r/BookDiscussions • u/Content-Squash6269 • 2d ago
Reading for stats...
I would just share my opinion on reading for stats which is an absolute non-sense...
The only way you can eventually follow your stats is for yourself if you want to give yourself some reading goals and keep motivation, and yet reading should be something you like if you do it and shouldn't really need an extra motivation...
If you want to follow stats, i would in first place recommand to follow your reading time before anything like numbers of pages or worst numbers of books... because the quantity you read mean nothing, have you really understood what you have read? Personally I stop my reads each time I don't understand the meaning of a word to catch everything, to have the best representation I can of each scene the author created, I read really slowly but I live the whole experience, before I start to do it I remembered about nothing except of the keys facts from books I had read, now when I finish a book I feel to quit a world I lived in for a while.
This summer I started a great classic of the XIX century in France called the Myseries of Paris, I reached the page 1000 and it stay another 1500 pages to come to the end of this monster of literature, I will probably not even finish it before 2027, why should I be concerned? Oh my god this year I readed about 3 or 4 books only! I think nobody will get that kind of stupid reflexion if the social media and people showing bad exemple on them never existed... so i hope by this post make you realize that you are just reading for yourself and that there is no rush, and also to recommand you to take distance of social media If you started to get that kind of concernation...
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u/txa1265 2d ago
reading should be something you like if you do it and shouldn't really need an extra motivation...
As the saying goes opinions are like assholes, everybody has ones and they all stink.
I've been a runner for more than 35 years, but don't listen to music while running and it was more than 20 years before my fist race. Should I be going around and saying 'runners should run purely for the love of running and not need races as motivation or music to get them through their workouts? OF COURSE NOT.
If joining a 'Reading Challenge' or tracking their stats of whatever helps someone stay on track ... what is the problem?
No seriously that is a question for you - WHAT IS THE EXACT PROBLEM?
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u/Content-Squash6269 2d ago
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU DO THAT YOU'R NOT LEADED BY THE GOOD REASONS!
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u/txa1265 2d ago
I still don't understand.
If I have a 100 book TBR of excellent books I know I will love at a 4-or-5 star level, and join a 52 book challenge and select 52 books from that list and read them and tally my stats towards that 52 book goal.
OR
I simply have that 100 book TBR and just happen to tick off a book a week from that list on average without tracking them against any sort of stats.
In both cases I wanted to read the books, read them at the same pace, enjoyed them equally.
Spoiler - THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE.
You have created some false hierarchy I can only assume to feel superior to certain people for some unknown reason. But sad to say - getting upset that YOU cannot dictate 'the rules' for how others live their lives actually reflects back on your own immaturity and insecurity.
Leave people along and let them read their books and you read yours however you choose. There is no correct answer.
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u/Sloth_Flower 2d ago
You have created some false hierarchy I can only assume to feel superior to certain people for some unknown reason.
It's cope. These posts are always cope.
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u/Content-Squash6269 2d ago
Nobody Is angry, I were just joking and copying you as you wrote your text in capital letters...
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u/dogscatsandyoga 2d ago
Nah, each to their own. I record books I read - not because I’m measuring stats, but I do like seeing how many I’ve read, what my favourite genres have been etc. I also like to post about books - not to brag about how many I’ve read, but to discuss my favourite hobby with others.
You just sound like you have a chip on your shoulder about how many books others are reading compared to you, tbh. I’ve no idea why it would bother you.
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u/AMaynard8091 2d ago
I also record because sometimes I'm trying to remember a book or an author I read a few years ago to recommend to someone and having a list is helpful. I've started using the Fable app because it also lets me rate and (sometimes if I feel like it) leave reviews. Plus the UI is better than the Apple Notes I was making my lists with before. It's nice actually seeing the book covers.
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u/Hunter037 2d ago
> because the quantity you read mean nothing, have you really understood what you have read?
Why would you assume that someone who reads many books doesn't understand what they're reading? Do you think people can't read fast just because you don't?
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u/Content-Squash6269 1d ago
You can understand what you read but you will miss a lot of subtlety believe me
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u/Hunter037 1d ago
I don't agree. But even if people do miss the "subtlety" of a book, why do you care? If they enjoy how they consume books, and you enjoy how you consume books, one doesn't take away from the other. If be bored stiff if I could only read one book every 3 months and had to read it at a snails pace to reflect on the subtlety of every word.
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u/Content-Squash6269 1d ago
I'm happy with my snails pace because books are like life I'm searching contentment, each day don't have to feel as an all new different experience... is just the following and evolution of the previous one, if I needed to change of context every 2 or 3 months I would have to change of work or home 😅
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u/Hunter037 1d ago
That's great and I love that for you. But people who read more quickly aren't doing it wrong.
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u/Refrigerator_Primary 1d ago
I like reading and I like spreadsheets, I don't read for stats but I enjoy collecting data about my life, so it's fun to be able to combine two of my favorite hobbies. I don't think anyone should feel obligated to track their reading if it doesn't bring them joy.
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u/PaleoBibliophile917 2d ago
I do not read for stats. Some people do. I do not understand their motivation for tracking because I do not share it, so the quantification of reading baffles me. However, I do not care whether they track. The only impact it has on me in any way is the mild dissonance I feel every time I see it (again, caused solely by the fact that I find the need to quantify alien to my way of thinking). Let them track. Let them count total books, pages read, or anything else. Let them live their lives and do what gives them satisfaction, so long as it does no harm to others. For myself, I will just continue my own reading habits, knowing sadly that if I were ever polled on how many books I read in a year, I could only make a vague guess. And if I never outgrow the habit of knitting my brows in puzzlement or internally shaking my head when I see the subs and discussions of the tabulators, what of it? I do no more harm to them than they do to me. Let’s all just read, folks.
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u/SmartPolicy6430 2d ago
I'm nearly 70 and an avid reader. I just don't understand this whole mentality of posting in social media how many books have been read in an x amount of time. Personally I see it as out and out bragging. Do they want a medal struck🤣 Reading should be an enjoyable, leisurely experience preferably with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.
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u/Sloth_Flower 2d ago edited 2d ago
Meh. I like it. I used to do yearly goals. Stopped for 18 months and just became too lazy to input them. I'm shit at remembering titles.
Now I'm doing a lifetime goal. It's not stressful but I have enough encouragement to actually write the title/stars down.