>I'd advise you try to not think of all reading as something that needs to "improve" something in you.

Well said! This is the curse of the modern society/economy that everything you do should be towards some "improvement" either materially or otherwise. The concept and importance of "play" has all but been forgotten. Incidentally, much of Science progressed only because many of the Scientists actually loved "playing" with what interested them. The actual inventions/discoveries were more accidental like.

Knowledge for Knowledge's sake is a very good thing.