More Reading

I'm glad that Lola commented on yesterday's post because there was more I wanted to write on the topic. Specifically, the emphasis on what should be read versus what is read.

There's nothing magic in reading. The letters are arbitrary and the human brain can decode just about any set as long as they follow certain rules. It provides us with two things: An expedient way to communicate (you don't have to hear everything from a person's mouth) and the opportunity to be exposed to knowledge an ideas. If you could travel and hear great minds lecture you would have access to the same amount of information.

If you are reading ANYTHING you are being exposed to something, whether it's news, comics, literature, or porn. The NEA seems to think that some reading (e.g.,"literature") is better for you than other kinds. I think that's bullshit.

First, "literature" is arbitrary. The NEA includes poetry under this heading. So, that means a dirty limerick is the same as Angelou, right? Also, tastes and criticism change, so today's literature is tomorrow's racist drivel from old white dudes, and vice versa.

Second, to say that reading "literature" is better for you is crap. Where's the data that demonstrates that freely reading "literature" causes any positive outcome. The Bible is said to be great literature, but it's read by scoundrels and kings. It's an argument based on class: upper class people are exposed to this kind of writing, therefore it must be good for you.

As a society, we should want people to be exposed to ideas as this makes us better thinkers and decision makers. Whether that's done by the written word on a page (and I believe that will fade once someone gets the electronic book thing right) or watching writers on YouTube doesn't matter. It's the exposure that counts and when you read anything you are making your mind think.

The next go around, the NEA should keep their "eat your vegetables because they are good for you" approach to reading on the shelf. They should spend more time capturing how and how much we read than what we read. They can then sell the results to book companies and help the budget deficit.