The Dangerous Effects of Reading

Re:The Dangerous Effects of Reading by balajiviswanath on Thursday December 29, 2011 @12:15PM (#3404316)

We are given 2 ears and 2 eyes to read and listen, but given only one mouth to express ourselves. So, nature herself optimized us for consumption ;-). Also, when we use the term reading it is usually meant for longer content. But, most of what people do with smartphones could at best be called juggling or glancing.

We don't stop creating because we are consuming more. It is other way round. We are consuming more because we are afraid of creating.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Dangerous Effects of Reading by stcredzero on Thursday December 29, 2011 @03:15PM (#3405172)

We don't stop creating because we are consuming more. It is other way round. We are consuming more because we are afraid of creating.

I think that is very key. If one can convince a population that they are not capable of mastery then you can make them feel inferior and keep them as your subjects. This is why so many royal courts funded and raised up artists and musicians and claimed the culture they created as theirs. The inverse is also why so many independence movements have also grown up beside artistic and intellectual movements.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The Dangerous Effects of Reading by aaronbrethorst on Friday December 30, 2011 @02:38AM (#3406960)

And—as Kenneth the Page put it—ten fingers, "which must mean that God really wants us to poke things!" [1]

I'd argue that creating something is significantly harder than simply consuming (YouTube comments and the like notwithstanding). Fear may enter into it at times, but more likely just simple complacency and inertia.

[1] http://nymag.com/tv/30-rock/bestlines/

[ Parent | on HN ]