Does anybody know any non-readers?

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by Quexos

You should try and shame him, make him feel inferior. And while you're at it, let him know how we humans have achieved so much, how we have invented computers, the internet, gone to space, glimpsed at the atom and so on, while his species has accomplished nothing and is utterly subservient to us humans.
I did this to a cat I had a long time ago and It made me feel better

I've reported this post for advocating cruelty to animals

[RasAlhague]

Yes, I do know some. But I don't mind it, it's their choice.
If you don't like something, then why do it.

But, their dislike for reading comes with a price though.

We kinda live in a country where English is not the main language. We learn it in class, and we understand what we read or even what we watch in TV; but, the non-readers that I know, their vocabulary is not broad and their sentences are usually grammatically incorrect.
But they are able to comprehend what they've read or what you've said. Just don't throw in unusual words.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by RasAlhague

We kinda live in a country where English is not the main language. We learn it in class, and we understand what we read or even what we watch in TV; but, the non-readers that I know, their vocabulary is not broad and their sentences are usually grammatically incorrect.

That's universally true. A spoken language is not the same as a written language. If you were to speak grammatically correct English it would sound very stilted and formal. Pretty much nobody does so. I certainly don't, and I'm very big on correct grammar in written English.

[jasonkchapman]

Almost everyone I know is a reader, but they're almost all either fiction writers, poets, or editors. Now that I think about it, it's been a long time since I met anyone who isn't a reader.

I probably need to get out more.

[abookreader]

What is the statistic again? The average American reads 1.something books a year and (some really high percentage) of American adults never read a book again post High School?
That's an awful lot of people I'd have to knock away from my social contact list if I refused to have anything to do with them because they don't share my hobby.

My husband doesn't read anymore except for required technical journals and stuff for work. He has several Master's Degrees, is actually a published writer of said technical articles, and makes a ton more in salary than I do. He also comes home every night and gorms out on Pawn Stars and American Pickers on the tv .... which I personally think is a strong argument for that "reduced intellectual capacity of non-readers argument" I see presented here and yet I suspect our High School IQ tests might prove otherwise.

No current plans to banish him from my presence but I'll keep it in mind.

[Skibble]

I know readers, and I know non-readers. I know intelligent and cultured people, and I know people who... aren't. In my experience, there is no correlation between the two sets.

[MV64]

I'd say the majority of people I know don't read books. I wish they did because it'd make conversation more interesting. There's only so many ways you can discuss Jersey Shore.

[CherilNClarke]

I know plenty of non-readers though a good number of my close friends do read for enjoyment. For those who choose not to, it doesn't anger me (as I choose to not watch much tv), it's what they want to do.

[misling]

Originally Posted by abookreader

What is the statistic again? The average American reads 1.something books a year and (some really high percentage) of American adults never read a book again post High School?

The percent of people who read nothing at all must be even higher than that statement makes it seem, because of all the curve-busters like me who average about a book a day.

Of course, most of those books are brain-popcorn, but still...

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Quexos

You should try and shame him, make him feel inferior. And while you're at it, let him know how we humans have achieved so much, how we have invented computers, the internet, gone to space, glimpsed at the atom and so on, while his species has accomplished nothing and is utterly subservient to us humans.
I did this to a cat I had a long time ago and It made me feel better

I refuse to believe that worked. It's impossible to make a cat feel inferior to a human. They still remember that we used to worship them as gods, back when the pharaohs built pyramids, after all. Back when things were the way they should be.

[faithbw]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

If so, does it anger you? If you've asked about it, what justification do they give?

Maybe its just my own psychosis but I don't think I could be friends with someone who didn't own books (or an ereader). To me that probably means their knowledge consists of tv or magazines (mind-candy mags, not Popular Science) and thats a headache I don't need lol.

Not that books necessarily make someone more intelligent but reading certainly requires a certain level of brain power and requires more critical thinking than a diet of People magazine or American Idol does.

And no, I don't mean those who are unfortunately illiterate. I mean those who are perfectly able but just don't for whatever reason.

I've met plenty of people who don't read for pleasure. Some are friends and some are family members. I don't ask them for a justification because it's not something that needs to be justified. It's just their preference and it's fine with me. Whether someone reads or not says nothing to me about their intelligence or intellect. I've met readers who I found to be a bit shallow in terms of intellect and non-readers who I could actually hold very interesting conversations with.

[ScalyFreak]

On topic for a moment: Being a non-reader is not the same as being anti-reading. The former just means you're interested in other stuff. The latter on the other hand, bothers me, because it is a person that is actively against something that brings me pleasure and helps me learn.

[alansplace]

sure, lots of them, what's the point?

[wodin]

When I read the title of this thread I interpreted “non-readers” as unable to read or illiterate, either through lack of education or from a physical or mental disability. And yes, I’ve known a few. And it usually makes me sad because society has failed them.

I’ve also known people who grew up illiterate, and were able to teach themselves to read; usually by following along a spoken presentation with the written words. This usually happens in a religious setting by following the liturgy in the catechism, but it can happen in other venues also. Those people deserve and have my respect.

[Statch]

I'm not sure the distinction between readers and non-readers is a useful one, since that has more to do with how you like to take in information. After all, there's an extremely large range of things to read, from 'brain popcorn' (I love that!) like scifi, mysteries, and romance to highbrow literary fiction, philosophy, and intellectually demanding nonfiction. There are TV equivalents for all of those, and the popularity of the different genres is probably pretty similar between books and TV.

My husband doesn't read fiction at all, and rarely reads nonfiction books. He gets his news from TV and from the Internet, has a wide range of interests, and can pretty much talk with anyone about anything. He likes 'stupid' funny TV show and movies, and he likes documentaries, history, and indie movies.

I'm an avid reader -- probably 7-10 fiction books a week -- but I'm in the 'brain popcorn' category. I read intellectually demanding nonfiction for work but it's a pretty narrow area. My husband is much more interesting to talk to than I am :->.

It's too simple a question...