A friend of mine was talking about her online dating experience, specifically her criteria for selection. She likes smart guys, so she pays special attention to the “books read” section. If he doesn’t have anything listed--red flag! At this point I had to interject: “Wait a minute. I don’t read a damn thing, and you’re friends with me. See, it can work!” My point being that you can’t write someone off just because they don’t read. I’m an intelligent person. Learned. Erudite. (I have to be smart to know all those synonyms, right?)
What’s my favorite book? I don’t know. If you’d asked me like 25 years ago, I might have had an answer. I was a reader back then. But now? My favorite reads are Entertainment Weekly (in print and online) and TV Guide. (Yes, I still subscribe but not for the grid—for the articles. And yes, they have terrific articles and all kinds of casting news, upcoming storylines and guest stars, etc. In short, they have all the kinds of info someone like me wants and needs.)
I purchase and start books that I never finish (Angels & Demons, the 6th Harry Potter book,
Jane Austen Book Club). They make everything into movies now anyway. Much smaller time investment, and you never have to experience the letdown of the movie not living up to the book. But I respect readers, and I fully encourage it in my students. Hypocritical, sure, but when I was their age--and didn't have all these adult responsibilities eating into my free time--I read voraciously. That's gotta count for something. As long as you were a reader at some point you get residual smarts, right?
So next time you’re judging someone based on their bedside reader, remember me. Sure I know bubkus about politics and world events (I readily admit to being an idiot on such matters), but I maintain that my lack of conventional reading material does not indicate a dearth of intellect. Just a dearth of time. And patience. And a plethora of tv channels with quality (and more than a few channels with irresistibly mindless) programming.
I know it's a sad irony that the English teacher doesn't read. But hey, I yam what I yam. (Popeye) and What I am is What I Am (Edie Brickell).
Love the ending!
ReplyDeleteI think you shouldn't judge people based on any specific artistic preference - which books they read, music they listen to, or movies they like. There are a lot of really smart people who barely read at all, and I can't blame them, seeing as a lot of the books I pick up are just not worth the time. I don't know much about indie movies or alternative music, and I think this used to turn guys off on dates. But I was always WILLIng to get into it if I heard or saw something I liked!
You really can't tell about a guy's intellect from what books he reads, anyhow; more, how he writes and answers the questions in general.
I knew a girl who said she'd refuse to date someone who liked "The DaVinci Code." How snobbish! Of all the things to reject someone on, that's a dumb one. You could miss a lot of great guys who just happened to like a book that you consider beneath you.
Is this girl younger than us? Sometimes when you are young, you make the mistake of excluding people based on small things that you realize later aren't so important. I agree that it's nice if a guy has read and liked books, but sometimes it doesn't matter.
It has taken me forever to be able to post to this blog. UGH!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you have a couple of months this summer you can use to finish those books (especially Angels & Demons). After all, reading is FUNdaMENTAL.