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I’ll never understand the idea that people need to feel some sort of external reward for reading books. Reading is in and of itself rewarding, and the concept of people setting a quota for the # of books they’re going to read in a year makes it a chore
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Anonymous 1d

It’s cuz they don’t actually love reading they just view it as something to brag about!

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Anonymous 1d

Its because people are conditioned from a young age to see it as a task instead of a hobby, and a lot of people lose their joy from it when they associate it with positive feedback from people around them and then lose that feedback. It's like if I go on a walk everyday, then people start walking alongside me to make me feel happier, then they all just stop showing up after years of it... walking wouldn't feel so good anymore

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Anonymous 20h

well i do absolutely love reading but the only reason ive set myself up with the # of books im choosing to read is because im personally just challenging myself to read more and this is easier to keep track of how many books i have read and have left to read. but i do agree the people that brag about reading tons of books are very annoying

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Anonymous 6h

because when they’re kids adults tell them to read even if they don’t want to, so then reading starts to seem like something that isn’t supposed to be enjoyed

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Anonymous replying to -> #1 1d

I was thinking the exact same thing the other day. Some people like books. Some people like reading. We’re not the same. And it’s like, I get it, we’re spoon fed crazy consumerist propaganda and the allure of new ideas is strong. But I do think a lot of people are excited by the idea and aesthetic of reading more than the reading itself. And I feel that sometimes too, so I’ll talk a bit from experience while also calling it out as something to change.

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Anonymous replying to -> #4 19h

This!! I am the type of type A person who takes notes of everything I do, including my reading list! I challenge myself to read more by getting a ‘high score’ and beating last years numbers. I also try really hard not to DNR books so the numbers game helps me get through some of my less interesting books. I love reading and read a lot of non fiction, but not all non fiction is written in the most compelling way, which can make me want to put a book that I’m interested in down a little faster.

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Anonymous replying to -> #4 17h

The issue is more so in the fact that people will force themselves to read in order to achieve their quota. Everybody has a reading list, the issue comes in the fact that people will force feed themselves books in order to achieve this arbitrary goal, which in my opinion defeats the purpose and removes the joy that is inherent in reading as a hobby.

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