Reading is a workout for the mind..

py2006 · 17-08-2011 11:47AM #1

...as exercise is a workout for the body? Agree?

I heard that statement a few years ago and it always stuck with me.

Those who read on a regular basis have a sharper mind and are more articulate. Particularly for those who are not working at the moment it is a great way to keep the mind active as you can get pretty down otherwise.

Any thoughts?

EDIT: For the smart arses, obviously I am referring to books and newspapers etc

flutterflye · 17-08-2011 11:49AM

Reading what?
Books or facebook?

There are so many things you could do besides reading- puzzles, word games, or jigsaws, to name a few.

AhSureTisGrand · 17-08-2011 11:50AM

Only if you suck at reading

Emiko · 17-08-2011 11:51AM

I'd agree.

Keeping your mind more active also inhibits the onset of the symptoms of Alzheimer's in people who show other indications of having the disease.

--Kaiser-- · 17-08-2011 11:52AM

"A mind need books like a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge"

or so I've read

ILikeBananas · 17-08-2011 11:58AM

I think there's definitely some truth to this. Along with travel it's a great mind opener.

The King of Moo · 17-08-2011 12:02PM

Absolutely. It's also a great de-stresser, takes your mind off the world.

I like this quote by Charles de Montesquieu:

“I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.”

Frank Black · 17-08-2011 12:08PM

The King of Moo wrote: »

Absolutely. It's also a great de-stresser, takes your mind off the world.

I like this quote by Charles de Montesquieu:

“I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.”

Yeah, but he probably never had a hot poker shoved up his @ss.

The King of Moo · 17-08-2011 12:14PM

black francis wrote: »

Yeah, but he probably never had a hot poker shoved up his @ss.

A name like that does suggest quite a pampered life, but reading's still a great release from first-world problems

17-08-2011 12:14PM

I don't think it matters. Surely reading and watching TV are the same thing? If it's a book or TV show you like, your mind will be occupied by it and will function throughout trying to keep up with the story and put the pieces together?

Whereas I've often watched a tv show or flicked through a few pages of a book and I'd suddenly realise I haven't a clue what's going on in it and I can't remember what i seen/read five minutes ago because I've no interest whatsoever.

So I'd say I don't agree. If your mind is occupied it's occupied, regardless of what you're focusing on.

jester77 · 17-08-2011 12:15PM

reading oft too frequently used txt speak & poor grammar is definitely a work out

conorhal · 17-08-2011 12:17PM

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

"A mind need books like a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge"

or so I've read

Martin has another great quote on the subject:

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, while a man that does not read lives only one."

py2006 · 17-08-2011 12:18PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't think it matters. Surely reading and watching TV are the same thing? If it's a book or TV show you like, your mind will be occupied by it and will function throughout trying to keep up with the story and put the pieces together?

Whereas I've often watched a tv show or flicked through a few pages of a book and I'd suddenly realise I haven't a clue what's going on in it and I can't remember what i seen/read five minutes ago because I've no interest whatsoever.

So I'd say I don't agree. If your mind is occupied it's occupied, regardless of what you're focusing on.

Wow!

There is a huge difference between reading a good book and watching a tv show.

While reading a book your brain is focused on interpreting the words on the page and your imagination is developing images from it.

You watch a tv blindly as the brain work is done for you!

--Kaiser-- · 17-08-2011 12:22PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't think it matters. Surely reading and watching TV are the same thing? If it's a book or TV show you like, your mind will be occupied by it and will function throughout trying to keep up with the story and put the pieces together?

Whereas I've often watched a tv show or flicked through a few pages of a book and I'd suddenly realise I haven't a clue what's going on in it and I can't remember what i seen/read five minutes ago because I've no interest whatsoever.

So I'd say I don't agree. If your mind is occupied it's occupied, regardless of what you're focusing on.

Firstly, if you're reading something you have to imagine it yourself, rather than having it shown to you.

Secondly, taking in information through television is much, much slower. I watched a documentary about Hiroshima the other week, apart from some of the images, the actual information imparted could have been relayed in a few pages.

Frank Black · 17-08-2011 12:26PM

I never understood people who aren't into reading - one of my friends would never read a book - getting him to read 'Watchmen' was an achievement.

Feel sorry for people like this - I think they miss out on a lot.

--Kaiser-- · 17-08-2011 12:31PM

black francis wrote: »

I never understood people who aren't into reading - one of my friends would never read a book - getting him to read 'Watchmen' was an achievement.

Feel sorry for people like this - I think they miss out on a lot.

Plus reading - in general - increases your vocabulary.
Words are the building blocks of thought

locked_out · 17-08-2011 12:33PM

Once stupid, always stupid.

Donal Og O Baelach · 17-08-2011 12:34PM

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

I watched a documentary about Hiroshima the other week, apart from some of the images, the actual information imparted could have been relayed in a few pages.

This is a good point, an increasing amount of documentaries these days are padded to the last with pointless waffle and prolonged dramatic build up for suspense.

mikom · 17-08-2011 12:34PM

py2006 wrote: »

Those who read on a regular basis have a sharper mind and are more articulate. Particularly for those who are not working at the moment it is a great way to keep the mind active as you can get pretty down otherwise.

Worked for Anders Behring Breivik.

py2006 · 17-08-2011 12:55PM

locked_out wrote: »

Once stupid, always stupid.

Is that your excuse for not reading?

raah! · 17-08-2011 01:00PM

When people say that they don't just mean reading pamphlets. Just reading will only make you better at reading, it's just that over the course of history many people have written some very intellectually edifying stuff. And this doesn't mean Harry Potter.

recylingbin · 17-08-2011 01:02PM

py2006 wrote: »

...as exercise is a workout for the body? Agree?

I heard that statement a few years ago and it always stuck with me.

Those who read on a regular basis have a sharper mind and are more articulate. Particularly for those who are not working at the moment it is a great way to keep the mind active as you can get pretty down otherwise.

Any thoughts?

EDIT: For the smart arses, obviously I am referring to books and newspapers etc

TL;DR

Retrovertigo · 17-08-2011 01:16PM

jester77 wrote: »

reading oft too frequently used txt speak & poor grammar is definitely a work out

I recommend you start on a few Anne and Barry books.

GLaDOS · 17-08-2011 01:19PM

Much rather read a book than watch TV personally

ScumLord · 17-08-2011 01:25PM

Depends what your reading, Spot goes shopping isn't going to do anything for you. I don't think it's fair to say reading something will make automatically bring about improvements.

Davidius · 17-08-2011 01:26PM

Sounds plausible but I would think that there's plenty of other means of keeping yourself sharp.

Personally I don't read much and I generally don't enjoy reading just for reading's sake. I find I don't have much of an attention span and I even have trouble getting comfortable while holding a book. I would say that I'm more intelligent than most people though I wouldn't describe myself as articulate or making sentence good.

That's assuming you mean reading fiction or generally reading as a hobby. I will read a book on something technical/factual because I'm interested in the information and you can't really get a good exposure to it otherwise. I would think most people will read about a topic if they're genuinely interested.

If I'm looking for entertainment I'll just play a game or watch something.

Earthhorse · 17-08-2011 01:33PM

The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them. - Mark Twain

Frank Black · 17-08-2011 02:04PM

Davidius wrote: »

Sounds plausible but I would think that there's plenty of other means of keeping yourself sharp.

Personally I don't read much and I generally don't enjoy reading just for reading's sake. I find I don't have much of an attention span and I even have trouble getting comfortable while holding a book. I would say that I'm more intelligent than most people though I wouldn't describe myself as articulate or making sentence good.

.

Please edit your post, as it's taking every ounce of self-control to avoid making a smartarse comment.

Davidius · 17-08-2011 02:26PM

black francis wrote: »

Please edit your post, as it's taking every ounce of self-control to avoid making a smartarse comment.

I'm uncertain of whether you've just spotted the joke or you're seeing something I'm not.

bnt · 17-08-2011 02:27PM

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

Only if you suck at reading

Not really - reading doesn't have to feel like a workout for it to be good mental exercise. :pac:

ScumLord wrote: »

Depends what your reading, Spot goes shopping isn't going to do anything for you. I don't think it's fair to say reading something will make automatically bring about improvements.

The more you read, the more you learn about word usage, too. There are many words that sound the same but are written differently, and you can't learn to use them properly in writing from hearing them spoken. So, I hope you don't take this the wrong way - but your use of "your" in place of "you're" is, in my opinion, a clear sign that you need to read more.

coco_lola · 17-08-2011 02:29PM

It really depends what you are reading though!

I love reading, so many films have come out based on books and they never do the book justice, partly because of the chunks that the director chooses to leave out so the film isnt too long, but mainly because the movie does not reflect the images I created in my head. None of the characters or places in Harry Potter looked anything like what I had created in my head, when I watched the movies.

Reading is a workout for the mind..

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