To think having never read a book is nothing to brag about

[lastqueenofscotland]

I am a bit of a book worm but I was meeting a friend and her Dfiance for lunch today and she was saying that her New Years resolution was to read some classics/good books and asked for a few recommendations.
Cue her DF having a real brag about how he's not read a book cover to cover since primary school... no learning difficulties etc. Also goes on about how he doesn't read papers/the news as it's always "boring and about other countries."

Aibu to think wilful ignorance is nothing to brag about?!

Weebarra: when I first visited them I judged them on how few books they had in their house

I have heard statements like this, and others along the lines of "If I visit someone's house, and they don't have books out, I wonder what we will talk about."

Appearances can be very misleading, sadly, and preconceived notions completely wrong. I average 4 to 5 books a week, and have a grand total of half a dozen paperbacks in my bedroom (and these are out of print Antonia Fraser paperbacks that I bought at an inflated price when I got all nostalgic for my childhood favourites) and none in my living room.

I am now almost completely digital in my reading habits due to arthritis in my hands, but even before this I seldom had books around the house. They were either borrowed from libraries, or bought and then disposed of to either other people or Vinnies. I do have some reference books

I find I am now feeling an urge to dispose of my most of my DVDs, in spite of being extremely interested in the history of classic cinema.

I could probably say that have never watched an entire sporting event, and people would find me wanting for that reason.

People probably think I’m thick then. I have no books at home. Having moved five times in five years things have had to go into storage. I read two or three books a week either on my tablet or borrowed from the library. Trust me, I’d love a great big library of my own, but my house is tiny.

I have met an ‘I’ve never read a book’ bragger. He was my boss when I was at uni and owned a big company. He was making some point about how education is useless. I wasn’t that sad when his company went down the pan.

Yanbu, he sounds awful. My DH hasn't read a book since leaving school but he would never ever brag about it because he's intelligent enough to know that it's not something to brag about. If he had, we would not be together now.

Not reading fiction isn't the end of the world. I think i read 75% non fiction 25% fiction. To be honest, even if someone has other hobbies than reading but are still reasonably well informed/have well rounded general knowledge then who cares if they don't read books?

What seems odd to me is the way some adults have such an anti-intellectual approach (which is just an older version of school kids laughing at 'nerds'). E.g. just the other day I said 'something totally stupid'... and it turns out 'piece of common general knowledge'. I'm so silly!! Haha all thr bloody time or I don't really do books. I don't have time to read (but do have hours to sit on social media). I can't be doing with books. They're ALL soooo boring. It's all part of a 'cool kids are ditzy, illinformed and wouldnt dare read'.
I'm a teacher and have a colleague who seems quite proud of how little they know about lots of things. They fill the staffroom with the latest 'hillarious' stupid thing they've thought/said and even make jokes to me like 'but why are you even doing that wiyh your class. It's not essential for the exam. I'm only doing key scenes with mine'. I'd hate my children to be taught by them.

It's quite tragic but part of how we've got politicians saying that the public have had enough of experts.

Deeply insecure, with a massive, humoungous chip on his shoulder.

These ignorant braggers are also sometimes the ones who complain that all the doctors are foreign and they're taking all our jobs. They're not interested in broadening their outlook, educating themselves and becoming aspirational or nurturing a curiosity about life. They're happy saying 'I've never read a book' & are content with having programmes like TOWIE as their cultural reference. They like what they know and know what they like. I couldn't be with someone with such a limited, closed vision. I hope she doesn't marry the thick idiot.

It is nothing to brag about and is very sad. Sad that some people are unaware of the power and influence of books, and even more sad that some people think it is cool to be ignorant. Still, it's an effective way of keeping the proletariat down. The less they read the less they know.

Wow! I am really surprised at this thread! Why is it ok to bash people who don't enjoy reading? Why is it ok to say 'I'm rubbish at maths' but not ok to say the same about reading?

As I've already said on this thread, I do not read for pleasure and have read hardly any books from cover to cover. Does this make me inferior to you? Or somehow less of a person? I really don't think so. We are all different.

When I read your thread OP I felt perhaps the DF was feeling a bit insecure and threatened because you appear to value reading and he doesnt. Perhaps (not saying you did as I wasn't there and have know idea), but perhaps you came across a bit pretentious and he was winding you up a bit, or overcompensating, or feeling a bit annoyed and the comment about the new was an expression of that. I'd like to hear his side.

It really makes me feel angry when people have a snobbery about book reading. As I've already said up-thread, other people's opinions of non-book readers used to make me feel bad about myself when I was young. Now it just makes me angry as I firmly believe we are all different and should all be equally valued regardless of the number of books we've read or whether we value and enjoy reading fiction or reading for pleasure.

Give non readers a break! They aren't committing a crime and they are no less valuable than anyone else!

We are all DIFFERENT and that's OK

*'news' 'new'!

'news' NOT 'new' - grrrrrrrr iPhones!!!

It's a form of inverted snobbery akin to people 'bragging' that they only change their bedding every 8 weeks. Or that you can never see their sofa for the piles of dirty laundry on it. Or that they spend every weekend and most evenings on the wrong end of a bottle of wine. Or that their DCs rarely have clean uniform.

The inference is that they're far too busy being happy go lucky free spirits.

The reality is that they're really not coping very well with life and are self medicating with booze.

I agree with pp that reading fiction is not mandatory; however I also agree that it does seem to be a thing in the UK that people like to brag about how clueless they are. It's probably a sign of insecurity.

A lot of people have said to me they don't see the point of knowing about history and I don't really get that because how can you understand anything about what's going on now without having a least some historical knowledge. I also agree with the pp who said that these kinds of attitudes allow the powers that be to get away with more. Because people are not engaged and therefore we lose rights and so on.

FWIW I don't 'read' as in fiction which is what a lot of people seem to mean when they talk about reading. I only really read non fiction, articles and sometimes memoirs. I have a poor attention span for fiction; I tend to forget who all the characters are and have to keep starting again.

Agree with you going
My Dd hasn’t read a fiction book for around 10 years, actually such she she left sixth form (and got an 3As at aa level including English lit.)
She then went in to uni and it was discovered there that she was a high achieving dyslexic. She absolutely hates reading fiction books, has no interest at all, but reads factual books for uni and now for her job.

If someone says “I dint read fiction” they’re just telling the truth aren’t they? It doesn’t mean they “boasting ” or “ignorant” at all.

Excuse typos!

I have always got my head in a book. I can't for the life of me read fiction, it always has to be non-fiction. However, I will never sneer at someone who doesn't read books. Why should I? We're all different.

weebarra

when I first visited them I judged them on how few books they had in their house

Really? I don't think I'd have noticed. Is this something you would normally do?

Oh my god I don't think I would have been able to stay at the table with him. Don't read if you don't want to bits it's definitely not a thing to boast about!!

As a book worm I can't imagine not reading but I know some people can't stand it so I try not to judge, but I think bragging about it is a bit much!

When I say judged, I suppose I was just surprised. I was a voracious reader and because DH and I met at uni and lived about 80 miles apart, the first time I visited I stayed for a week and there was nothing to read.

Wilful ignorance is never a good look OP. Perhaps you should give a list of the improving literature you recommended to your friend so the rest of us can get stuck in on the merits of your choices.

In any case it doesn't sound like a great evening. I feel sorry for your friend stuck between you and her fiance.

@weebarra I'm an avid reader but you would struggle to find books in my house! I always give my books to charity shops or use the library. I now have a kindle too so own digital copies of over 400 but there's only ever 1 or 2 physicals books in my house at the one time 🙈 (apart from DDs books she has loads)

True introverted, not many in my house now either, except for some favourites and library books! DH and I have been together 23 years though, so pre-kindle!

DH hasn't read a book in his adult life. He's just not academically minded. His dyslexia wasn't diagnosed until he was an adult by his current workplace (despite MIL being a teacher) it's just not for him.

He's far from stupid, he just doesn't like reading- it makes him feel 'stupid' when the words don't make sense.

He doesn't brag about it though.

weebarra: I stayed for a week and there was nothing to read.

Rookie mistake. Surely you have realised that a reader NEVER goes anywhere without a book and at least one backup - even if it's just to do the week's shopping.

Now that I use ereaders I have been known to take two if I'm going away, just because you never know what might happen.

Agreed. I'm more likely to have my Kindle on me than my phone!