Monday, August 2, 2010

I don't need to read


“I don’t read”, he said. And he said it with pride. “Reading is a waste of time. I get all I want from the electronic media.”
“Information maybe”, I conceded. “But what about fiction? Surely you read books.”.
“Who has the time for books?”, he replied. “Movies get over in two hours, and they are much more entertaining than books.”
I was speechless. Was there anything left to say? A large part of the joy of reading is in filling up the blanks. In imagining things. If that is lost to a person, I can only feel sorry for them.
_____
A drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.



The full post was first posted two weeks back on a Reading Monday at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash. For a new Reading Monday post, and other great posts, do visit us at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash

25 comments:

JournoMich said...

I love your drabbles! This one is great for many reasons, but mostly because of its Truth. I find even I, a major proponent of literature and long-form writing, fall prey to the allure of modern media. And convincing our children--who are basically being bred to have no attention spans--to stick with books and even magazines will be difficult.

Michele
Gothic Lit today at SouthernCityMysteries

Anonymous said...

Rayna - You have a real gift for getting at really deep truths in just these 100 words. This one is wonderful! Electronic media, movies, etc., have their places, but they are not at all like books, are they? When one's own imagination isn't tapped, I agree - it is sad...

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

You are excellent at drabbes Rayna and this one is no exception.
I enjoyed the read very much.

Yvonne.

Laura Eno said...

Another great drabble that, sadly, is so true.

Unknown said...

Yeah, it's as bleak as it sounds. No one wants to read anymore. I recently went to Texas and had a terrible time finding a bookstore.

CD

Southpaw said...

Oh, to miss out on the depth and subtlety of the written book. So sad.

Jan Morrison said...

Another wonderful drabble! I don't care if everyone doesn't like to read but why oh why do they boast about it? As if they are some superior species that has gotten rid of the pesky book dependence of us lesser mortals. What dopes!

Jules said...

Oh this is wonderful and I SO agree. We are slowly losing our imagination. Super duper drabble! :)

Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

On the mark as usual, Rayna.
I remember the post but it always bears repeating.

Tina said...

I feel sorry for those who don't enjoy reading. It's my favorite past time and such a luxury to enjoy. I lose myself in the stories and the scenes play out in my head in full color. (Which is why I'm always disappointed in the movie version, they never get it right...)

RA said...

Well drabbled, Rayna! I feel sorry for people that can't enjoy having a book in their hands, turning the pages, making their own minds work... :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I remember reading this one!

Lydia Kang said...

I broke up with a guy because he preferred movies to books.
All books.

Great drabble!

Jackee said...

Great drabble! And whenever I meet people like that, I'm the same way--just shake my head. Because there's nothing more to talk about after that.

Theres just life said...

So true. People who don't read are missing out on so much. This why when my nieces and nephew and pretty much all the kids I knew, would get the video and a book as a gift from me. They all still love to read. And will read the book before seeing the movie based on it so they can compare them. Most of the time they like the book better.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Alas, behold the future.

Anonymous said...

I agree. People who don't know the pleasure of fiction are really missing out on something!

Helen Ginger said...

Great drabble. And, unfortunately, true for a lot of people. Parents have to start early reading to kids and getting their kids to read for themselves. My guess is that the folks who made that movie are readers. Reading opens the imagination.

Natasha said...

@ Michele- unless I am mistaken, your kids are two years younger than mine are, so time to let you into a secret. Till last year, I despaired because my kids never seemed to want books. But now, the older one often switches off the TV and picks up a book, and the younger one follows his example. As long as the kids see you reading, and you keep books accessible, they will start reading.

@ Margot- I do not think anything can replace a book for any of us. And it is not just the multisensory experience of a physical book- it is the pure act of reading.

@ Yvonne- thank you.

@ Laura- little do they suspect what they are actually missing.

@ Clarissa- and bookstores here have more audio CDs and school supplies than they do books.

Natasha said...

@ Michele- unless I am mistaken, your kids are two years younger than mine are, so time to let you into a secret. Till last year, I despaired because my kids never seemed to want books. But now, the older one often switches off the TV and picks up a book, and the younger one follows his example. As long as the kids see you reading, and you keep books accessible, they will start reading.

@ Margot- I do not think anything can replace a book for any of us. And it is not just the multisensory experience of a physical book- it is the pure act of reading.

@ Yvonne- thank you.

@ Laura- little do they suspect what they are actually missing.

@ Clarissa- and bookstores here have more audio CDs and school supplies than they do books.

Natasha said...

@ Holly- I can't image anything worse.

@ Jan- yes, wonder what makes them feel they are superior to us ordinary mortals.

@ Karen- it is sad, isn't it?

@ Jules- it is sad that we are losing our imagination.

@ Mary- again, and again, and yet again.

Natasha said...

@ Tina- movies rarely match up, do they?

@ RA - reading is one of the best things that could ever happen to a person.

@ Alex- yep. You even commented.

@ Lydia- I am sure I would have too.

@ Jackee- exactly. What can we ever say that would convince them?

Natasha said...

@ Theres just life- that is a good idea. To get my kids to start reading, I got them books of their favourite cartoon characters. Has worked and more.

@ Debra- what a bleak future.

@ Fiona - they are, aren't they?

@ Helen- my kids have become readers this last year, so I know there is hope. We just need to work extra hard to make it happen.

Gail said...

You have written the truth, and very well, I might add.

Natasha said...

Thank you so much.

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