Jump to content

David James

Member
  • Posts

    29
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by David James

  1. 4 hours ago, Janet said:

    I see loads of people reading in my area (around Bath in Somerset).  I have a friend who goes on long walks reading a book - I have to say I've never done that.  I'm so clumsy and can trip over nothing, without factoring reading into the equation!  :giggle2:

     

    I always have a book with me, wherever I go, just in case there is a reading opportunity!

     

    Your friend sounds like they are off their rocker! :D Surely walking and reading a book at the same time isn't the most sensible thing to do. I've never seen anyone doing it.

     

     

    4 hours ago, Madeleine said:

    I've seen people walking along and reading too (for some reason much less annoying if they're reading a book than if they're glued to their phone!) however it's also way too hazardous for me to even contemplate, I have enough trouble looking where I'm going as it is, especially with all the uneven pavements.

     

    Exactly. Why would someone try and read a book whilst walking? :wacko: Plus, I doubt you could really concentrate.

  2. On 6/20/2017 at 10:02 AM, Madeleine said:

    I think Lolita is so well known now (and has been filmed etc) that maybe it wouldn't cause such a big reaction, although I admit a man reading it might look more suspicious than a woman.  You don't say where you're based so maybe in large cities in certain areas people wouldn't react so much to someone reading Lolita - how about A Clockwork Orange which is notoriously violent (although I haven't read it myself)?  I wonder if that would cause a reaction now. 

     

    A Clockwork Orange is also a well known film but it doesn't seem to have taken away the notoriety of it. I can only give my opinion from a male perspective and I also think reading A Clockwork Orange would also vary between whether the reader were to be a male or female. I don't think people would necessarily be vocal towards a male reading it in public but I'd say without a doubt it would make people turn their heads and make a rather sharp judgement of you and my guess is that it would more than likely be negative. Some people might even feel intrigued if they were to see someone reading such a book. To be honest, I don't think people would be vocal with you irrespective of what book you were to be reading in public, if such a thing did happen, I think such people would more than likely just be troublemakers and use the book as an excuse to pick a quarrel and potential fight. 

     

    On 6/21/2017 at 11:59 AM, sadya said:

    Books are the best company. If I could choose between a book and a human, I'd go for the book any time.

     

    That's a very leery statement in my opinion. I wonder how many other people feel the same way as you do.

  3. 5 hours ago, Angury said:

     

    Also wanted to add, I just google'd this guy - thanks for the recommendation. I am always inspired by medics who have gone beyond their sphere into things like art, literature and language. According to wiki he also taught himself English and German - definitely someone I will look into. 

     

    I thought you would have heard of him before I mentioned him. I've read all of his works that are available in English. He influenced a lot when it comes to crowd psychology, Mussolini, Hitler, Goebbels, Lenin, etc, all read his works.

     

    2 hours ago, Kylie said:

    I think it's bizarre that you (David James) could think anyone would think weirdly of someone reading Lolita near a school, or of reading a book about a serial killer in public, even a recently deceased killer. In the latter case, the subject would obviously be of interest to people at the moment because it's currently in the news. Do you think that somehow means someone reading a book about Brady actually condones what he did? Because that's the only logical conclusion I can come to when reading what you wrote. That's laughable and ridiculous.

     

    For the record, I once read Lolita on public transport. I can't be bothered Googling the cover to include it here, but it has a cartoonish image of a young girl in a bikini. Not the most provocative Lolita cover out there, I'm sure, but it was distinctive. I had the book sitting on my lap (front cover up) while I was doing something else, and a gentlemen next to me engaged me in conversation about the book. He turned out to be a big fan of Nabokov and a few days later he arrived on the train with a couple of spare copies of other Nabokov books and gifted them to me. We ended up becoming great friends and stayed in touch for several years, discussing art and books (he remains the most well-read person I've ever met). At the time I was in my mid 20s and he was probably in his early/mid 60s. Based on what you've said, you would probably have thought him some kind of sicko and advised me to stay well away. Luckily I'm not so judgmental!

     

    I didn't say I personally would think of someone as 'weird' per se but I do think it would be a rather irrational thing to do (in the UK - I don't know about elsewhere) where people have heard of the term 'Lolita' to mean exactly what the word means and the connotations are not widely regarded as positive (I'm talking about the term 'lolita' and not the book). I don't think reading a book about a serial killer equates to the reader condoning what the killer did but to read such material in public would certainly make people question the person "why are they reading that in public?" There's a reason that you never see people read these type of books in public a lot. I've never seen anyone read such material in public before. 

     

    There are lots of different situations of where reading certain material in a certain area could lead to trouble. Would you read Mein Kampf in a largely Jewish area? It's bizarre to think that people can just read whatever material they want wherever they want. Of course 99.9% of people would just walk past and think whatever in their head but it only takes that one person to make a big fuss and before you know it you could get a lot of unwanted attention your way.

     

    I think I've already covered what I mean when it comes to Lolita and reading it in public. It's obvious that with such books gender plays a large role in it. You're a female so it isn't the same as a male reading it due to the nature of the book. Look at the other example Angury gave when she read the book 'paedophiles in society' which she read in private but quite clearly acknowledges that a middle-aged man reading this book in public would turn heads and almost inevitably someone would make a comment. 

     

    I've found these two reddit pages:

     

    https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2tm7fk/whats_the_most_embarrassing_to_read_in_public/

     

    https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/515odp/would_you_feel_comfortable_reading_lolita_in/

     

     

     

     

     

  4. 15 hours ago, Madeleine said:

    I couldn't get that cover image picture to work unfortunately.  I'm surprised you say you rarely see anyone reading, I commute and see plenty of people reading either books or kindle, so it's still alive and fairly well!

     

    I think we probably live in very different areas. I see the odd person reading here or there such as on a train but a person reading in public is by no means a common sight here and those who choose to stand out like a sore thumb.

     

    Personally, I try and take my book with me wherever possible. 

     

    11 hours ago, Angury said:

     

    I passed, but the real test will be when I start working in August with real patients. :o 

     

    Splendid. Good luck with your future.

  5. 2 hours ago, Ooshie said:

     

    I have already stated that the reading of Lolita doesn't bother me, and the front cover you have posted doesn't alter my feelings on that.  It wouldn't bother me at all seeing someone reading it near a school or where lots of children are about.

     

    I do think I have entirely understood the points you have been trying to make in all your previous posts.  It is purely that I don't have the reactions you mention, and have never encountered anyone in any part of the country I have lived in having an openly negative reaction to anything being read by someone else either.  It seems that no-one who has posted on this thread has encountered such a reaction. 

     

    I'm just somewhat puzzled by why you keep pushing your hypothesis.  Everyone who has posted seems to understand it perfectly well; it's just that no-one has had any experiences which support it.

     

    The image I used before is a lot different to:

     

    41TC1rW3hxL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

     

    Which is why the front cover also plays a part in how someone would judge you. 

     

    I find it extremely hard to believe that you truly wouldn't have a problem, especially considering what you revealed, nevertheless I will take your word for it. 

     

    One user clearly hasn't understood what I've said. I'm not pushing anything really. 

     

    No-one will have experienced such a situation because no-one will have put themselves in such a position and it's rare to even see anyone reading these days never mind the possible situations I and others have mentioned. 

  6. 3 hours ago, frankie said:

     

    No, you didn't say that people shouldn't or can't read books about serial killers in public, but you told me to go out and see what happens when I read a true crime book possibly implying that I will then find out people will judge me because of that. I have read true crime books in public in the past and nothing's happened to me. Sure, that doesn't mean people haven't judged me, because if they do, they are hardly going to say it to my face.  My point is, you seem to make the point that people are judged if they read a true crime book in the open, and my point is that personally I don't judge someone for reading about Ian Brady, using your example. 

     

    This is where our opinions differ and that's fine. 

     

     

    I now know who he is. I would've known Myra Hindley by name, but for some reason I didn't remember who her partner was. The reason I asked about him is that I misread a part of your post: "The infamous serial killer Ian Brady died recently, read a book about The Moors Murders in public and see the responses you will get from people."

     

    I misread the word 'read' and thought you meant past tense, and therefore I thought Ian Brady was reading a true crime book in public and got into trouble. I got it all mixed up like that because we were talking about people reading true crime in public.  My question was simply out of curiosity.  

     

    I decided to use serial killers because it's the type of literature that some people have strong emotions about it. It doesn't matter what type of book you will be judged regardless but reading about serial killers would more than likely make a passerby think of you in a negative judgement compared to reading something that is generally regarded as a good novel, etc. Can you honestly not see the point I'm trying to make? 

     

    I never said books and readers are exempt from any judgement by everyone in the world. This thread however is about books and readers and therefore I'm sticking to the topic of books and readers, and my personal opinion was that I don't judge people based on what they read. I'm talking of my own personal opinion. 



     

    All in all, we just have to agree to disagree.

     

    You've just contradicted yourself because you said "I don't judge people based on what they read" but in a previous post you said that if you were to see someone reading about serial killers you would think "There's a person who likes a bit of true crime, like me. I wonder if s/he's read x book that I liked better than the one s/he's reading". - that's a judgement. You've just proved my point. 

     

    34 minutes ago, Ooshie said:

     

     

    I have never lived in an area where anyone would dream of openly reacting to the reading matter of another with even a very British 'tut'!  And if they are not openly reacting, what does it matter if they are thinking negatively or positively about the work in question?

     

    Really - I would happily read a book about the Moors Murderers in public.  I wouldn't think twice about it, and wouldn't give a second thought to seeing anyone else read a similar book. 

     

    Thank you for the discussion though - it is amusing me greatly!

     

    I guess it comes down to where you decide to read in public. It doesn't matter really but there are some books out there or even specific genres that will make people think of you 'negatively'. I posted an image in an earlier post of a front cover of Lolita, would it bother you to see someone reading that near a school or where lots of children were about? That's the point I'm trying to make. Your age, gender, dress sense, etc, would also play a part in someone's judgement of you. 

  7. 2 hours ago, frankie said:

     

    I wasn't talking about judgements per se, I was talking about how I took David James's words to mean that s/he thinks we make the same assumptions about people. That's what I was talking about. You make fair points, and I do make judgements about people based on this and that, but what I do not like is that I'm supposed to make the same assumptions about people as some other people are. I only made my comment regarding literature, and nothing else, and I'd prefer it if you didn't make overgeneralizations based on that. :)

     

     

    The reason why I asked is because one who didn't know who Ian Brady was could've gathered from David James's post that Ian Brady is an example of someone who is reading a serial killer book in public and getting into trouble because of it. 

     

    Please don't put words into my mouth. I never said we all make the same assumptions about people. Please quote me where I said that. 

     

    You could have easily have googled "Ian Brady" and have understood the point I was making. 

     

    2 hours ago, Angury said:

    To use another example, I was travelling to an exam in London a few weeks ago and was reading a heavy tome about medicine. I am sure many people who saw me reading it who had no experience of healthcare would just make an assumption that I worked in that area, while someone who was perhaps familiar with that text (say, another healthcare professional) may have made a different judgement about me. The point is, a judgement is still being made.

     

    A good example. That's why I also said that people would certainly judge someone reading a philosophical book as opposed to a romance novel. Anything that looks like it requires some sort of in depth thought, such as the one you mentioned, will make people categorise you into a certain box. You should feel chuffed that most people would have thought of you as an intellectual. :D

     

    On a side note, did your exam go well? :)

     

    I think it's important to appreciate that this type of thought process goes beyond literature - it wasn't a comment specifically at you, apologies if it came across that way!

     

    Indeed. I also mentioned this about someone's physical appearance and political orientated books. I highly doubt someone wearing a Che Guevara and reading a Marxist book if asked about their political beliefs would say they were actually a conservative and only reading such a book for 'study'. :lol:

     

    Judgements are made from every single angle. You always hear people naively say you should never judge someone based on their looks etc but it's simply human nature and those who spout such nonsense are probably guilty of presenting them in such a way that they know fine well they are going to be judged but instead wants everyone to just treat them as a "normal" human being. 

     

    Here is a brilliant example of what I mean:

     

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/body-art-tattoo-man-dyed-eyes-ink-equal-treatment-people-modifications-king-of-ink-land-king-body-a7582936.html

     

    He's nothing more than an attention seeking *insert here*, no-one will ever take him serious and he will never get a decent job because of his ridiculous so-called 'body modifications' (more like mutilation really). He's from a different planet and quite clearly is a few sandwiches short of a picnic. The idiot has even gone as far as changing his name to 'King of Ink Land King Body Art', I bet that sounds nice being called out in the job centre and no-one will know who the name is referring to, right? ;)

     

    2 hours ago, frankie said:

     

    Fair enough, s/he used the judgement angle, I said 'assumption'. It doesn't change the point I was making. 

     

    You misunderstood what I meant. I couldn't have been more clearer, Angury certainly knew what I meant straight away.

  8. 4 hours ago, frankie said:

     

    Okay so basically no matter what we say to the contrary, you will not believe it and will disagree. Okay, fair enough. 

     

    No. I think you've misinterpreted what I have said. Other users don't seem to have had any problem comprehending what I said and meant. 

     

    And what makes you think I've not read true crime book in public, without having any problems? I have, and I will. 



     

    Edit: I'm not sure how Ian Brady's death relates to this particular issue?

     

    I never said that someone shouldn't or can't read about serial killers in public but that they should be conscious that doing such a thing could give unwanted attention from the public. 

     

    Google Ian Brady, I'm sure you'll know why I mentioned him in my post.

     

    2 hours ago, Angury said:

     

    Do you believe that there are people out there who do not make any sort of judgement about another person?

     

    I'm sorry, but the fact that we are human and live in a society with other human beings means that judgements will always be made about us and we will make judgements about others. We are not perfect, and nor should we be. We make judgements on other people based on their clothing, their skin colour (yes, this is difficult to swallow, but even subconsciously many of us do - and I will be the first to raise my hand and admit it), their job, their car, their house and so on. The types of books we read in public simply add another layer to this exterior we show to the world.

    Why else would we choose to buy a Porsche instead of a Toyota, or wear a dress from Dolce & Gabbana instead of Topshop? As human beings we make judgements on others based on our own experiences and what we have learnt from others. We view the world through categories - it's how our brain is able to condense all the information around us into understandable chunks. We put people into boxes and make assumptions about them, whether we want to or not. No matter how open-minded you think you may be, whatever background you come from, whatever social class, however educated or however diverse your life experience, you will do this. This is not just my own opinion - it has been well documented in countless psychologica research studies. A judgement about another person does not have to be vocal. Most of the judgements we make about other people are subconscious - we may behave differently towards other people, change the tone of our voice, our body language or our facial expressions. Most of the time we aren't even aware of it.

    The people I would be most cynical about would be those who claim to be so open-minded that they make no judgements about anyone based on anything. Is there such a thing as being so open-minded that your own brain falls out? ;)

     

    Exactly! Humans judge on everything, including everything you've mentioned and way beyond. To somehow think like frankie that books and the reader are exempt from any judgement is ridiculous. 

     

    If you haven't already Angury, I recommend you to read Gustave Le Bon's works, especially his most known work The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind.

     

    I also think when it comes to someone choosing to read a book in public will also make people judge their personality too with phrases such as "intelligent", "nerd", "geek", "loner", "anti-social", "weird", etc, you get my drift. 

     



    I am sure this book would have turned heads in any public setting. And the opinions of others about me based on this book would be even more different if I had been say, a man in his late fifties rather than a young female.

     

    Absolutely. I'm sure many parents would actually report a man reading Lolita near a school or a children environment. 

     

    It's not 

    right, and it certainly isn't fair, but it does happen. What is important (imo) is to be aware that we are all susceptible to such thought processes and to acknowledge when they occur. Covering our ears and pretending to be societies' version of politically correct will be helpful to no one. It is important to have this discussion because it teaches us so much about ourselves, including where these prejudices came from and how they impact the way we interact with others. Even on this forum I am sure people have made assumptions about me based on my avatar and signature, the way I structure my sentences, my vocabulary and my ideals.

     

    Speaking of judgement, who is to decide what is "right"? I don't understand why too many people bury their heads in the sand and somehow deny the existence of such an obvious thing of the mind. Prejudices are always going to be there. If anything, anyone who has done even a little bit of research of the left-wing mob who call themselves "antifa" will know that they are some of the most intolerant people of society and yet they speak about wanting a progressive society free from any prejudice and only tolerance etc but if you have a different point of view from them you are suddenly a "Nazi" or a "racist", oh, the irony. 

  9. Just now, frankie said:

     

    I don't think it's fair to assume we all make the same assumptions about people. I read books about serial killers, and if I saw someone read a book on the topic in public, I would think to myself, "There's a person who likes a bit of true crime, like me. I wonder if s/he's read x book that I liked better than the one s/he's reading". 

     

    It comes down to conscious vs subconscious judgement. Everyone does either of them and it's up to the person to decide which way they want to judge someone, hence why some people are vocal and some people are discreet. 

     

    I've also read a lot about serial killers, true crime, etc, but I can't recall ever seeing someone reading a book about such things in public and I personally wouldn't as well. Such books could put you into a danger situation. I'm not talking any hyperbole here as well, the best 'experiment' of reading this material in public is for you to read a book about Ian Brady, Myra Hindley and The Moors Murders in public given all the public news it's all had again because Ian Brady died a little while ago and tell me how you get on. 

  10. 16 hours ago, Madeleine said:

    Famous 5 were my favourites of Blyton's books, I know schools don't like her work to this day, but she got lots of kids into reading.

     

    The politically correct mob who claim her works are racist, sexist, etc, need to put things into perspective and realise when she wrote her books.

     

    Thankfully, the attempts at changing words in her books etc have failed big time by feedback and some publishers have went back to publishing the originals. 

     

    Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl (and others, of course) in the UK contributed so much to getting younger children into reading from a very young age.

  11. 15 hours ago, Ooshie said:

     

    Goodness, you must live in a very judgemental area.  Probably good then that you have such a developed sensitivity to what might be considered 'normal', it will no doubt save you from a lot of difficulties.

     

    Everyone judges though. Some people do it more openly than others. Some do it on a conscious level as opposed to the subconscious mindset etc. I don't it's necessarily always a bad thing, making assumptions (even if they later turned out to be false) could possibly save you from certain situations and so on. 

     

    How many people have you ever seen books about serial killers? Let's be serious. The infamous serial killer Ian Brady died recently, read a book about The Moors Murders in public and see the responses you will get from people.

     

    3 hours ago, Talisman said:

     I guess I must be different to the norm then in that I genuinely do not really care what people might think of my reading choices. I would have no problem being seen reading any of the books you describe in your post, and like to feel that I would not judge anyone else for doing so. If anything, I would use it as an excuse to start a conversation with that person - I gave met some really interesting people on trains and so on this way and ended up talking philosophy with them for hours.

     

    Lolita-Penguin-Classics-Nabokov-Vladimir

     

    Can you honestly say that if you were to see someone reading Lolita with this front cover edition it would not make you feel somewhat slightly uncomfortable? If anything, people would ignore the book title and focus on the photo instead. I stand by my point, there are certain books out there that will inevitably make the public scorn you. I've said that I agree with you that people should be able to read whatever book they want to in private or public but to ignore the reality that a large section of the public will make judgements based simply on the title and front cover is ridiculous.

     

    1 hour ago, Angury said:

    I will admit that I do not have the self-confidence to not care what people think about what I am reading. In the same way that I dress well when I leave my house, I make a decision whether to bring a paper copy or kindle version of my book. 

     

    As another example, would you judge someone reading the Daily Mail? I think all of us are judgmental to some extent, and do care what other people think of us, even if it's not the book we read in public. I think it is reasonable to assume that some people will form opinions on what you are reading (if they have heard of the book). It is only natural to jump to a conclusion based on our own experiences - I used the example of someone reading The God Delusion earlier. 

     

    We think very much alike. There are certain books on my bookshelves that I wouldn't read in public. It's good to see you take pride in your dress sense as well, the same can't be said for a lot of people. People who like to throw about that they don't care what others think of them are not fooling anyone or themselves, everyone cares but just simply put some do more than others. First impressions and physical appearance do matter in the real world. 

     

    Everyone is bias. Even when we decide to read biographies about someone or a historian's works about a period of time, the author will always have a certain degree of bias, but again just some do more than others. Which is why I fundamentally agree that people should read enough from both points of view before making any impulsive or illogical opinions and beliefs. 

     

    Are you happy to know that I read my copy of The God Delusion in my house? :lol:

  12. 2 hours ago, chesilbeach said:

     

    Do I care what the passerby who I'm unlikely to see ever again thinks of me for reading a particular book?  Not in the slightest.  Most of the time, I don't even notice other people if I've got my head in a book.

     

    I agree with you, I don't care what people think of me at all. All I'm pointing out is that there are certain books which might attract trouble if you attempt to read them in certain areas. And like you said, if you are right into a book then you're not going to be wise to your surroundings. Everyone occasionally looks up. If I hear something unusual then I'd also look up and around me. 

     

    6 minutes ago, Ooshie said:

     

    Is what you are saying that you have those responses to seeing people reading books of those types, @David James?  If so, all well and good, but I have literally never known anyone else (either online or in real life) who has indicated to me that they do so.

     

    I would never assume that someone reading a book which espouses a particular viewpoint shares that view.  Even if I did, each to their own - everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I'm not going to feel negative about someone having an opinion which differs from mine.

     

    And as to your example of Lolita, well, as both a parent and someone who was groomed and abused as a child, I have both read the book and seen the 1962 film several times.  Neither the film nor the book displeased me or made me uncomfortable.  If I were to see someone reading the book, all I would be likely to think would be to wonder whether they are enjoying it as much as I did, whether they are enjoying the style of the writing, Humbert as 'unreliable narrator' etc.

     

    As I said in my post above, I am always just delighted to see anyone reading, and interested in what they have chosen.

     

    It all depends on the context and circumstances but generally speaking yes. I don't see why someone would read such literature in public and claim they were only 'studying'. I'd say if anything that reading such material would be making a bold statement more than anything else. It's the exact same as how everyone gets judged on their dress sense/fashion, many people purposely dress a certain way to make a bold statement and lap up the attention seeking judgements made by the public. Someone would have to be totally inept to think that different books would all be judged the same by the public.

     

    I'm sorry to hear what you went through, I was just using it as an example of another book that is considered provocative by many people. Have you seen some of the front covers of this book on the different editions on Amazon? There is no doubt reading such material would make some people think of you in a negative light irrespective of anything else. 

     

    It's the same as reading about serial killers, etc, anything that is considered outside of what society defines as "normal" would put you open for possible confrontation. 

     

    I also enjoy seeing people reading books in public because it really is such a rare sight. 

  13. 1 hour ago, Ooshie said:
    1 hour ago, Ooshie said:

     

    Personally, I wouldn't - I would assume that they were reading it for interest or from intellectual curiosity.  But that's probably just because it would be my own motivation for reading works like that.

     

    I do think people make judgements about others based on what they see them reading.  I haven't ever been aware of choosing to read a particular book in public because I thought it would give people a more favourable impression of me, but there are books I have chosen not to read in public because I was slightly embarrassed about them (they were a more 'romance/chick lit' type of book than I usually read, passed on to me by my mother).  But now, I am slightly embarrassed about having been slightly embarrassed by them!  I wouldn't think negatively of anyone I saw reading them, so it wasn't logical for me to think others would think negatively about me.

     

    I am always just delighted to see anyone reading, and interested in what they have chosen.

     

    (By the way, what you choose to read can have unexpected effects - many years ago, while working as a receptionist in a lawyers' office, a friend visiting one of the younger lawyers asked me if I ever read at my desk when things were quiet and, if so, what.  I told him I did, usually the The Economist magazine, which he was visibly impressed by.  Reader, I married him. :lol:)

     

    That's fair enough. 

     

    Yeah, I know what you mean, I used the example of the novel The Fifty Shades of Grey in a previous post as an example of a book that would certainly raise a few eyebrows but would probably be a lot more negative than positive. But if people were to see someone reading a classic novel e.g Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, etc, then I think they would be judged positively. 

     

    Likewise, I think it's a great thing. 

     

    Hahahahahaha! That's a great story. I think books are definitely a way to start a conversation and I'd say it establishes common ground too. 

     

    I think some people view reading as a form of a person being somewhat anti-social as well because obviously it's a solitude hobby/interest and you can appear aloof or reserved to some people. I think it depends on how you present yourself. 

     

    1 hour ago, Ooshie said:
    1 hour ago, Talisman said:

    I think you made the mistake that a lot of people do David James when you say that because someone reads about a certain idealogy they support it. It doesn't mean that at all, but it does at least mean they are open minded enough to find out more and understand anothers point of view. That is essential in my view if we are to understand more about this world that we live in.

     

     

    I've mistaken nothing, I think that it's incredibly important to read both for and against your beliefs, both to possibly enhance your beliefs but also to challenge them (see my responses to Athena e.g "I think it's important to not simply accept your Status quo of beliefs but instead both enhance and challenge them"). 

     

    But there is a difference between reading such material in your home compared to in public. I highly doubt someone who supports left-wing politics would be seen dead reading Mein Kampf because they wouldn't want to be judged as a Nazi, the exact same way someone who supports right-wing politics would not be seen dead reading The Communist Manifesto because they wouldn't want to be judged as a communist. 

     

    People are free to read whatever they want wherever they want to but they should also be aware with the reality that passersby will judge you on the book you decide to read in public. Another example without using politics or religion is would you feel comfortable seeing someone reading Lolita in public? I'm sure parents familiar with the book wouldn't be too exactly pleased. Certain books are bound to have strong emotional responses to them. 

  14. 2 hours ago, Angury said:

     

     

    ^ My reading diary.

     

    But basically they can be broken down into:

     

    • Fiction (trying to focus on the classics at the moment)
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
    • Medical Humanities
    • Medical Anthropology

     

    What about yourself?

     

    You've read some decent books and have some good books listed that you wish to read in the future. I generally read philosophy, psychology, physical anthropology, politics and classic literature novels for the most part but I also don't mind other genres such as fantasy as I have read some fantasy books in the past but they wouldn't be my first choice. I don't mind reading an autobiography every now and then as well. I always read two books at once, one being a relatively easy book to read and the other being a challenge to read e.g Nietzsche, Hegel, Kant, etc. Occasionally, I'll be reading three books at once if I start to read a series but that's quite rare for me. I'm also a firm believer in that if you start a book then finish it, I've read several books that were very sluggish to get through but I persevered with them.

     

    When I've not got any books to be read I'm quite guilty of searching on Amazon "Penguin classics" or "Wordsworth classics" etc, to try and find a decent classical novel that I'm unfamiliar with and if I like the summary then I'll buy it. 

     

    I was on the train the other day and someone was reading a short novel opposite me. I couldn't see the title but could tell by the colours that it was a Penguin Classic. That certainly piqued my interest and I spent the rest of the train journey trying to discreetly read the title.

    :P So I think it doesn't even have to be about the title of the book, but just its appearance.

     

    I've had the same thing happen to me. I used to work shift work and would get the late train home and it would generally be the usual faces and every time I had a new book I'd always catch one of them trying to look at what I've just started reading. Also, whenever you get on a busy train and open up a book you'll notice loads of heads turn your way as well. I never used to read in public much but with decent weather I'll take a bottle of water and read at a park or somewhere similar and the general public definitely do take notice of you because it's unfortunately a rare thing these days to see people reading a book.

     

    I think the front cover is quite important, I don't really like reading books with just simply the author's name and the title of the book on the front cover although I do have a fair few like this since no other copies were available when I bought them. 

     

    To be honest, if I see someone reading a Politics book, I assume they either study politics or work in politics. I wouldn't assume that the book they are reading reflects their views, as my (limited) experience is that people don't generally read political books otherwise. Bare in mind that most of my friends are university students, so obviously this is from my very limited perspective. I would be more likely to gauge someones political stance by their social media posts for example.

     

    I think if someone were to be as bold as to read something political in public knowing fine well that people will make judgements based on what you're reading then there is a fine line between someone just reading a certain work for study and reflecting the reader's own political beliefs. It's the same for reading either religious or anti-religious books in public, I doubt very much a religious person is going to want to be seen in public reading Nietzsche's The Antichrist or something and then declaring themselves to be a Christian, do you know what I mean? Or someone reading Mein Kampf in public and then considering themselves to be a communist. 

     

    I don't have any friends that are in university and I don't use any social media (Facebook, etc) so I am stating my opinion from a totally different perspective from yours but I still can see where you are coming from. I think the person's physical appearance would also play a part in my judgement whether that would be consciously or subconsciously. 

     

    I think The God Delusion (or something similar by one of the well-known atheists) is a good example of a book where I would probably make an unconscious and prejudiced (negative) assumption about the reader. Not because I disagree with any of the work, but because my experience of people who are fans of such books is that they can be very vocal about their views and close-minded about anyone who disagrees with them (ooh, controversial).

     

    I'm glad you never saw me reading it then! :D I totally understand where you're coming from but such an argument could be and is often used from both sides.

     

    I'm personally never really vocal about anything unless it's relevant. You tend to find that the gobshites tend to know nothing.

  15. 2 minutes ago, Raven said:

     

    Actually you can, but the bindings are generally old now so they fall apart quickly.

     

    I was giving my opinion that I find from my childhood that Enid Blyton's works were the best for me and still are. I've got all of her works. I view her books much more highly than say The Chronicles of Narnia, etc. 

  16. 45 minutes ago, Angury said:

    I do think that people will judge you based on the book you are reading - and even if they have never heard of the title, they will merely judge you on how big the book looks. I have had personal experience of this when reading in restaurants/public transport/cafes etc. It's interesting to note that I've noticed people give an occasional glance even when I am reading my kindle (and I have to admit I have done the same to other people) because I rarely see people reading in public anymore. The positive thing is that people will come up to you and start chatting about the book you are reading or just make a passing comment, so you can meet people with similar interests just by reading in public.

     

    What type of books do you normally read? I've also noticed that people look at you more when you're reading a book in public. I normally carry a big bottle of water with me if I'm going to read in a park or somewhere similar and if I look up occasionally I do see people having a general look. I think the front cover equally plays a big role in the same way as the size of the book does. I rarely ever see people reading in public too. It's a shame to be honest. Although it could also be seen as a positive because you tend to stand out more. I've had a few people spark up a conversation from time to time when I've been out reading somewhere, I guess that all comes down to where you decide to read. 

     

    Generally, I think reading in public, no matter what you are reading, will give off a certain (positive) air compared to scrolling through your iPhone which is the norm.

     

    Definitely. Mind you, I wouldn't really think much of someone reading a book like Fifty Shades of Grey or something similar in public compared to Thus Spoke Zarathustra or something else more deeper than the former. I'd say the front cover is a good indication for the most part e.g Nietzsche looks very intriguing.

     

    I think Politics is such a polarising subject that many people probably would jump to certain conclusions (and depending on their own beliefs, form very positive or negative views based on that) if you were to read those types of books. Not so much with Karl Marx because his work is pretty much a cornerstone of many university reading lists now, but particularly with more recent politicians and their autobiographies etc. I'd compare it with someone reading a magazine - if you see someone reading the

    Writers Now magazine you would assume that they have an interest in writing. Likewise, I think if you see someone reading a political book geared at a certain party, you will make similar assumptions. I think reading a political book in public would give off a different vibe compared to any other book you may read, because everyone has their own beliefs regardless of their interest in politics itself, and it can illicit a lot of strong emotions.

     

    I definitely agree with you. However, although Marxism and related works are taught in universities, I think there is a world of difference in someone choosing to read such works to study compared to reading them in public knowing fine well that people will make a judgement. I think it's a no-brainer that people will categorise certain books to certain political beliefs. I think religious and anti-religious books would also draw similar judgments e.g reading the Bible or The God Delusion would make people convey different emotions. 

  17. On 6/2/2017 at 4:57 PM, Talisman said:

    I concur with Raven - we make judgments about people all the time. I am not sure what people would think if they saw the contents of my Kindle and some of the books I have read this year. They are a mish mash of all sorts of things that I at least think are interesting. I guess most would probably conclude though that I am interested in world literature, travel and current affairs - and I am probably what some would term as a left liberal. They wouldn't be far wrong.        

     

    If you were to see someone reading a political book, would you make the assumption that they were supportive of that ideology? 

     

    For example, if you were to see someone reading Karl Marx's Capital: Critique of Political Economy, would you assume they were left-wing inclined such as a communist, Marxist or socialist? Or, if you were to see someone reading Margaret Thatcher's The Downing Street Years, would you assume they were centre-right inclined such as a Conservative? 

  18. On 6/10/2017 at 10:06 AM, Athena said:

    According to my calculations, I read on average 160 pages per day, currently this year so far. It does differ per year, as in previous years I had a different amount of pages per day on average, and it depends on how many books I read for what age range (ie. the year that I read a lot of children's books and picture books, the number was higher). For myself, I think 100 is a nice target, and on the days I feel like reading and I have the energy to do so, I sometimes try to read at least 100 pages, as I think this is a nice target.

     

    That's a great amount to read on average per day. I'm sure reading an extra 10 pages of philosophy per day wouldn't kill you. :D

     

    Philosophy is a different thing and I have read some books on it and while I think it can be somewhat interesting, I kind of have my personal beliefs and values in place now and I'm not that interested in reading lots more about it, more than I have already done. Maybe on rare occasion.

     

    That's the great thing about philosophy though, it can both make you agree with certain philosophers and philosophical concepts and at the same time also challenge your current beliefs. I think it's important to not simply accept your Status quo of beliefs but instead both enhance and challenge them, philosophy would enable you to do that. 

  19. On 9-6-2017 at 9:00 AM, Athena said:

     

    That sounds like a nice idea :). I find it hard to read more than one book at once, especially if both books are fictional. Usually I could just about deal with one fiction read and one information read, and even that can be a bit of a stretch sometimes. I usually read just one book at once (but then, I don't read information books that often).

     

    How many pages on average are you reading per day? I think you would get through more books if you were to read a light casual read and a one a bit more difficult that you could perhaps read on the weekend if you have more free time then, etc. I think the problem with reading just one book is that you limit yourself to only that book when sometimes a book can be a bit of a handful to get through or you may fancy a chance a certain day so if you have two books you have two choices of different things to read rather than simply restricting and forcing yourself to read only one book. I guess this simply comes down to how avidly you read books, if you're content with just getting through a book and finishing it and don't care how long it takes you then it doesn't matter but if you wish to engage in voracious reading then you may want to think about reading two books at once because then you'll end up reading more and quite simply gain more knowledge quicker.

     

    To give an example, at the moment I'm busy reading a biography of a political leader and Thomas Hardy's novel Far from the Madding Crowd. 

     

    Sometimes I'll also read three books at once because I'll start reading a series.

     

    Quote

    That's an interesting thought. I think I would read a bit more difficult books, but only up to a point. I wouldn't want to stop reading all the types of books I am and have been reading, I enjoy them too much for that. But to be honest, watching a movie at home is already a stretch of my energy, as is socialising with other people, playing video games, cleaning the house, doing groceries, being out in town (and those are all things I want or need to do). There are very few things that don't cost me much energy. And I don't have much of it. So I don't see it really happen that I'd change my reading completely into reading very difficult (to me) books, but I'm okay with that. I have autism and ADD (attention deficit disorder, without the hyperactivity), and I've largely accepted that this makes life difficult for me. I don't have much energy and have learnt to use what I do have, sparingly, because I get exhausted easily. I try to balance my life and not do too many or too few things (sometimes it's hard). After a busy day, I know I'll need a few days of rest to recover. Reading the types of books I usually read, is something I can do that usually costs me only a bit of energy. If I had more energy, I think I would spend less time reading and more time socialising, watching movies, and doing other things. I would perhaps also choose to read a larger variety of books - including more difficult ones (though it should be said I currently read books from multiple genres and for multiple age ranges, so my reading is a bit varied already). But I think I would still read the most of my favourite genres and types of books, the more difficult books would only be a part of my reading.

     

    Thanks for sharing with me the two disorders you have, it makes things more clear. I can imagine that they do interfere quite a bit with your keen interest in reading. Without sounding disrespectful, reading the likes of philosophy or history books might be more of a challenge for you but the reward if you can be resilient with them will be worth it. It's good that you recognise that your disorders make your like more difficult but you shouldn't let them stop you from reading books that might be a bit more difficult than the books you're used to currently reading. 

     

    Do philosophy or history interest you? If so, you could get a cheap book of a philosopher's work or a particular part of history you like from Amazon for £2.80 (1p for the book and £2.80 for the P&P) and read it as slow as you choose to, maybe even try just 10 pages per day?

  20. I use Amazon. Sometimes if I see the same book cheaper on eBay then I'll be it from there. 

     

    One thing that annoys me about Amazon is if you see a few books that you want to buy and they are all from the same seller, it is not possible for you to pay a certain amount in one sum for P&P but instead £2.80 per item.

×
×
  • Create New...