On Goodreads: The Gamification of Reading Is Changing How We Approach Books

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I never, ever set myself goals or targets in anything. That feeling of pressure/duty takes any enjoyment out of the activity for me.

I'd agree if I only ever did things for pure enjoyment. But like most things I engage in, my reading is not done for enjoyment alone. Having said that, however, I rarely take part in reading challenges that are based on the number of books read in a certain period of time (like Goodreads' are). But not because they instill any undue sense of pressure, or duty. It's mainly because numbers don't interest me. Bulk is not a challenge to me. Setting goals or targets for myself (for many things I do in life) is how I avoid complacency and/or stagnation. Two things I fear far more than not enjoying myself.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Setting goals or targets for myself (for many things I do in life) is how I avoid complacency and/or stagnation. Two things I fear far more than not enjoying myself.

Complacency is not a danger for me, as I have several psychological disorders that rule out any feelings of complacency for ever. It's in fact impossible for me to feel complacent. Stagnation depends on how you define it. I don't feel like I constantly have to prove myself or achieve something; I value peace, quiet and stress-free life. Those are my only goals in life. I'm sure my life seems awfully stagnated to many other persons; but why should I care about that? I live my life for myself, not for others.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Stagnation depends on how you define it. I don't feel like I constantly have to prove myself or achieve something

You're right. It does depend on how it's defined. I never would have dreamed that anyone would have defined stagnation as the other side of the coin from feeling like they constantly have to prove themselves (to themselves or anyone). Stagnation for me is never doing anything differently. Never changing, never growing, never reaching--never aspiring to feel something new. Stagnation for me is being content with the status quo, forever. I can't imagine a worse nightmare. Peace and a stress-free life is not at odds with avoiding stagnation. Unless you define peaceful as status quo.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

YStagnation for me is never doing anything differently. Never changing, never growing, never reaching--never aspiring to feel something new. Stagnation for me is being content with the status quo, forever.

I don't think it's possible to live like that. If you yourself don't do anything, then usually life will happen to you. At least that's my experience.

Anyway, my problem is I feel too much and too strongly, not too little. I am often not able to control my emotions in even the best of circumstances, and that's why I try to avoid stress and adrenaline at all costs. Emotional numbness is not something that'll ever happen to me; I'm too unstable for that. Contentment (be it with status quo or with life in general) is also something I feel very, very seldom.

[DiapDealer]

You seem to be disagreeing with me and then agreeing with me.

Perhaps the difference is that while you seem to be willing to accept that change will always happen organically, I, on the other hand, seek to effect change (in myself). Not because I seek to feel pressured, or because I need to prove myself, but because for me, not seeking change is dying. So while I often read for pure enjoyment, it's not the only way (or the only reason) I read. I'll sleep when I'm dead. Until then, I'm going to seek out chaos and change. In my reading, and in all the activities that bring me satisfaction.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

You seem to be disagreeing with me and then agreeing with me.

Perhaps the difference is that while you seem to be willing to accept that change will always happen organically, I, on the other hand, seek to effect change (in myself). Not because I seek to feel pressured, or because I need to prove myself, but because for me, not seeking change is dying. So while I often read for pure enjoyment, it's not the only way (or the only reason) I read. I'll sleep when I'm dead. Until then, I'm going to seek out chaos and change. In my reading, and in all the activities that bring me satisfaction.

I carry the chaos and change within me, I don't need to seek it out. Perhaps that's the difference between us. There is always an inner turmoil in me, I'm never at peace, never content, no matter how stagnated my life may seem outwardly. Therefore I never feel the slightest need to challenge myself - I'm already overwhelmed as it is. Most of the time I feel like I'm sitting on an active volcano that may erupt at any moment. So I seek an outward status quo, because there will never be one within me, and I can't cope with both inner and outer chaos.

[Aleron Ives]

This is why i disliked the Kobo reading awards. I read books because I want to read them. I don't need a virtual dog biscuit for my trouble.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I carry the chaos and change within me, I don't need to seek it out. Perhaps that's the difference between us. There is always an inner turmoil in me, I'm never at peace, never content, no matter how stagnated my life may seem outwardly. Therefore I never feel the slightest need to challenge myself - I'm already overwhelmed as it is. Most of the time I feel like I'm sitting on an active volcano that may erupt at any moment. So I seek an outward status quo, because there will never be one within me, and I can't cope with both inner and outer chaos.

That may be as close as we can come. You keep using the words "never feel the slightest need to challenge myself" as though you feel that's what I'm doing. But I don't consider what I do to be "challenging" myself. I consider it not limiting myself to what might have worked for me yesterday. I don't consider it a challenge to simply notice the fact that my comfort zone may have expanded a bit. I'm not the same person I was last week--let alone when I first starting reading. So why would I seek to live, behave, and read in a manner that would only appeal to a former version of myself?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That may be as close as we can come. You keep using the words "never feel the slightest need to challenge myself" as though you feel that's what I'm doing. But I don't consider what I do to be "challenging" myself. I consider it not limiting myself to what might have worked for me yesterday. I'm not the same person I was last week--let alone when I first starting reading. So why would I seek to live, behave, and read in a manner that would only appeal to a former version of myself?

I don't exactly get what you're saying here. What do you mean by not limiting yourself? Seeking deliberately out books/genres/categories you dislike, because reading only your favorite genres is limiting? If so, then yeah, that kind of thinking is pretty alien to me. I don't generally feel the need to seek out things outside my comfort zone. Which doesn't mean that my comfort zone never changes - it does, and I may read or do something tomorrow I never did before. But I don't force myself to do it deliberately - it just happens when I feel I want to do it. As you said, organically, more or less, not deliberately.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I don't exactly get what you're saying here. What do you mean by not limiting yourself? Seeking deliberately out books/genres/categories you dislike, because reading only your favorite genres is limiting? If so, then yeah, that kind of thinking is pretty alien to me. I don't generally feel the need to seek out things outside my comfort zone. Which doesn't mean that my comfort zone never changes - it does, and I may read or do something tomorrow I never did before. But I don't force myself to do it deliberately - it just happens when I feel I want to do it. As you said, organically, more or less, not deliberately.

Perhaps you should start by not using words that I'm not saying/typing? Focus hard on what I'm saying rather that what you seem to want hear?

I would never seek out something I dislike. What would be the point? Rather, I often seek out something I have no idea whether I'm going to like or not. That's not the same thing. And if take a chance and don't like something, I have no qualms about dropping it like a hot potato. I'm not into self-torture at all.

And again: I did not use the words "outside of my comfort zone". I said I'm open to the notion that my comfort zone may have expanded. Can you really not tell the difference between what I'm saying and what you're thinking I'm saying?

Once again, you seem to have attributed to yourself, the exact same things I've said about myself. But with the aggravating habit of suggesting that I said something else.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

But I don't force myself to do it deliberately - it just happens when I feel I want to do it. As you said, organically, more or less, not deliberately.

I'm pretty sure we're saying the exact same thing. I'm not "forcing" anything either. I think I just might "feel I want to do it" more often than you do. And since when is "when I feel I want to do it" not deliberate, anyway??

[Sirtel]

The thing is, you say something, but the meaning you convey apparently comes across as something else than what you wanted to convey. I can't help that. Also you have an annoying habit to be condescending to people you converse with, and that puts the other party on the defense, which in turn makes real understanding impossible.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The thing is, you say something, but the meaning you convey apparently comes across as something else than what you wanted to convey. I can't help that.

But you CAN help that. Read the words I say instead of trying translate them into some other frame of reference.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Also you have an annoying habit to be condescending to people you converse with, and that puts the other party on the defense, which in turn makes real understanding impossible.

That's a strawman, and assumes facts not in evidence. But whatever. I thought I was discussing things quite politely with someone who seemed oddly determined to deliberately misunderstand me. I didn't realize you were holding some grudge. At least that clears up why it seemed we were having two different conversations.

[Paperbackstash]

Interesting enough article.

The writer is correct social media can boost reading - as it does any hobby. As with her twitter reference, I do find the news and controversies interesting and have been able to interact with some favorite authors on there easily enough for general life updates, movies and music, it's enjoyable.

Instagram can venerate the book as a visual object and intellectual status symbol. It is there, most glaringly, that reading is not for personal pleasure or edification but is instead for image-building.

With this comment on Instagram, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It goes with the old thought I've said before that a bibliophile isn't the same thing as a heavy reader. It has become a hobby for some for book imagery and reading pictures - but of course if you check out Kindle Reddit, the same can be said for pictures of e-readers. Not considering this a bad thing but a related type of hobby people get into

TikTok turns self-published titles into bestsellers after enough tearful front-camera reviews.

And that's just funny!

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

But I'm sure for some people, including the author, find the 'social challenge' aspects too tempting.

For a couple of years, I participated in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. But I found myself paying too much attention to book length in order to increase my numbers, so I stopped.

I like reading challenges like astrangerhere's Storygraph reading challenge. I think of it as a sort of organized reading list for the year.

I started doing the “Challenge” as a ay to kickstart my old reading habit, which was often 2-3 books a week (before TV and computers). Now if I can manage one, I’m doing OK and I forget to log books to the challenge. I was nly ever “competing” with myself, really, so that just doesn’t matter. What matters to me is if I stop reading…

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

...I forget to log books to the challenge. I was nly ever “competing” with myself, really, so that just doesn’t matter. What matters to me is if I stop reading…

I was too. But, for me, having that counter made me gravitate towards shorter books.