Essays: On Reading

Inspired by Tigerlobo's article "Reading, Writing, and Thinking--Oh My!"

Someone once said, and wisely so, that readers are leaders and leaders are readers.

The great advantage of reading is learning. Not learning for the sake of learning, but learning from the perspectives of the writer; even if it is history or mathmatics or some 'technical' piece.

Reading instills thinking. Thinking instills thought... by extention, analysis. Analysis is ordering one's thoughts along a logical form that allows the information communicated to become 'reasonable' in understanding. The reader may disagree, but the thought process is accomplished.

The lessons learned from much reading are the examples given of ordering thought and in turn communicating those thoughts cogently.

I enjoy reading something wherein the English usage is above elementary school or primary school. To find a piece that is written above the high school or secondary school level is a gem. I enjoy reading for the sake of the play on words or the sheer wonderous use of a dying language. English. It is not elitism. No. It is appreciation for an art form that is slowly dying, use of words to express thought, to communicate deeper things than Maslow's 5.

Reading is living inside someone else's head for the few paragraphs of well constructed thought. It is entertainment, yes. It is also education. What excited joy I had when I discovered first editions of Churchill's History of the English Speaking People at a bargain store. Did they not know what they had? Or, when I found Einstein's book explaining his theory of relativity. Hmm. Perspectives of genius, perspectives of the scholarly.

Experience comes from living the mistakes in life; wisdom comes from learning from others' experience. How will anyone know unless they find the mentor to receive directly this wisdom hard earned? With true mentors rare and hard to find, we can read their words, think on them, and learn wisdom.

With much exposure to many types of writing, readers learn the avenues to ordering their own thoughts. And, thinking leads to personal growth. It is not the person with the most toys that wins in life. It is the person who has learned much wisdom and is at peace with life.

Thanks for allowing me to vent a bit! :)
 

Reviews

[Blackbirdsong]

Oh I love this and I can't believe that I'm the first to leave a review. You've laid out your argument decisively and then gave points and reasons why it was so. I especially loved how you closed it and that statement is just too true. Sadly we live in a world where people seem content to dumb everything down to a point of banality. Celebrities aren't expected to be anything but eye-candy and those who rate headlines are on a fast road to oblivion.

I guess I'm naiv� but I thought everyone here was here for the same purpose when I joined this site. I have since learned that that's not so. But thankfully there are those who are seeking to learn and improve as I am.

[Carole]

Doc, this is an absolutely superb, write. You are not only witty, there are some amazing quotes in here. The quotes alone make it incredibly thought provoking and invaluable to those that take the time to read your essay. "readers are leaders and leaders are readers." "Reading is living inside someone else's head for the few paragraphs of well constructed thought." "Experience comes from living the mistakes in life; wisdom comes from learning from others' experience." "It is not the person with the most toys that wins in life. It is the person who has learned much wisdom and is at peace with life."It is no secret that you are very well read. IMHO, this is one of your best writes. Informative, witty, and the content is the best of the best. Another Churchill in the making...sincerely. This is going into my favorites...Thank you.

[Dezaraye]

Reading is so many things to so many people. I have read so hungrily since the age of 7 and I have learned so much more through what I've read than what I've actually lived through and seen. It truly is such a gift to be able to read and to write. I would be a much different person, a mess less productive person, and probably much less of a person without the magical gift of literature.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I'm reading a book for ages 7 to 12 right now. lol But it won the newcastle medal for greatest contribution to children's literature for 2007. I love a good light hearted read that isn't pedantic and filled with too much philosophy myself. I love reading Henry David Thoreau and C.S. Lewis though as well. The greatest intellects I have read are usually very plain spoken and easy to understand. Communication, after all, should be the primary goal of language. This was an interesting read.