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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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the sociology of reading * 1
    #22088402 -

SURPRISING BOOK FACTS


Quote:
33 percent of high school graduates never read another book the rest of their lives

42 percent of college grads never read another book after college

57 percent of new books are not read to completion

70 percent of US adults have not been in a bookstore the last five years

80 percent of US families did not buy or read a book last year


source: The Jenkins Group/Brian Tracy




Comments?  Does this alarm anyone?


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Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088484 -

Absolutely.

Whilst I accept that reading is not for everyone (some people, such as those with dyslexia, find it hard to read but can pick up the same data from listening instead), I do think that seeking, and working for information in this manner is extremely important to development. It's not like you have to dedicate huge chunks of time to it either; I only read books whilst taking a shit, but still manage to devour them at an incredible rate.

Problem is, television and smartphones provide stimulation without having to put in the work. Which is a bad thing IMO. What good comes of anything if you don't put in the dedication and hard work? As Terence McKenna said:

"Television is by nature the dominator drug par excellence. Control of content, uniformity of content, repeatability of content make it inevitably a tool of coersion, brainwashing, and manipulation."

I think this is probably the biggest influential factor in those scary numbers above.


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Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: Jokeshopbeard]
    #22088567 -

Oh, I couldn't agree more.  Not everyone needs to read -- but a lot more people need to read than currently do!  In order to have a well-informed, reasonably savvy populace, reading is completely necessary.  And quite obviously, we don't.  Moreover, in order to have a well-functioning brain, one needs to exercise it.  Reading is one of the best and most beneficial ways to do that.  I'm afraid modern society in large part comprises some pretty atrophied brains.


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Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088614 -

Modern society is just so far gone off the rails about what's really important IMO DQ. It makes me fucking cringe inside if I think about it too much, and it makes me feel like a fucking alien for thinking too much.

Society is so far up it's own fucking arse in regards to the wellness of us as individuals, it's like it's become some kind of self perpetuating machine, causing mass sickness, death and destruction in its wake. It fucking sickens me, and the only positive I can see to it is the fact that it's helped a lot to alleviate my DA - I can't wait to not be around it anymore.

As you can see, I have some pretty strong feelings about the subject of modern society!!


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088625 -

Thus spake Jokeshopbeard: "Books shall be read wincingly on the throne." :lol: :tongue:

I'd say books can be a unique and engaging challenge. It's kind of like they are geared uniquely geared for our heads. Nothing like them I can think of.

Clearly we have so much ease in steerage of content in our modern media, it's a whole new thing. The internet is naturalized, found "in trial" but not in any challenge exactly... a choose your own adventure of memes, instant sexual selection, and developed personality. All the necessities of life, in a form of convenience. The cave of forms...

It'd be interesting to see TM talk about things today, with his early views on internet technology...

I'm pushing for a reading club here on the shroomery.

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: Jokeshopbeard]
    #22088643 -

Jokeshopbeard said:
Modern society is just so far gone off the rails about what's really important IMO DQ. It makes me fucking cringe inside if I think about it too much, and it makes me feel like a fucking alien for thinking too much.

Society is so far up it's own fucking arse in regards to the wellness of us as individuals, it's like it's become some kind of self perpetuating machine, causing mass sickness, death and destruction in its wake. It fucking sickens me, and the only positive I can see to it is the fact that it's helped a lot to alleviate my DA - I can't wait to not be around it anymore.

As you can see, I have some pretty strong feelings about the subject of modern society!!


Oh, dude, I could go on all night, too.  It's been one of the primary points of my mental and critical focus for the past, probably sixteen years or so.  The world is indeed in a very sorry state.  It's tragic.  And there's a lot of talk about how we can fix it, save the world, etc.  Frankly, I think things are too far gone for that.  As far as I can tell, this thing's been pretty much over since the seventies or so -- in terms of being able to do anything about anything.  Now we'll just have to see how AI shapes the picture.


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Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088658 -

And I mention the seventies purely as a proximate point of political reference.  The picture has been set for quite a bit longer than that.  We just never did anything to really improve it much.


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Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088706 -

Kurt said:
Nothing like them I can think of.


I agree, I feel books are so very special, a relative oasis of sanity in this crazy world.

Kurt said:
I'm pushing for a reading club here on the shroomery.


I look forward to that a lot!

DividedQuantum said:
Oh, dude, I could go on all night, too.  It's been one of the primary points of my mental and critical focus for the past, probably sixteen years or so.


Sounds like you've had a decade more than me of seeing the sickness of it's state! That gives me hope that's it's not gonna be able to bring me down in the long run - I very much admire the way you look at the world so it seems that having that gnawing awareness of it hasn't done you any great harms. I agree that I don't think it's fixable, George Carlin puts it quite succinctly at times:

"I sort of gave up on this whole human adventure a long time ago. I've divorced myself from it emotionally. I think the human race has squandered its gift and this country has squandered its promise. I think people in America sold out very cheaply, for sneakers and cheeseburgers. And I don't think it's fixable."

I only just recently relinquished the last hold of any sort mass media had on me - newspapers. Up until about 3 months ago I would still get drawn in by their headlines. I now avert my eyes if they start to wander towards them in order to protect my sanity. TM again:

"The cost of sanity, in this society, is a certain level of alienation."

My father in law suggested the other day that my wife actually needs to follow the mass media! As if there isn't anything that could do even more harm to her already fragile state than that!! If it weren't for the fact he's lending me a huge chunk of cash for the deposit for a house, I don't think I would've been able to hold my tongue!!


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088713 -

DividedQuantum said:
And I mention the seventies purely as a proximate point of political reference.  The picture has been set for quite a bit longer than that.  We just never did anything to really improve it much.


It's an interesting point of reference to bring up. I guess there was a small chance at redemption then. I often wonder if it was the disbanding of our tribal existence, or the industrial revolution that did the most harm.


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088732 -

I listen to fiction and non-fiction audiobooks to completion. Does that count?


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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: Sun King]
    #22088736 -

Sun King said:
I listen to fiction and non-fiction audiobooks to completion. Does that count?


I reckon so.


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: Jokeshopbeard]
    #22088773 -

Very nice quotations above. :thumbup:


Jokeshopbeard said:
DividedQuantum said:
And I mention the seventies purely as a proximate point of political reference.  The picture has been set for quite a bit longer than that.  We just never did anything to really improve it much.


It's an interesting point of reference to bring up. I guess there was a small chance at redemption then. I often wonder if it was the disbanding of our tribal existence, or the industrial revolution that did the most harm.


Yes I bring up the seventies because, purely in my estimation, that was the point of no return for radical change.  At that time, if we engaged in truly radical, sustained, intelligently orchestrated alterations, we might have had a chance of salvaging something worth having, culturally.  This is of course for me only theoretical because I don't believe radical change is possible in a civilization like ours.  So it's academic, but I feel there is nothing, even in theory, that we can do to pull ourselves out of the whirl of the drain at this point.  We have passed the point of no return.  And, as I said, the only thing left to do is see how AI does.  There may, after all, be some redemption, who knows.  But that is the next phenomenon to look for, if anything.

I think once we left tribalism and egalitarianism behind, that was curtains for us -- in a way.  I think everything we've got was inevitable once we began to cordon off, designate property, specialize, worship and build.  As William S. Burroughs said, "America is not a young land: it is old and dirty and evil. Before the settlers, before the Indians... the evil was there... waiting."


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Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088780 -

Eh, doesn't alarm me, more people are involved in two way written communication, via texting.

Besides, what were most people reading say 30, 40 years ago? Was challenging and well written or were they just reading a genre that appeals to them, a visceral thrill, a crumpet to while away time, without thinking about it?

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: falcon]
    #22088790 -

I dunno, I would reckon most average books are more mentally stimulating than most average texts.  :shrug:


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Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088841 -

Texting!? Have you seen the average use of language in text talk?

hey how r u
c u 2nite
etc, etc

I've read books dating back to the 1600's and whilst the language was difficult, they're still very much mentally stimulating. Of course the further forward in time you come, the more trash is out there, but I think it's the very act of dedicating oneself to finishing a book that we're on about here.


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22088847 -

You have to reply to texts, that involves more attention to details, I think.

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: falcon]
    #22088979 -

I couldn't disagree more. I see nothing about texting that will stimulate the mind in the way dedicating yourself to a book will. Have you been to major city recently and see the zombies glued to their phones? Shit, a 20 year old guy got killed by a truck outside my office recently after he walked into the road without looking - staring at his phone no less. Or couples, sitting across the table from each other, staring at their phones, not talking.

I'm surprised you think they're comparable.


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: DividedQuantum]
    #22089090 -

not surprising.

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: White Beard]
    #22089107 -

Why not?


--------------------
Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe

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Re: the sociology of reading [Re: Jokeshopbeard]
    #22089111 -

Do you think everyone who read when it was popular dedicated themselves to books?
I don't, I think it passed through many minds without a critical thought. The capacity for critical observation is not dependent on the media.

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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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