Listening is the new reading

[barryem]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

I absolutely agree. I have an aquaintence who always tries to transpose his listening for his reading. Oh, I read that last week. No, you listened to it on the way to work. Totally different.

How is it totally different? In what way? If you discuss a book with him does his having listened or read it affect the nature or validity of his comments and opinions?

Barry

[leebase]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I don't think people in this thread are looking down on listening to books. In fact a number of us have said that we think reading and listening are both legitimate ways of taking in a book. It's just that some of us believe the words reading and listening refer to different methods of taking in content and that the words should not be used interchangeably. I wish we could find a word that could be used to mean "taking in a book in any manner", and then use the words "reading" or "listening" to refer to the specific way in which we did so.

Look at my profile. I've been here for years and I do observe this behavior. There is a "book snobbery" that underpins many topics here. If you don't see it, ok. But I do.

The example I was replying to about folks IRL book clubs being upset when a member listened to the book is just an example of the same mindset I see here (not everyone, not all the time, not ever thread...<insert every other type of exception here>)

[issybird]

I can't see why anyone would care how someone else chose to access content.

That said, I prefer to preserve the distinction between reading and listening, both for the sake of precision and because I think they're sufficiently different experiences that different terms are justified.

[John F]

Originally Posted by leebase

Look at my profile. I've been here for years and I do observe this behavior. There is a "book snobbery" that underpins many topics here. If you don't see it, ok. But I do.

The example I was replying to about folks IRL book clubs being upset when a member listened to the book is just an example of the same mindset I see here (not everyone, not all the time, not ever thread...<insert every other type of exception here>)

Check out my profile . In general, I'm not seeing it. Especially in this thread.

*Insert general disclaimer, also. *

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by barryem

How is it totally different? In what way? If you discuss a book with him does his having listened or read it affect the nature or validity of his comments and opinions?

Barry

Eyes vs ears.

You read a book. You listen to an audiobook.

What's the stigma for saying you listened to an audiobook? Why try to imply you read words when you listen to them?

I don't really discuss books with him but I listened to Alan Greenspan's Age of Turbulence. I personally think I would have retained more information had I read it. Too easy for me to get distracted with other things.

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by leebase

Look at my profile. I've been here for years and I do observe this behavior. There is a "book snobbery" that underpins many topics here. If you don't see it, ok. But I do.

The example I was replying to about folks IRL book clubs being upset when a member listened to the book is just an example of the same mindset I see here (not everyone, not all the time, not ever thread...<insert every other type of exception here>)

I think I can admit to this. I would tend to look down on someone listening to a book rather than reading it. It seems lazy and low effort to me.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

I think I can admit to this. I would tend to look down on someone listening to a book rather than reading it. It seems lazy and low effort to me.

May you never lose your eyesight.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

I think I can admit to this. I would tend to look down on someone listening to a book rather than reading it. It seems lazy and low effort to me.

I have a harder time focusing on audio; my mind tends to wander. Reading is easier for me, and I don't do audiobooks. However, I do believe audiobooks are a legitimate way to take in a book, and they are surely invaluable to people with poor or no vision.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

I think I can admit to this. I would tend to look down on someone listening to a book rather than reading it. It seems lazy and low effort to me.

You might stop feeling this way by the time you graduate primary school. Most people no longer consider decoding to be "high-effort" by then.

[Gudy]

Originally Posted by barryem

How is it totally different? In what way? If you discuss a book with him does his having listened or read it affect the nature or validity of his comments and opinions?

You have - hopefully - read the text as written by the author. They have listened to an interpretation of this text by a third party. Also, given how much richer in side channels - and hence in opportunities for said third party to convey their own interpretation - the spoken word is compared to the written word, I'm not sure how it is possible to not see those two things as totally different.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Gudy

You have - hopefully - read the text as written by the author. They have listened to an interpretation of this text by a third party. Also, given how much richer in side channels - and hence in opportunities for said third party to convey their own interpretation - the spoken word is compared to the written word, I'm not sure how it is possible to not see those two things as totally different.

They're still the same words.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Gudy

You have - hopefully - read the text as written by the author. They have listened to an interpretation of this text by a third party. Also, given how much richer in side channels - and hence in opportunities for said third party to convey their own interpretation - the spoken word is compared to the written word, I'm not sure how it is possible to not see those two things as totally different.

Totally different?

I would say a cat and a reading a book are two totally different things. I would say a cat and listening to an audio book are two totally different things. I would say reading a book and listening to an audio book are similar.

YMMV.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

I think I can admit to this. I would tend to look down on someone listening to a book rather than reading it. It seems lazy and low effort to me.

Thank you

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I have a harder time focusing on audio; my mind tends to wander. Reading is easier for me, and I don't do audiobooks.

I am the exact same way.

Originally Posted by 4691mls

However, I do believe audiobooks are a legitimate way to take in a book, and they are surely invaluable to people with poor or no vision.

I agree with this also. It's legitimate as is reading an ebook or using speed reading software or perhaps reading books in braille. It's just personally not for me, for the above reasons.

I feel if you don't have any handicaps however, it's a bit lazy. Like being read to as a child. I personally don't retain that much information aurally so I have trouble relating to those who apparently can.

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

May you never lose your eyesight.

That's a very good point and one I had not considered. I will have to give it some thought.

Originally Posted by meeera

You might stop feeling this way by the time you graduate primary school. Most people no longer consider decoding to be "high-effort" by then.

Really, you didn't learn how to read until you graduated primary school? I learned how to read before I entered it. If you are referring to "decoding" as reading, I agree, it's not high effort at all. That's why I referred to listening to words as low effort. See the logic?

I'm sorry you were apparently offended by my honestly but that is your right an your choice. It wasn't directed at you personally.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

I feel if you don't have any handicaps however, it's a bit lazy. Like being read to as a child. I personally don't retain that much information aurally so I have trouble relating to those who apparently can.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course. I do find it an odd one to have. For a normal adult, reading isn't hard. Certainly reading fiction for pleasure isn't hard.

Why do I listen to books? For when I can't read. I listen to books while I drive, while I ride the train to work (I get sick if I try to read while bouncing around, and my neck hurts looking down at my phone). I listen to books when walking my dog. When I am in the kitchen cooking or cleaning the dishes, I listen to books.

When I'm home on the couch or in the bed, I read. Not because it's easier or harder. If I try to listen to a book and I'm not engaged in another activity, I'll fall asleep. Every time. It takes me MORE effort to listen to a book and not fall asleep than it does for me to read a book.

When I was a child, I'd read books all day long. My step mom would shoo me out of the house...but I'd just take my book and go read outside. I love reading.

Audio books have brought a lot more reading back into my busy adult life. I no longer have hours and hours a day to read. So for me, listening really is the new reading.