For me, I have very little in my life, so it’s something of an escape into another world.
Me personally, I just love stories. I like reading, listening to audiobooks, but I also enjoy storydriven games for example.
I don’t want to become a waffle waitress.
I basically read two types of books. One is lit-nerd stuff (Joyce, Pynchon…) where you can read and re-read and still find new things, find communities online of people discussing it, read it with a friend and share what you got out of each chapter, etc. The other type I do is more immersive sci-fi/fantasy (Rothfuss, Stephenson, etc.) which I read for totally different reasons… like you said, an escape into another world.
TV makes me feel like a spoonfed zombie. I’m trying to watch Severance, and it’s good, but I hate the feeling of being hooked, tied to it, and having to sit there and binge it. And they’re doing all the imaginating for me. I much prefer to spend that 50 hours with a good thick book. No judgment on how other people like to do it… I just prefer the quiet of paging through a book!
Ugh, Rothfuss is such a fantasy heartbreak for me. Name of the Wind was brilliant… But at this point, I can’t expect to ever see that story finished 😭
Wise Man’s Fear was pretty good too, but yeah it’s been like 10+ years since I’ve read it at this point and would need to start the series from the beginning if he were to ever release another.
I’m trying to watch Severance, and it’s good, but I hate the feeling of being hooked, tied to it, and having to sit there and binge it.
If you watch it as it’s released, this is literally impossible. Having to wait a week between episodes can be annoying, but it definitely helps spread out the enjoyment.
The biggest reason I started reading more (went from 2-3 books a year to 2 a month) is just to avoid using tech in my free time. I noticed I get way more relaxed in general and have a better attitude towards life if I’m reading more
Its the greatest form of entertainment IMO. Movies and theatre last a couple of hours, emphasis is on ‘the look’, story is usually (but not always) pretty shallow. TV is more episodic and therefore there’s more time to explore the story but, again,its still pretty surface level most of the time. As streamers replace production companies and gain even more power, TV and movies are getting increasingly crapper. I read an interview with someone who worked for a streamer (wasn’t Neflix but can;t recall which one it was and I can;t find the link now) who said the direction from bosses is producing content that is easy enough to follow if you’re only half-watching. Sounds fucking awful.
Books, on the other hand, engage whole parts of your brain and quite literally take you into a different world. They can be quite short or very, very long - the edit is to fit the story, not making the story fit a prescribed length. Unlike movies or TV the only two people involved are you and the author - which is why I personally struggle with audiobooks as I feel like there’s a third party (the narrator) involved who might interpret things differently than me. I’ve seen lots of great TV shows, plays and movies but I have never had as immersive an experience as I do with reading a book. I’ve never experienced an emotional response to a TV show or movie like I have from so many books. The feeling of knowing a character to their bones and loving (or hating) them is just impossible for me in movies/TV shows most of the time.
I completely agree! The immersion you get from reading a book really is the draw for me. It’s more effort for me to get into than other forms of media, but once it gets it’s hooks in me I’m transported somewhere else. I can see, feel, and even smell, all up in my mind. I’m a digital artist by trade so I absolutely appreciate the visual side of media, but the best graphics really are in the imagination.
I have a pretty hectic life. Two small kids, a job that involves an endless stream of meetings interspersed by screen work, hobbies that involve being outside for multiple hours at a time multiple times a week.
When the dust settles at the end of a day, the kids are in bed and the housework is done, I want my entertainment to be as low key as possible. Curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a good book is an excellent way to detox and reset; I’m just not in the market for any more stimulation than that!
As a fellow parent to two kids, how the hell do you find time to spend multiple hours outdoors, multiple times per week?
Very co-operative mother!
I’m a politics person, and knocking the doors is a significant part of the deal. 2 hours per door knock 2-3 times per week is not at all unusual. Also council meetings and various party meetings scattered amongst the evenings.
Nice! For me it’s limited to gym twice a week and then reading and stuff, maybe a night out with friends once in a while. Hopefully when the nights get better, we’ll have some more energy.
I like physical books, so I get the fun of hunting for books through the used bookstore, having them on my bookshelf, then I get to shame myself for my growing backlog of books. Once that’s done, I find reading to be very relaxing.
Regain focus after this social media stuff making me dizzy, I’ll go read now!
