Reading as a Negative
What? I am against reading? Yep, I am. Not all reading mind you. but over indulged in, mindless reading. Reading gets an exalted place in our western world, at least among the intelligentsia and wannabees (that’s me). The idea is if you read you are intelligent, wise, learning, growing and open minded. It means you are self-aware and a good person. But that is not true.
Television as a Positive
It isn’t any more true than watching TV means your a vacuous idiot who is satisfied with shallow crap. I watch more hours of TV than hours of reading. So, am I just being defensive? No, I am being realistic. People watch substantial TV and they watch idiot TV. People read substantial books and they read idiot books. What I am against is the persistent illusion that reading in and of itself makes someone admirable. It doesn’t.
What vs That
If you learn, grow, share and become enlightened while reading then it’s good. And they same is true about watching TV. If you get entertained in either medium, that is good too. But not if that is all you are doing. Escaping to the boob tube and never critically evaluating what it is you are watching isn’t good. And it isn’t good with reading either. What you read and how you think about it make you admirable, not just that you read.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is reading Frankenstein and having a hard time getting through it.
Quote by Albert Einstein
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Morning ‘not a haiku’ poem #4
Stretching in morning dark,
Edge of light past trees,
Dogs wiggling, I am on the floor with them.
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Please forgive mistakes. I’ve temporarily lost the sight in my left eye, which is maddening. Thanks for reminding me of my Blog.I hope to start it again as an informative blog, about events here, and other things of interest. And add some humor, which is hard when you are stressed and depressed.
I agree with you. I would rather write than read. That doesn’t mean reading isn’t important, but I read what someone says about showing and telling and I like to try it out -= and using active verbs, not “to be” verbs, or use as little adjectives and adverbs and necesarem as they can be described differently. I’m trying to learn to draw, starting with three dimentional drawings.(Lately I’ve been demented after all these illnesses. I look through readinsgs for various tools of writing. ‘Right now I’m trying to write and say things that will relate to my grandson. I’m helping with classes and students that miss, do not understand, the lessons. This will start June 5. I do read on the internet, things that you write and even take notes. It is time that the washing should be taken from the dryer, and Prissy, my Pekingse, goes for her walk. I appreciate the lessons you have in your drawings.