But I take issue with the idea that some sort of systematic engagement with literature is required to “like” it. Few people have the luxury to do so outside of their college years and such a study would come that the expense of other hobbies or activities. The word “like” is a poor descriptor if you are attempting to convey some drive to have a comprehensive understanding of literature. It is to slight. A word better suited to describe what dessert someone prefers than to describe a passion they devote themself to.
What Are You Reading 2018 - Page 8
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
But I take issue with the idea that some sort of systematic engagement with literature is required to “like” it. Few people have the luxury to do so outside of their college years and such a study would come that the expense of other hobbies or activities. The word “like” is a poor descriptor if you are attempting to convey some drive to have a comprehensive understanding of literature. It is to slight. A word better suited to describe what dessert someone prefers than to describe a passion they devote themself to. | ||
IgnE
United States7681 Posts
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Jerubaal
United States7675 Posts
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Carnivorous Sheep
Baa?21242 Posts
On February 27 2018 05:27 Plansix wrote: You would be correct, in so that I do not engage with literature directly or in any systematic fashion. My focus of study in college was history and education, which often brushes up against the historical impact of specific literary minds. In that aspect I have an appreciation of literature and the study of it, even if I rarely fell compelled to dive into a specific piece. Especially not at the expense of another history book or biography. But I take issue with the idea that some sort of systematic engagement with literature is required to “like” it. Few people have the luxury to do so outside of their college years and such a study would come that the expense of other hobbies or activities. The word “like” is a poor descriptor if you are attempting to convey some drive to have a comprehensive understanding of literature. It is to slight. A word better suited to describe what dessert someone prefers than to describe a passion they devote themself to. But this is precisely the definition of "not liking" something. If you liked literature (or sports, or history, or video games, or anything), you would make time for it. You sacrifice time spent on Facebook, watching TV, playing board games, whatever, for it. You don't actively dislike literature, but nor do you do anything to show that you do in fact like it. Note that liking something is different from being "okay" with it. I'm sure you're likely "okay" with reading literature, but it presumably ranks pretty low on your list of priorities, below things like learning about history and education, or reading stuff like genre fiction. | ||
Carnivorous Sheep
Baa?21242 Posts
On February 27 2018 05:36 Jerubaal wrote: Ok, I'd say those examples don't support the claim. Joyce is well known, if not well read. Maugham and Forster are never going to have the widest appeal, but they are known. Heart of Darkness is one of the most read books in American high schools. Er, I don't know what the claim is, I thought it was just a question. If you are referring to the claim that "Americans don't engage with world lit" (generalized), then I will point you to the statistic that somewhere around 3%, or fewer, of books published in America is in translation, far lower than most other countries. Amazon, with an initiative of publishing a paltry ~70 books in translation, is the largest single publisher of foreign fiction in America, having overtaken the previous leader of Dalkey, who did ~40 per year. | ||
Plansix
United States60190 Posts
On February 27 2018 05:36 Carnivorous Sheep wrote: But this is precisely the definition of "not liking" something. If you liked literature (or sports, or history, or video games, or anything), you would make time for it. You sacrifice time spent on Facebook, watching TV, playing board games, whatever, for it. You don't actively dislike literature, but nor do you do anything to show that you do in fact like it. Note that liking something is different from being "okay" with it. I'm sure you're likely "okay" with reading literature, but it presumably ranks pretty low on your list of priorities, below things like learning about history and education, or reading stuff like genre fiction. I’m sorry, I have to take issue with this interpretation of the word “like”. Someone interest for literature as a hobby isn’t obliterated when they have their first child and the majority of their time is taken up with keeping that child alive. I don’t have time to play Dota 2 right now in my life, but I still like Dota 2 and enjoy my interactions with it. What you are describing is strong than a casual interest in literature. I don’t disagree with your points, but the word “like” is inadequate to describe what you are attempting to convey. | ||
Carnivorous Sheep
Baa?21242 Posts
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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Sermokala
United States13538 Posts
On February 27 2018 05:40 Carnivorous Sheep wrote: Er, I don't know what the claim is, I thought it was just a question. If you are referring to the claim that "Americans don't engage with world lit" (generalized), then I will point you to the statistic that somewhere around 3%, or fewer, of books published in America is in translation, far lower than most other countries. Amazon, with an initiative of publishing a paltry ~70 books in translation, is the largest single publisher of foreign fiction in America, having overtaken the previous leader of Dalkey, who did ~40 per year. I think this is mostly a commercial problem with other countries more then anything. American (and likewise other english speaking countries) releases can get a audience base thats larger then any other country before being considered for foreign publishing. While a book genre like litrpg's flourish in places like russia but struggle to tranlsate into English due to a lack of idea if its comercialy viable. Just look at the Asian markets and Manga. There is a ton of it that never goes past native shores but is widly enjoyed in the west due to pirate-type fan translations. | ||
Carnivorous Sheep
Baa?21242 Posts
And Americans do the least reading of "key national literature" of other countries. Stuff like Goethe/Holderlin/Schiller, Pushkin's poetry, anything beyond Inferno, any French lit that's not Camus-tier, etc. | ||
The_Red_Viper
19533 Posts
On February 27 2018 05:50 Carnivorous Sheep wrote: Having a passing interest in something doesn't qualify as liking something. I don't go around saying I like figure skating because I watch the Olympics once every few years, but I really enjoy it when I do watch it. Which means you like figure skating. I like asian food, i don't eat it more often than more readily available food. You could maybe say he doesn't like it enough to go out of his way to experience it as often as possible, but that's about it really. To get back to the topic of this thread, i'll start soon with "when breathe becomes air" and probably some fiction along with it. For the fiction it will probably be McCarthy's "no country for old men" because i wanna watch the movie after i read the book. Anyone read either of these two works? | ||
Carnivorous Sheep
Baa?21242 Posts
On February 27 2018 06:04 The_Red_Viper wrote: Which means you like figure skating. I like asian food, i don't eat it more often than more readily available food. You could maybe say he doesn't like it enough to go out of his way to experience it as often as possible, but that's about it really. He doesn't like it enough to make pertinent comments on it, as evidenced by his disregard of Moby Dick in favor of genre fiction. | ||
Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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The_Red_Viper
19533 Posts
On February 27 2018 06:05 Carnivorous Sheep wrote: He doesn't like it enough to make pertinent comments on it, as evidenced by his disregard of Moby Dick in favor of genre fiction. Do you always enjoy literary fiction more than genre fiction? Every single work you have ever read was superior to any commercial work? While i wouldn't agree with him on moby dick i think it's not a big red flag in general to dislike a specific work for whatever reason. Though i think this discussion doesn't really lead anywhere so i'll stay out of it from now on | ||
Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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IgnE
United States7681 Posts
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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Carnivorous Sheep
Baa?21242 Posts
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Zergneedsfood
United States10671 Posts
A surprising number of people responded in favor of not reading the whaling chapters, which got me super frustrated, so I went back and reread Moby Dick just so I could refresh my mind and tell them they're wrong. They never responded to me, but it was worth it. :| | ||
Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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