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46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

nathanbransford.com

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Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#151

Post by justin66 »

faeriechangling wrote: post #149

People are lying about how much they do read books, and for me, it's not that books are bad but books simply have more competition than they used to. There are multiple history podcasts, some of which are made by actual historians, which go for hundreds of episodes. It might not be "reading a book" but I really fail to see the big difference between that and an audiobook. Except that it's cheaper/easier/better than u…

> People are lying about how much they do read books

Whoa nellie.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#152

Post by justin66 »

djkivi wrote: post #142

“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” ― Albert Einstein

I think we can all agree that Americans who don't read are on a path that Einstein would have advocated.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#153

Post by dr_kiszonka »

newaccount74 wrote: post #150
mattlondon wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same. Can't say I miss it, either. Reading a book at this stage in my life (busy with kids) feels self-indulgent and selfish.

Yet you are posting on HN :) I try to read some of the books my kids read, allows me to connect with them. They love talking about their books.

For me, reading a book requires more time and focus than posting on HN.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#154

Post by poisonborz »

Reading books as a metric of intelligence in today's world is overrated. Most of society is not only exposed to, but is engaging with massively more information compared to even the intelligentsia of the 1800s, not to mention preceding eras. Long narratives have many benefits, still they represent just one aspect of knowledge transfer. Book as a format is still relevant, but in a much narrower field than before.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#155

Post by [deleted] »

dmalik wrote: post #31
arnaudsm wrote: post #8

Why do we obsess so much over legacy form factors? Watching movies, listening to 2h conference talks, playing a 60h narrative videogame, and reading scientific papers in PDF may not be as noble, but they are equally meaningful to me.

I assume that of that 46% most aren't reading papers or watching good informative YouTube. They're likely doom scrolling social media or watching entertainment YouTube. Movies and games are fine if you're comparing to fiction and just relaxing. As someone who does all the things, reading (even listening to audio books) feels different to me. I get more out of it.

[deleted]

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#156

Post by breathen »

arnaudsm wrote: post #8

Why do we obsess so much over legacy form factors? Watching movies, listening to 2h conference talks, playing a 60h narrative videogame, and reading scientific papers in PDF may not be as noble, but they are equally meaningful to me.

What exactly do consider to be "legacy" (I presume as a pejorative) about books? At first blush they remain the most advanced type of narrative money can buy.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#157

Post by add-sub-mul-div »

justin66 wrote: post #151
faeriechangling wrote: post #149

People are lying about how much they do read books, and for me, it's not that books are bad but books simply have more competition than they used to. There are multiple history podcasts, some of which are made by actual historians, which go for hundreds of episodes. It might not be "reading a book" but I really fail to see the big difference between that and an audiobook. Except that it's cheaper/easier/better than u…

> People are lying about how much they do read books Whoa nellie.

If a statistic sounds counterintuitive or makes you uncomfortable, just declare it a lie and move on! That seems to be the new standard.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#158

Post by Tarsul »

olddustytrail wrote: post #41
arnaudsm wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of the past yes, but what about the present and future?

Well, can you name a computer game that is a great artistic work? There are many that are good , but I can't say there are any that are on a par with, say, "The Lord of the Rings" or "War and Peace" or "1984". I'd love to hear of one that was though.

please play gorogoa for an artsy, moving puzzle game. (for me personally the benchmark is the last express, but i guess generally reviews are mixed but please take a look, too)

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#159

Post by BoiledCabbage »

olddustytrail wrote: post #107
guitarbill wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come on, that's a lame argument and completely subjective. What makes LotR a "great artistic work"? What makes Stardew Valley not a "great artistic work"? Just like some books, films, or other art can resonate and have a profound impact on a person, so can video games.

> What makes LotR a "great artistic work"? That's a great question. It's a mixture of technical skill and intellectual depth. For example, throughout Scotland placenames are a mixture of old Gaelic, modern Gaelic and Norse, and then there are the Anglicised versions on top. So learning what placenames mean is something I did in school and it's a fascinating subject. So when Gildor is talking with Frodo, and mentions…

LotR is not a "great artistic work". It's beloved by many (myself included), but the fact that it's detailed doesn't make it a great artistic work.

As literature goes it has tons of shortcomings.

Re: 46% of Americans didn't read a book in 2023

#160

Post by [deleted] »

poisonborz wrote: post #154

Reading books as a metric of intelligence in today's world is overrated. Most of society is not only exposed to, but is engaging with massively more information compared to even the intelligentsia of the 1800s, not to mention preceding eras. Long narratives have many benefits, still they represent just one aspect of knowledge transfer. Book as a format is still relevant, but in a much narrower field than before.

[deleted]
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