To think being a reader doesn't make you better or smarter?

[OnceaReaderNeveraReader]

Never been a reader. I have tried many times in my life and have enjoyed the odd book here and there but have never managed to actually become a regular reader and don't miss books ever. I was talking about this with some colleagues the other day and one of them made me feel a bit bad about this as if reading is a sign of better intellectual ability and superiority.
I am uni educated and enjoy a variety of other cultural hobbies such as art, theatre and dance but I just cannot understand what is so special about books!
How does one become a reader later in life and is it really that bad if I don't enjoy it?

I guess, it's because you are using your imagination which makes reading an activity whereas watching TV is passive. I struggle to read a book in the evenings but quite happily watch TV which suggests that reading is more cognitively challenging. Reading also trains attention and concentration.

Being a voracious reader as a child definitely gave me a leg up education wise. I was always good at spelling, comprehension etc as well as learning an awful lot. As an adult, I don’t think reading regular novels would contribute much to one’s intelligence or knowledge but I suppose it depends on the novels.

Not so much. Of course it depends on what you consider the purpose of reading - if it is just to acquire knowledge, then what you read is important (quality, accuracy etc).

However, our brains respond exactly the same to any form of written material, in terms of engaging, cognitive response and so on.

People should read what they enjoy.

Also worth remembering that intelligence does not always mean you have common sense.

I agree, OP.

I'm a massive reader. I love it. Don't think my DH has ever read a novel. He is most definitely NOT a reader. He's smarter than I am in lots of ways.

I'm university educated. He isn't. He's generally smarter than me. And more successful.

Anecdotally, the clever people I know are all readers to some extent.

There's a reason that reading comprehension is part of most education systems: reading isn't just about taking in words on a page, it's about visualising them, understanding context and subtext, processing it, following plots etc. I stopped reading for pleasure for ages and I found when I got back into it again that it was like a muscle, and the more I did it the easier I found it to get into a book, so I do think there's something to be said for the mental workout of reading that must be doing something good for the brain. And it can be hard to get into if you're not used to it, especially nowadays where the requirement to sit and be still and concentrate feels harder than ever.

I'd say pick something you really like the sound of and give it a go, if you want to - if you like art/theatre/dance then there are countless non-fiction books about them if you're interested, or another tack is to pick something 'easy' and fun to get you into it. Audiobooks are great, too - my husband's dyslexic and he finds these mean he still gets to enjoy books without the struggle.

Just wanted to say this is me with The Simpsons!

I'm a big reader too but loads of my knowledge which I learnt as a child came from The Simpsons!

We all have different ways to feed our brains.

Reading regularly gives you a better vocabulary, but that’s not the same as being smarter. I do think books have given me a greater understanding of lots of things, other media doesn’t have the depth and detail of a book, an adaptation in film is almost always a reduced version. That said if you don’t enjoy it, you don’t, there’s nothing wrong with not reading. I rarely get the chance these days.

I disagree. Reading broadens the mind and it shows in conversation. I bet if asked, the majority of people could name the last few winners of Love Island but very few could tell you the seven wonders of the ancient world, for example. It's quite depressing

And to add to this, DH is a crap speller. That's one of the things I'm actually good at. I attribute that to reading. But stand by my original point.

I don't think being a reader necessarily makes you smarter or more intelligent,but one thing I do know is that it definitely improves your spelling, grammar and vocabulary. I've loved reading from a very early age, and without wanting to boastful,I would say that my spelling, grammar and vocabulary is better than people I know who don't read much.

I don’t know but I’ve never met a really intelligent person who doesn’t like to read.

This weekend we went to the Charles Dickens museum. He wasn't educated beyond 11 or 12 years old but was a varacious reader. I think it certainly broadened his mind.

Really depends what you read. And the difference between "reading" as a method of gaining information and "reading books" which is just one method of reading.

Some fiction books have interesting concepts and new ideas.

Some don't really contain much at all in terms of interesting like most romantic fiction which is little better than soap operas.

I don't think reading books is an exclusive way these days of getting useful information. But reading of some sort (such as web pages) is a necessary tool for gaining information, especially detailed and specific information which often won't have things like TV programs made about it.

The net in many forms, web pages, podcasts and TV can be just as good, and the best thing is it can be tailored to your level of expertise. Some of it involves reading and some watching and listening.

But the idea that you can only become or be an intellectual by reading loads of books is somewhat primitive compared to say 30 years ago where it was probably necessary to actually read lots of books to be an intellectual.

Better? No.

Smarter? Absolutely…. Someone who reads is taking in more information, practicing creativity, imagination, neural pathways are strengthened and attention span is often better.

Reading is a documented mental workout… it literally rewires your brain enhancing crystallised and fluid intelligence.

I do think reading fiction broadens the mind and the intellect. Or, put another way, I'd say the people I know who don't read fiction are less well-informed, less imaginative (for want of a better word; maybe I mean something to do with 'inner life' and also empathy/imagining other people's lives) and think less well than people I know who are readers.
This is purely personal experience, I know.

I am a reader - it’s a hobby that I enjoy. It certainly doesn’t make me smarter or better - but it has broadened my horizons a bit and it has helped broaden my vocabulary.

I don’t have any options on non- readers. My sister is smarter than me and she hates novels. Has done since childhood.

I hate this kind of book with a passion, but I still think there's value in them: practicing concentration, imagination, reading comprehension. People don't have to be reading litfic to benefit from reading as a whole! Maybe the ice hockey porn novels aren't expanding the vocabulary a lot but someone who reads at all is more likely to start expanding their horizons than someone who doesn't read at all.

Using your own imagination through reading is different and provides different benefits. You can read research on how this works.

It's not about intelligence, but it is different.

Reading isn't necessarily better at broadening knowledge than any of these IMO, it's just whatever works for you and whatever you enjoy.

I like reading books on my phone (Kindle) as when I read a word I don't know I'll highlight and look it up. I don't use this knowledge to feel superior I just enjoy knowing it, for myself. I'm not overly intelligent or academic, not studied at uni and would likely struggle to do a degree in anything.

Don't let anyone make you feel inferior OP, maybe they didn't mean it that way but still...don't feel bad

@OnceaReaderNeveraReader you say you enjoy art, theatre and dance.

Are you never tempted to pick up a book on those subjects, to revel in the information there and research or learn more? When I see a play I want to know about the writer, the actors, the story behind it all. Does that not draw you in to reading?

Well personally I read for fun, but the OP was asking if reading makes you smarter, so I was responding to that. Reading certain things can definitely make you more ignorant. I know someone who recently started reading all sorts of conspiracy theory books, and it has definitely made them much more ignorant.

Do you think that’s true of people of all ages?
I am mid 50’s and don’t know anyone who watches Love island.

I don't think it makes anyone better or smarter by default but I do think it's something that is an important tool for improving a whole lot of skills related to improving intelligence. I don't think that's remotely controversial to say.