I Hate Reading

Summary

In this candid monologue, the speaker shares their aversion to reading, a sentiment rooted in childhood and exacerbated by school assignments and parental pressure. Despite recognizing the benefits of reading, they express a preference for fast-paced internet content and a sense of loneliness when listening to audiobooks. The video also touches on the impact of quarantine and suggests watching videos or playing Animal Crossing to stay engaged.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker finds reading boring and associates it with negative experiences from school.
• 🌙 They describe a common romanticized image of reading but feel disconnected from it due to personal dislike.
• 🤔 The speaker acknowledges the supposed benefits of reading but struggles to connect with them personally.
• 🏫 There's a hint of 'reading PTSD' from school, where reading was associated with tasks and stress.
• 📖 A fond memory of reading for fun during childhood is contrasted with later negative experiences.
• 📚 The enjoyment of reading was diminished by school assignments and the pressure to analyze literature.
• 👎 A strong aversion to reading developed, especially when it felt forced or like a punishment.
• 👩‍👦 The speaker's mother's well-intentioned efforts to encourage reading may have backfired.
• 🐉 Faking reading and the resentment towards certain books due to forced reading are mentioned.
• 🔄 The speaker tried to return to reading on their own terms but found that the negative associations remained.
• 🎧 They also tried audiobooks but felt lonely without the visual component of reading.
• 👀 The preference for visual content over reading is highlighted, with a mention of Twitch streams as a preferred alternative.
• 🏠 The speaker works from home and suggests watching videos or playing Animal Crossing as quarantine activities.

Q & A

What is the speaker's opinion about reading books in libraries?

The speaker finds reading books in libraries boring and associates it with an activity that was more common in the past.

What does the speaker describe as the 'poetic life' of some people?

The 'poetic life' refers to people who enjoy a cozy setting with a warm blanket, a good book, a warm cup of chamomile tea, and a cat, which the speaker finds appealing but not personally enjoyable due to a cat allergy.

Why does the speaker have a negative association with reading?

The speaker associates reading with school assignments and the pressure to analyze and memorize content, which led to a form of 'reading PTSD' and a loss of enjoyment.

What was the speaker's childhood experience with reading?

The speaker used to love reading, especially Geronimo Stilton books with fun text and pictures, and could read a 300-page book in two days during elementary school.

How did school reading assignments affect the speaker's view on reading?

School reading assignments, especially those that were boring and difficult to understand, took the fun away from reading for the speaker.

What is the speaker's opinion on the necessity of reading in English class?

The speaker questions the necessity of reading cryptic books with heavy symbolism in English class, suggesting that understanding spoken English should be enough.

How did the speaker's mother influence their attitude towards reading?

The speaker's mother enforced reading during summer vacations, which led to a negative association with reading as the speaker felt it was a form of punishment.

What was the speaker's strategy to avoid reading during enforced reading periods?

The speaker would fake reading by moving the bookmark forward and sitting idle, rather than engaging with the book.

Why did the speaker try to restart reading the same book later?

The speaker decided to give the book another chance on their own terms without the pressure of being forced to read, and found that they enjoyed it.

How does the speaker feel about audiobooks?

The speaker finds audiobooks lonely and prefers having visual content or streams in the background while doing other activities.

What alternative activities does the speaker suggest for people during quarantine?

The speaker suggests watching their videos in a loop or playing Animal Crossing, and encourages others to share their friend codes for the game.