There is so much reading material available that one lifetime is not enough to read it.
When I read this statement for the first time, I said "Yes, man, that's true! I Don't have that much time to read everything it is written". And I was reading a lot at that time.
As I grew older, a question arose: Why should all written content be read?
Why should someone feel bad for not being able to read everything during his entire life?
I have the impression that the desire to read everything that is written may seem like an egotistical desire. It suggests that you are not interested in learning about a topic deeply and becoming an expert on it or in acquiring a new skill and mastering it every day to become better and better. Instead, you simply want to read as many books as possible so that you can boast to others about the large number of books you have read.
Well, great job! You read a large number of books, but what have you gained from reading all these books, apart from the fact that you have read many books? Do you have an in-depth knowledge of a particular field, topic, or skill?
Most likely, no. You may have acquired a general knowledge of many fields and subjects, but you have not become an expert in any of them. It seems to me (and I could be wrong) that it makes more sense to choose one or two topics that you like and to delve into them as deeply as possible. However, even here, it is not necessary to read everything that has been written on the subject, but you can wisely choose the most relevant books.
I agree. I used to feel the overwhelmed by all the knowledge out there.. I wanted to learn it all. Yet I find myself reading my favorite books over and over again (right now that’s the Brothers Karamazov) because something new will jump out at me and I also reflect on how my worldview keeps changing with age. These days I’ll always strive for depth over having the most skills/number of books under my belt.
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Missed this when you first wrote it, so yay for the weekly round-up!
And yeah, reading for the sake of tallying up a big reading number is silly (and also a reason I'm not a fan of Goodreads, even Goodreads didn't suck for a bunch of other reasons). That said, reading isn't just to learn a skill, it's to gain insights, to engage with another world, even to escape. I'm not sure quantifying what one has gotten from their reading is better than quantifying the amount reading they've done.
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Love it.
Ego & pride are the things we must try to rid.
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I understand but i feel like learning about lot of subjects even in a superficial way adds value. We make bounds and connections that in some jobs are really helpful!
Reading all the books is impossible tho, as watching all the movies, documentaries, visiting every town, meeting everybody, etc.
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