I can't read!
Well, I can read. In fact, my parents will testify that I started reading at the age of two. I fell in love with books at an early age and took it on as a hobby until I entered Junior High. At that point, probably distracted by puberty, I wouldn't pick up a book unless it was absolutely necessary. I distinctly remember barely squeeking through 7th grade reading class with a D after giving an oral book report of a book that I had made up.
This change of heart continued until I went to college. College is not a very fun place to be if you can't read well or if you don't like to read unless you're a phys-ed or art major. If you've known me for any length of time, you'd understand that sports usually means a trip to the emergency room resulting in some sort of splint or cast and that I'm about as artistic as I am amphibian.
Within days of beginning college, my book collection doubled with one trip to the campus bookstore to purchase my required textbooks. I had begun reading again and I grew to enjoy it. I was most interested in theology, reference books, commentaries, and books on Christian living although I avoided "feel-good" books by Max Lucado and similar authors.
Since college my interest in books has diminished significantly. I enjoy reading but rarely make/find the time to do so. Most of my books have been resting safely in boxes in my basement for the past four years. You might catch me reading a short book from time to time but I'm not one to talk about books or maintain an ever-so-popular reading list.
Lately, I've gotten turned off to the culture of reading. Some of you will probably get a little angry at me and desire to inflict pain on my body because it sounds like I'm lashing out against something that's fundamentally good like oxygen, Christmas, and apple pie.
It all started a few years ago when a friend raved about a popular Christian men's book. "You haven't read it?! Oh, you must read this book! This is a book that you really need to read!" Within a month or so, I had similar conversations with almost a half-a-dozen people. Not wanting to jump on this bandwagon, I resisted the mild urge to read the book and shrugged it off. Since then, I've noticed several authors and books that have elicited a similar response. I didn't like all the commotion and reverence and I especially didn't like the different camps and cliques that came about as a result. It almost felt like high school all over again when if you wore Bugle Boy jeans you were with this crowd and if you listened to the Dead Kennedy's you were labeled with this crowd. I've observed that who and what you are reading has become an identity. You would be accepted more by a group people if a certain book was on your reading list or you named a certain author as one of your favorites.
Before you decide to spray paint my car or corner me in a dark alley wielding a pipe, realize that this is a natural thing that happens. People welcome those who are similar and have similar interests and sometimes exclude those who aren't and don't. It's a fact of life.
I quickly got tired of hearing about it and I decided that in order to sidestep the awkward social ritual of acceptance-gaining and clique-assimilation I would avoid the issue altogether by either not picking up a book or not publicizing the books and authors I'm reading. I do enjoy reading and sharpening my mind and spirit through reading but I'm not at all interested in flaunting my current read like a new piece of clothing and discussing my reading list as I would the accomplishments of my children.
This change of heart continued until I went to college. College is not a very fun place to be if you can't read well or if you don't like to read unless you're a phys-ed or art major. If you've known me for any length of time, you'd understand that sports usually means a trip to the emergency room resulting in some sort of splint or cast and that I'm about as artistic as I am amphibian.
Within days of beginning college, my book collection doubled with one trip to the campus bookstore to purchase my required textbooks. I had begun reading again and I grew to enjoy it. I was most interested in theology, reference books, commentaries, and books on Christian living although I avoided "feel-good" books by Max Lucado and similar authors.
Since college my interest in books has diminished significantly. I enjoy reading but rarely make/find the time to do so. Most of my books have been resting safely in boxes in my basement for the past four years. You might catch me reading a short book from time to time but I'm not one to talk about books or maintain an ever-so-popular reading list.
Lately, I've gotten turned off to the culture of reading. Some of you will probably get a little angry at me and desire to inflict pain on my body because it sounds like I'm lashing out against something that's fundamentally good like oxygen, Christmas, and apple pie.
It all started a few years ago when a friend raved about a popular Christian men's book. "You haven't read it?! Oh, you must read this book! This is a book that you really need to read!" Within a month or so, I had similar conversations with almost a half-a-dozen people. Not wanting to jump on this bandwagon, I resisted the mild urge to read the book and shrugged it off. Since then, I've noticed several authors and books that have elicited a similar response. I didn't like all the commotion and reverence and I especially didn't like the different camps and cliques that came about as a result. It almost felt like high school all over again when if you wore Bugle Boy jeans you were with this crowd and if you listened to the Dead Kennedy's you were labeled with this crowd. I've observed that who and what you are reading has become an identity. You would be accepted more by a group people if a certain book was on your reading list or you named a certain author as one of your favorites.
Before you decide to spray paint my car or corner me in a dark alley wielding a pipe, realize that this is a natural thing that happens. People welcome those who are similar and have similar interests and sometimes exclude those who aren't and don't. It's a fact of life.
I quickly got tired of hearing about it and I decided that in order to sidestep the awkward social ritual of acceptance-gaining and clique-assimilation I would avoid the issue altogether by either not picking up a book or not publicizing the books and authors I'm reading. I do enjoy reading and sharpening my mind and spirit through reading but I'm not at all interested in flaunting my current read like a new piece of clothing and discussing my reading list as I would the accomplishments of my children.
posted by Matt Book at
11:49 PM
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