Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres
And I think you can't tell anything *meaningful* from the outside.
That is the disagreement.
Trying to analyze people (without a personal relationship) based on any one facet of their habits is going to lead you astray more often than not.
All that you can glean from what a person reads is that they read that.
The linkages simply don't generalize.
(Shrug)
Mostly I was pointing out why you got blowback; the statement is overbroad.
You can believe what you want but, right or wrong, stating it that way will bring reaction.
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Everything we do brings back a reaction. You haven't said anything new there.
And I think in choosing books we will read, we act. We do. So that also brings back a reaction.
And you're oversimplifying my words again.
"Trying to analyze people (without a personal relationship) based on any one facet of their habits is going to lead you astray more often than not."
I was doing no such thing. I simply stated that choices you make in reading can tell me what your preferences are. I ask again, what is radical about that? Lets say I know you have read 100 romance novels last year. No non-fiction, no historical novels, no fantasy, no sci-fi.
I will have very little to talk about the books with you since I read none. And the fact that you read only romance and I read none tells about the temperament and character of both of us. This is what I meant by sensibility.
Is that so hard to get? Maybe we both love parrots and we can chit chat about them for hours and relate on that level, but books? No.
Judith Butler talks about "suspended judgment". And I agree with her in terms of judging the individual ethically. But this doesn't apply to your reading preference if all you do is read romance/whatever. I am not judging your moral character, I'm simply judging your reading preference based on the books you have read. Radical isn't it?
Forgot to add, it is never simply one habit only. We rarely have conclusions about perfect strangers. And if we do, they usually dont mean much to us anyway. It is much more common to relate to a friend, a parent, a co-worker, a lover.