View Full Version : what state would the world be in, if we didn't read?
well...
there'd be more people like this around..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TH5ibABP4U&feature=related
* could potentially be offensive ( my comment at the beginning of my post, that is )
oh well
:eek2:
NickAdams
10-04-2009, 03:11 AM
The state of New Jersey. ;)
Lokasenna
10-04-2009, 03:28 AM
What a complete load of twaddle - after a mere 19 seconds, I had pretty much seen everything that video had to offer.
Lamentably, it seems that fewer and fewer people read for pleasure these days, particularly young people. You ask them what they've read, and almost inevitably the latest example they have is the last book school made them read, which might be years ago. I really do find that depressing...
papayahed
10-04-2009, 09:14 AM
I can never get back that 30 seconds.
Shalot
10-04-2009, 10:36 AM
That was the worst thing I have ever seen. Were they serious? Hopefully it was one of those joke parody type things...
bazarov
10-04-2009, 11:18 AM
World would be exact the same, if you just think how many people has never read anything.
LitNetIsGreat
10-04-2009, 03:01 PM
World would be exact the same, if you just think how many people has never read anything.
Yes, there would just be a few more people watching TV that's all.
papayahed
10-04-2009, 03:16 PM
Yes, there would just be a few more people watching TV that's all.
If TV and reading were the only options available.
Scheherazade
10-04-2009, 03:53 PM
In a rather blissful state...
LitNetIsGreat
10-04-2009, 05:42 PM
If TV and reading were the only options available.
Yes actually, I all but take back my earlier comment (which was partially said in a playful jest anyway) I think there will be always those who seek more from life, than that which TV and spectator sports can provide. There has always been art and there will always be art, so no need for nasty thoughts about the world being completely full of morons - shudder. :cold:
it is real guys. oh so real.
Scheherazade
10-04-2009, 06:34 PM
I find this interesting.
Are you guys saying that those who read books cannot be "morons" (just quoting one of the above posts)? That reading makes one immune to stupidity?
If so, I disagree.
Some of the most outstanding ones are actually so-called "intellectuals", in my opinion. What's more, when those qualities doubled with arrogance and misplaced "superiority" complex, I feel the need to shudder :cold:
kilted exile
10-04-2009, 06:50 PM
well thered be a lot of people needing to find a new reason to feel superior
Niamh
10-04-2009, 06:55 PM
society probably wouldnt have progressed far from early civilisation... but in saying that.. might have gone a different direction. who know! maybe growing the best kind of turnip might by the superiority complex of a readingless world. :p
LitNetIsGreat
10-04-2009, 07:05 PM
I find this interesting.
Are you guys saying that those who read books cannot be "morons" (just quoting one of the above posts)? That reading makes one immune to stupidity?
If so, I disagree.
Some of the most outstanding ones are actually so-called "intellectuals", in my opinion. What's more, when those qualities doubled with arrogance and misplaced "superiority" complex, I feel the need to shudder :cold:
No, of course not, the world does not operate in such black and white terms, I'm sure that there are plenty of morons that read. Arrogance, superiority, whatever you want to call it, is not what I am about. However, without the desire to sound like I am coming from such positions I do see more value in reading, education, art, etc, as opposed to living life in blind ignorance of the world around us, and the people in it.
I find this interesting.
Are you guys saying that those who read books cannot be "morons" (just quoting one of the above posts)? That reading makes one immune to stupidity?
If so, I disagree.
Some of the most outstanding ones are actually so-called "intellectuals", in my opinion. What's more, when those qualities doubled with arrogance and misplaced "superiority" complex, I feel the need to shudder :cold:
No of course not, i'm not saying anything like that at all - it was actually a play on a conversation i had with someone who said "more people need to read" in response to the video.
As a general thing - books are associated with being educated and well, "cultured" - this isn't necessarily true in regards to all people and all situations of course, and i'm not saying those in the video are "uneducated" etc
of course if you dissect it, and water it all down - it's quite illogical to assume reading = intelligence
but if you're judging on the surface.. if you want to take a superficial stance, when I watch that video i think a. poor taste and b. uncultured morons.
Dirtbag
10-04-2009, 11:57 PM
I liked it. More genres need random fry screaming.
papayahed
10-05-2009, 07:49 AM
To me the video screamed suburban kid wannabees.
LitNetIsGreat
10-05-2009, 11:13 AM
I find this interesting.
Are you guys saying that those who read books cannot be "morons" (just quoting one of the above posts)? That reading makes one immune to stupidity?
If so, I disagree.
Some of the most outstanding ones are actually so-called "intellectuals", in my opinion. What's more, when those qualities doubled with arrogance and misplaced "superiority" complex, I feel the need to shudder :cold:
No, of course not, the world does not operate in such black and white terms, I'm sure that there are plenty of morons that read. Arrogance, superiority, whatever you want to call it, is not what I am about. However, without the desire to sound like I am coming from such positions I do see more value in reading, education, art, etc, as opposed to living life in blind ignorance of the world around us, and the people in it.
To add to this a few thoughts:
It seems an old fashioned view to take (and one that is challenged by many modern critical positions) but Matthew Arnold’s view of culture is one that partially expresses how I feel about the “elitist” debate. His mission to acquire “the best that has been thought and said in the world” is something that I personally strive towards, at least to be able to sample the best. Often this attitude tends to lump me with the “elitist” label, or worst, when it is not really an accurate or fair view of my position. Take the following for an example:
Arnold’s ideal of culture is certainly exclusive, in the sense that it defines itself against money-grubbing vulgarity, narrow-minded fundamentalism, upper-class arrogance, and so on, but it does not seek to exclude anyone on principle. If we allow ourselves to come under the influence of “culture”, we can all transcend the limitations imposed on us by class, place, and character, and acquire the cultured sensitivity and respectful, even reverent, attitude towards the world that “culture” holds up for us.
It doesn’t describe my position 100% but I agree with the general feeling of it. My point of view is that as I only one life, I want to sample the very best things in it, and as my personal interest lies in art (mostly literature) I want to therefore immerse myself in the best of it, as best I can. Well, in education in general be it art, history, politics, languages, philosophy I want to know and understand what I am capable of. This is not because I want to feel superior to other people at all, and I shouldn’t have to continually defend my own position, it is simply because it is the thing which motivates me.
It is not just art and education that motivates me to sample the very best things. I have this attitude with food and drink (see the Belgian beer thread) travel, etc, but I don’t always have the wallet to carry these things through; with art and education this is not, or rarely, the case.
As this is my position in life I sometimes find it difficult to appreciate why others would want to purposefully dwell in ignorance, or to have no personal drive in other fields, be it in sports, sciences, charity work whatever; to me a life lived without such things is barely a life at all, it’s just existing.
Niamh
10-05-2009, 02:31 PM
So i was finally able to click the link to see what it was all about and i think you have successfully insulted a majority of the western worlds current teenagers by the insinuation. As some one who works in a bookstore I can garuntee that MOST of the kids that come in and buy books of all sorts carry on like that. Its got nothing to do with their lack of reading, its just the teenage culture of the moment. It will be different again in another decade, the way it has been for nearly all the decades since the 30s/40s.
LitNetIsGreat
10-05-2009, 03:01 PM
I can't stand the chavs and hoodies...
http://www.that-dj.com/wp-content/uploads/image/chav.JPG
Just what the hell is all that about?
Niamh
10-05-2009, 03:12 PM
they've been in Ireland since i was a kid. Heck! I live in an area full of the little *insert expletive of your choice*. We call them Skangers/ Schwears... Chav's a real brit term for them. the girls are just as bad.
The cap btw needs to be at a 45 degree angle. :p
Lokasenna
10-05-2009, 04:25 PM
I can't stand the chavs and hoodies...
http://www.that-dj.com/wp-content/uploads/image/chav.JPG
Just what the hell is all that about?
Much as I dislike Leonard Woolf, a quotation of his springs readily to mind:
"Anyone can be a barbarian; it requires a terrible effort to remain a civilized man."
isidro
10-05-2009, 04:44 PM
The state of New Jersey? Hey man, I love New Jersey. Hottest and most talented university professor alive teaches at Rutgers in New Brunswick.
LitNetIsGreat
10-05-2009, 05:47 PM
Much as I dislike Leonard Woolf, a quotation of his springs readily to mind:
"Anyone can be a barbarian; it requires a terrible effort to remain a civilized man."
Hello again Loka!
Yes true, and it requires an even greater effort to remain a civilized man amongst the barbarians.
If you are not careful the negative weight of such groups of people can really have an affect upon one's general well-being, mood and feeling. It is easy to allow yourself to sink down into the bog by the weight of these types if you are closely surrounded by them, as I am, and as many of us are. I find myself constantly doing as Wilde said to cure the soul by means of the senses, :thumbs_up whether this is surrounding myself by beautiful things or beautiful sights and thoughts in the mind, or in getting away physically (on my bike) to beautiful places with genuine people.
Don't get me wrong I am not totally blanking whole segments of society, I'm even sure that some of them have human feelings ;) under all that nonsense, but the reality is I don't even want to see or hear them at all. Even posting that image has almost mentally screwed me up for the entire night - I find myself listening to Bach as an antidote - but anyway enough of me and my ramblings...
kilted exile
10-05-2009, 05:58 PM
So I grew up with guys like in that pic posted. Sure some of them were tossers but a lot were also decent guys. Ok, so they didnt read much - who cares? I would still rather hang out with my mates from then than some stuck up twat drinking red wine and going on about classical music :cold:
*resists serious urge to deliver rant about social conditioning etc*
LitNetIsGreat
10-05-2009, 06:18 PM
*resists serious urge to deliver rant about social conditioning etc*
Social conditioning is more than a valid argument, along with poor education and poor socio-economic backgrounds etc, but at some stage in life people have to stand up as individuals and take some responsibility to get out of such mess themselves. Blaming society is a fair point, but it is not the concluding chapter.
kilted exile
10-05-2009, 06:22 PM
Social conditioning is more than a valid argument, along with poor education and poor socio-economic backgrounds etc, but at some stage in life people have to stand up as individuals and take some responsibility to get out of such mess themselves. Blaming society is a fair point, but it is not the concluding chapter.
your pic is of a group of 13 -17 year olds.
Niamh
10-05-2009, 06:37 PM
youths like that have been apart of society for a long time and this thread isnt about them. its about the teens in the video Lima posted.
Scheherazade
10-06-2009, 11:06 AM
but if you're judging on the surface.. if you want to take a superficial stanceI try not to do either.
when I watch that video i think a. poor taste and b. uncultured morons.Again, taste, culture and intelligence do not come with reading.
His mission to acquire “the best that has been thought and said in the world” is something that I personally strive towards, at least to be able to sample the best. Often this attitude tends to lump me with the “elitist” label, or worst, when it is not really an accurate or fair view of my position...
... This is not because I want to feel superior to other people at all, and I shouldn’t have to continually defend my own position, it is simply because it is the thing which motivates me. I don't think anyone would have any problem with your personal choices, Neely, so I don't think you should feel the need to defend yourself.
The problem arises, in my opinion, when we start to interfere with other people's choices, pressing and promoting our own "tastes" and preferences onto others.
As far as I can see, reading is not enough, is it, to be able to get that royal nod from certain circles? They need to read what we deem "suitable" and "worthy". Heaven save us if those unguided souls happen to read Harry Potter or Twilight!
And even if they manage to pick a copy of something we can *live* with, we will still have a quick look at the binding... (Hopefully it is not borrowed from a public library...) Is it hardcover? First edition? Or, please, please, please tell me at least it is a limited edition!
I think we all need to get over ourselves and *accept* the fact that we are no better or worse than any other average Joe in the street... Reading first edition copies of "classics", sipping expensive wine or listening to any concerto will not change this fact either.
youths like that have been apart of society for a long time and this thread isnt about them. its about the teens in the video Lima posted.
Yeah exactly. Also - i posted that video for people to have a laugh at how awful that "music" is. Comments about the idiots who are in it naturally follow.. and they are naturally, negative. I've read up about them, just to check if they were legitimate or not, and they are.. and their treatment of women is absolutely awful.
Any comments i've made in this thread have been about those in the video - not on the "youth" of today, in general, and as a whole.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2026 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.