Ridiculed for Reading?

I think part of it has to do, in at least some cases, with people who like to think they know everything. I've run up against a certain segment of the population in which the included individuals have built up the attitude that they know everything about everything. They don't, but they think they do. These are the folks who are constitutionally unable to utter the phrase, "I don't know." Individuals who hold this attitude are intimidated by people who read because they suspect that the readers probably actually know more about more things than those non-readers do. But that just can't be, and so the non-readers will use any tactic at all to assure themselves that they really do know more than the readers and, more pointedly, to make sure that those around them believe that. This will often include name-calling in an effort to discredit the readers. And, unfortunately, in many cultures, including a significant portion of American culture, it is still seen as the highest insult of all for a man to be called "gay" - the more insulting the term, the more effective the discrediting is seen to be. Which, I suspect, is where the reaction you encountered came from, Nesacat.
 
kitsune_boy389 said:
Have you ever been ridiculed just because you were reading. I was told I was gay (not that there's anything wrong with being gay-I'm not) just because I was reading and talking about books. I mean sure, you can expect nerd and geek but gay?
What are your thoughts.
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Let's see...

I was told once that I was a nerd because I read... damn sexiest nerd he'll ever lay eyes on. *rolls eyes*

I've been told that I need to start living in the real world and stop reading fantasy!!! For goodness sakes, why the heck would anyone want to live in reality, it's not very nice at times. ;)

I've been told that I spend too much money on books... That's why I sell on ebay, to make all my book money, so it doesn't come from my budget. :D

I've been told that I spend way too much time reading and not enough time with my kids... *ahem* My baby (2 years old) sits on my stomach as I stretch across the couch and read... he reads with me, Dr. Seuss! :)

I've been told that I need to read more nonfictional books on how to do things... Isn't that living in reality??? It's what I'm trying avoid doing! *giggles* With a passion, no doubt!!!

I've been told that reading destroyed my marriage. I think not! People destroy marriages and reading is my hobby just like he watched Football religiously.

I was told once that I need to stop reading because I was using words no one understood, my vocabulary was too big. :|

*sighs* I could go on... The funny thing is, I don't read as much as many of you on this site. I have a bunch of whinners around me! ;)
 
LittleMiss ... I suspect that you might be right indeed. I was really taken aback by the reaction since I had not even said what kind of books. All I said was 'reading'. Oh ... it's okay to read the newspapers apparently. :rolleyes:

Alia ... some things then unfortunately seem to cross borders. I was told reading destroyed my marriage too, by my ex and his family no less. They said I was 'wierd and there's something very wrong with someone who reads so much and uses language and words the way I do'. I thought it was funny how being fanatically attached to golf and dissapearing for days on end was acceptable though.
 
Brown Rat said:
No one has ever made fun of me (at least, not that I know of) for reading.

But as long as we're telling stories, here's my most recent Strange Encounter with the Unread:

At the end of class on Thursday, I explained the assignment for next time. First, read a section of the book. Second, do an exercise based on that section of the book.

One of my students asked, "Do we have to read the book?"

The student wasn't making a joke.
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I can identify with this student. I live for reading but managed to get through a degree and a masters without reading very much of the course work or books. This typical student avoidance of reading set texts is probably a different issue.

I am still completely shocked that people are ridiculed or worse for reading. No one I have ever met has been given hassle for this. JD your experience fills me with horror. All I can hope is that the world is learning and growing up.
 
They said I was 'wierd and there's something very wrong with someone who reads so much and uses language and words the way I do'. I thought it was funny how being fanatically attached to golf and dissapearing for days on end was acceptable though.
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I dont' get it!!! I really don't!!! They're hobbies people, at least ours educate us!!! *blows raspberry at exes*
Yeah... that felt better!! ;)
 
jackokent said:
I can identify with this student. I live for reading but managed to get through a degree and a masters without reading very much of the course work or books. This typical student avoidance of reading set texts is probably a different issue.
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I have to admit I was one of those also in undergrad, I was a history major I think I could name all the books I actually read for my major on one hand. The only books I think I ever read were for science classes in undergrad and that was bc I couldn't understand the subjects. In all my political science and criminal justice classes I do not remember even reading one book.:eek:
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading. You should wear your bookishness as a badge of honor. Isn't it strange that the country (America at least) enters a sort of national paralysis every time a major sporting event comes on, but no one can be bothered to read a book? When did people stop reading books? When Television became a ubiquitous presence in every household in America. That's why I limit my viewing to an hour a day, and even then I only watch either the History channel, PBS, or Turner Classic Movies (in which case I'll watch an entire two hour movie). If I ever have children, I wont even own a television. And if I have my way they'll be reading Shakespeare at age five.
 
carrie221 said:
I In all my political science and criminal justice classes I do not remember even reading one book.:eek:
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Criminal justice sounds fascinating. A lot of mine were on company law - they were like pulling teeth. I defy anyone to enjoy them.:)

On a different note. I don't like the way everyone seems to be catagorising sporty types and readers as though they were oposite poles. I love football and I love reading. There is no contradiction here.
 
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kitsune_boy389 said:
Have you ever been ridiculed just because you were reading. I was told I was gay (not that there's anything wrong with being gay-I'm not) just because I was reading and talking about books. I mean sure, you can expect nerd and geek but gay?
What are your thoughts.
Click to expand...

Recently i ask a freind about this very thing cause i heard about it happeing to other people but it never happened to me or any of my friends and we were sci-fi and fantasy ners, yes we learned tolkiens elvish. she explained that people were afraid of us cause we were big, I am not sure about this as i am only 6 feet tall, and that we were scene with lots of weapons from being in the sca and before even being old enough to actualy fight in the SCA, baton rouge you had to be eighteen we made our own padded weapons and beat the snot out of each other. we had a few football players in our group, so looking back on it i think we were the tough geeks. not sure if that is a contradiction, but i still like to read and lift weights.
 
Baton Rouge! I live in Mississippi! I'm right over the border! About 45 minutes north of Hammond, if you know where that is.
 
I've never been "made fun of" for reading, but I have been asked "Oh, do you like to read?" When they say that I always respond, "It depends on the book."
 
As i mentioned in an earlier post, i've never experienced or even heard of these kinds of stories. (They fill me with horror and woe.)

But i began wondering why this is so prevalent (at least in the US). I can only assume that it's location, location, location. Growing up in New York City put me in an evironment where people read a lot. It took me an hour (each way) on the subway to get to High School. Sure, a lot of people sleep or stare at nothing on public transportation, but a lot of people read. My parents said it was the best part of commuting; uninterrupted reading time. Plus, NYC is super liberal and a "Mecca" of the Arts. A disproportionate number of brilliant people reside in NYC. I guess these factors made reading so common an occurance, no one ever thought to say something derogatory about it.

What do you know, a nice thing about the much maligned NYC.
 
People basically think I'm weird because I have the 'time' to read... well, I work all day and I have a two year old, I am a busy person, but I FIND the time to read... I don't just laze around all the time. I don't know... people sometimes think reading=laziness, and that bugs me.
 
I wonder if I was ridiculed for reading? At times, I was so introspective (read "antisocial little git") that I almost certainly wouldn't have noticed mockery. Come to think of it, that hasn't changed much over the decades…;)
 
Nesacat said:
My cross was Property Law. I swear I'd pick the book up and immediately start yawning and want to sleep. :eek:

Alia .... definite call for blowing strawberries :)
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Property Law one of the top reasons that I am no longer in law school if ever there was a more boring book or class I do not want to find it... I adored torts that was interesting... crim law in law school would have been with a different professor... criminal procedures was good also :D
 
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