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Letting go of the idea of keeping up

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Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#121

Post by mapt »

ErigmolCt wrote: post #104
NalNezumi wrote: post #48

When I saw the title I thought the article would be about the dreadful stress of keeping up with new tech or research .. But it's about spare time reading? Granted the problem seems similar, but only because the author is in the field of reading (working in books related profession). I'm not sure how much it can be applied to just hobby reading. Stress of keeping up with tech/research comes from a sense of profession…

But if you feel the stress of keeping up with new tech or keeping up with book reading, don't you think it's the same? Just don't worry, everyone has their own pace

"I will be completely unable to make a meaningful contribution to a five minute discussion at a cocktail party a couple months away"

vs

"I will be completely unable to collaborate on a project because I literally don't understand the concepts on which it's based"

The only non-fluid timeliness considerations of literature are typically social in nature and casual in import. Not so, tech.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#122

Post by ZephyrBlu »

vasco wrote: post #70
starkparker wrote: post #51

At one of my jobs the entire team read at least a book a week, often more and seemingly non-stop. Every standup started with every person talking about what we'd read that week. I'd never been a huge longform reader (more like a book a month, at best) and rarely had anything to contribute. Sometimes I'd say "our documentation" because that's what I'd been working on, and when I wasn't working _I wasn't reading_ becau…

I'll be honest, they sound rude for laughing behind your back, but I really disagree with the notion that you're reading "as much" by reading some reddit articles or docs pages. People who keep up a book per week or month ALSO read those things. I've found many people that don't read have this notion that just going on reddit for an hour a day "is the same thing", but it's nothing like sitting down and properly divin…

What a surprise that you are also a reader of books rather than other content: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7288759-vasco

Reading a book is arguably easier than reading technical content or other articles, because they don't tend to be as information dense.

I prefer reading things like this: https://commoncog.com/becoming-data-driven-in-business/

But someone might like reading documentation for e.g. databases, which is also extremely information dense. I have briefly done this (https://turbopuffer.com/docs) and read other database content (https://artem.krylysov.com/blog/2023/04/19/how-rocksdb-works...), but it's not my favourite content.

Really weird to say "you read X, I read Y. We are not the same" and then follow-up with "oh but it's fine, you don't have to. But I'm X and you're Y".

I could replace a few words in your comment and make it about thinking reading books is the same as reading extremely dense technical content. It's a silly argument.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#123

Post by vasco »

ZephyrBlu wrote: post #122
vasco wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll be honest, they sound rude for laughing behind your back, but I really disagree with the notion that you're reading "as much" by reading some reddit articles or docs pages. People who keep up a book per week or month ALSO read those things. I've found many people that don't read have this notion that just going on reddit for an hour a day "is the same thing", but it's nothing like sitting down and properly divin…

What a surprise that you are also a reader of books rather than other content: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7288759-vasco Reading a book is arguably easier than reading technical content or other articles, because they don't tend to be as information dense. I prefer reading things like this: https://commoncog.com/becoming-data-driven-in-business/ But someone might like reading documentation for e.g. databases,…

Well I wouldn't be defending books if I didn't like them :)

I need to keep Goodreads updated though, I've been losing the habit over the last years, because lately none of my choices come from Goodreads recommendations, but I love being able to see all I read. Thanks for the reminder!

I don't think it's weird to acknowledge people have different preferences though, I don't like running marathons but I can see how people who run them would appreciate the benefits it brings them in health and discipline! I think there's maturity in acknowledging the things you think are right for you might not be right for everyone, but still be comfortable sharing your preferences in case others see value in them. I don't see it as looking down on others which you seem to imply I'm doing.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#124

Post by ZephyrBlu »

vasco wrote: post #123
ZephyrBlu wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a surprise that you are also a reader of books rather than other content: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7288759-vasco Reading a book is arguably easier than reading technical content or other articles, because they don't tend to be as information dense. I prefer reading things like this: https://commoncog.com/becoming-data-driven-in-business/ But someone might like reading documentation for e.g. databases,…

Well I wouldn't be defending books if I didn't like them :) I need to keep Goodreads updated though, I've been losing the habit over the last years, because lately none of my choices come from Goodreads recommendations, but I love being able to see all I read. Thanks for the reminder! I don't think it's weird to acknowledge people have different preferences though, I don't like running marathons but I can see how peo…

Comparing a marathon with walking your dog is clearly implying a negative or lesser perception of the "walking your dog" activity. That is not a neutral statement of preference.

If you intended for it to be a neutral comparison about preference I would have gone with something like triathlons, sprinting, athletics, etc.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#125

Post by bradley13 »

resource_waste wrote: post #90
NalNezumi wrote: post #48

When I saw the title I thought the article would be about the dreadful stress of keeping up with new tech or research .. But it's about spare time reading? Granted the problem seems similar, but only because the author is in the field of reading (working in books related profession). I'm not sure how much it can be applied to just hobby reading. Stress of keeping up with tech/research comes from a sense of profession…

Thanks for starting the discussion. > Stress of keeping up with tech/research comes from a sense of professional obligations (you'll fall behind to your professional peers) Okay, I'm literally terrified about not being in the top 1% or top 10% of everything I do. Scared. I have built my life around me with people that perform at those levels, so everyone from my wife to my best friends may disappear if I'm not perfor…

Back when Bell Labs was a top research institute, some researcher gave an interview. He noted that he was top of his class in high school. Way up there in college. Pretty good in grad school. Then he was hired at Bell Labs, where he was at best average. Man, he just got dumber and dumber as time went on.

He said it with a smile, but still, there's a hard kernel of truth there for many of us: if we work hard to advance, and put ourselves in the company of top people, we no longer stand out. But you know what? Life needn't be a continual competition. Be good at what you do, do it well, and take satisfaction in that. You don't need to continuously compare yourself to everyone else, and ask if you are in the top 10%. Eventually you won't be, if only because your entire group is up there.

...look at nature: The best do what they can and the weak suffer.

Yes, but we aren't surrounded by hyenas in the wilds of Africa. Civilization does bring some benefits. Take some time to smell the roses. Heck, a bit of time for relaxation may even improve your performance.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#126

Post by criddell »

harrisi wrote: post #28
theK wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does this work? Is it a book every two days? Or three books on the weekend? How long is your commute and how do you keep off YouTube/Netflix in the evening?

When you get in the habit of reading, it's remarkable how quickly you can do it. It's quite easy to read a book in a day when you read every day.

Unfortunately, I got in the habit of reading before bed. I inadvertently trained myself that reading leads to sleep. Now when I read, I very quickly start to feel sleepy.

So my advice would be to get in the habit of reading, but be mindful of the details of the habit you are establishing.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#127

Post by zimpenfish »

scruple wrote: post #25
bigiain wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"it would be tough to apply all 150 books contents to real life." Why the hell would anybody want to do that? Do you feel some need to "apply every meal you eat to real life"? or to "apply every movie you watch"? Or every concert you hear, or every ballet you see? (I usually read books as a way to avoid "real life" for a while...)

Especially considering this "shitlit" label (which I love and immediately understand, because I read somewhere between 70 and 80 shitlit books last year). The shitlit that I read is totally inconsequential fiction that has no material bearing on life whatsoever. It's a form of entertainment that's analog, that's why I do it.

> The shitlit that I read is totally inconsequential fiction

Same. Kindle Unlimited has an almost, uh, unlimited selection of light fluff detective fiction that's good for killing a few hours.

(Although I was pleasantly surprised by the DCI Logan series by JD Kirk which are actually amusing and fun to read.)

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#128

Post by Novosell »

plank wrote: post #84
Novosell wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you read short books of low complexity, aye. We need to start talking page count. Aint nobody reading 3 Robin Hobb books a week all year long.

I disagree. Reading lecture (! not literature or study books) I read 15 books each weekend in my teens, reading all science fiction and fantasy books in the town's library. And no, not all where 1000 pages long. But they weren't all shorter then 300. And yes, I regurarly went back during the week to catch an extra book or two. I realize I might be a relatively fast reader, and this fast reading I only did in English…

So you read about 780 books/year as a teen? I have doubts. Unless the average page count is under 100 maybe.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#129

Post by chasd00 »

vasco wrote: post #70
starkparker wrote: post #51

At one of my jobs the entire team read at least a book a week, often more and seemingly non-stop. Every standup started with every person talking about what we'd read that week. I'd never been a huge longform reader (more like a book a month, at best) and rarely had anything to contribute. Sometimes I'd say "our documentation" because that's what I'd been working on, and when I wasn't working _I wasn't reading_ becau…

I'll be honest, they sound rude for laughing behind your back, but I really disagree with the notion that you're reading "as much" by reading some reddit articles or docs pages. People who keep up a book per week or month ALSO read those things. I've found many people that don't read have this notion that just going on reddit for an hour a day "is the same thing", but it's nothing like sitting down and properly divin…

A book a week is absurd, that’s like binge watching a multi season series each week. You’re wasting your life away.

Re: Letting go of the idea of keeping up

#130

Post by beauzero »

bradley13 wrote: post #125
resource_waste wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for starting the discussion. > Stress of keeping up with tech/research comes from a sense of professional obligations (you'll fall behind to your professional peers) Okay, I'm literally terrified about not being in the top 1% or top 10% of everything I do. Scared. I have built my life around me with people that perform at those levels, so everyone from my wife to my best friends may disappear if I'm not perfor…

Back when Bell Labs was a top research institute, some researcher gave an interview. He noted that he was top of his class in high school. Way up there in college. Pretty good in grad school. Then he was hired at Bell Labs, where he was at best average. Man, he just got dumber and dumber as time went on. He said it with a smile, but still, there's a hard kernel of truth there for many of us: if we work hard to advanc…

Personally I view hyenas as less dangerous than humans, although more truthful about their intentions.
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