way to promote reading. That’s unfortunately the kind of reason that keeps me going.

AI is throwing a curveball here. What is the point of reading something one didn’t bother to write? Does my "will-I-regret-doing-this" reasoning apply to generated text content? I don't think so. I have no interest in reading anything created by a computer, except for documentation and transcripts.

P.S.: it feels hypocritical to not mention that I don’t read as much as one may assume considering the nature of the topic: ~3-4 books/year, actively following ~10 blogs, ~10 long-form articles/month

← Index / Published on 2024-03-01