Shoult I read or just get life experience?

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I want to know everything but don't want to spend my whole life reading! And even then, I'll suck at life!


I don't like reading and studying; I just don't enjoy it. But I don't want to be ignorant. I want to make sure reading is the right thing to do in the biggest picture; if it isn't why torture myself?


Any advice?

Read what you like. Life experience? You get that even if you don't want it.

Postpaleo, I need that strange dog sign you have for real, wow that is sooooo cool, love yer sign, love my dogs!! !
We should go into business together, I have a large supply of the sacks used in snark hunting!! !! !

I have to agree with postpaleo in that you do get life experience whther you like it or not, even if you're a hermit living in the bush and never talking to anyone. Although I have to say that if you don't want to be ignorant you're going to have to try expanding your reading material as much as possible, but the fact that you don't like reading presents somewhat of a problem. Perhaps you could visit some sort of museum?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_museum

Its good to read and all, but remember you only live once, certainly go out and enjoy life whenever possible. Sometimes its good to get out their, maby even make a friend or too.

I'm reading Wikipedia, the names of ther portals, then the subportals, sub-sub-portals, etc. so I'm as broad as one can get. But how long will it take to get down to the most specific articles that still are worth starting a club on (if it isn't a broad enough interest to start a club about, it isn't worth reading right now).

How should I know? All I ever do is pick an article, read it, and go onto the next article it's linked to if I'm interested.

I don't know;; I guess I'm just preoccupied with knowing everything abotu the world that there is to know... if you're interested in something narrow there might be trouble!

I like to read about what I like, which happens to include a variety of things. Don't see what this has to do with your original problem though

I feel like it half the time but only half of me, and the other half doesn't want to. It's so wierd. And annoying, and depressing!

I think I am kinda like that as well.

I can read happily for hours about subjects I am going to experience or have experienced. Many people tell me I have encyclopedic knowledge. It's true, but reading about something that doesn't apply to me just doesn't work--it would be torture. A friend of mine belongs to a religious cult. When he tried to evangelize me, I became an expert in the cult so I could respond. I know more about it now than he does. I talk to others and help them understand the cult's danger. I once tried to play a Mozart piece on the piano. It was hard. I spent hours reading about Mozart. I needed to buy a car once and so I read everything I could find on how to get the best deal. Now I help others when they have to buy a car. And on and on about hundreds of topics. I get teased sometimes as the "human encyclopedia" and for my obsession with detail. But I love it. I am at my best when helping people understand the complex. Now I drone on and on when I do, but that's another story. It is hard for me sometimes to interact with others and it often leaves me exhausted--but it is a worthwhile exhaustion.

I've spent some time today reading your posts, Ana54. You have a lot of passion about many things. You dream of action. You seem like a fascinating and intellectually curious person. A little application of that to a cause, even a small one, and wow, that would be powerful.

I have felt this way too. I want to learn everything but I don't want to spend my life studying it without experiencing it. I personally feel you get much more from experiencing things yourself and you'll probably learn more at the same time. Reading about things is just to prepare you for life. For instance, in mathematics, you don't learn much from reading other people's work. You need to do problems and research yourself to do real mathematics and you'll gain more experience faster too.

Read about whatever you can't experience. Experience what you can, when you can.

I've had a lot of life experience. I know about things I wouldn't even WANT to read about.

Don't worry about life, it will happen to you. You are still young yet, don't rush through life.

keep reading if you want. i have this phobia that if i end up in a 'who wants to be a millionaire' show there would be a simple question in which grown-ups would get baffled with but GCSE-ers around the world would be laughing their heads off cos it's the simplest thing they know cos it's grade E question.

so you see, you have to keep reading just incase you end up in that kind of situation. plus, if you can't give an answer you'll get angry with yourself etc sooooooooo. although alternatively you can always give a vague answer (but put it as if it's something obvious and 'everyone knows it').

I am sorry you feel that way about reading, Ana54.

I happen to be absolutely crazy about books. I could never live without reading. I would be completely lost without them. My books have always been good friends, expecially since I have always had a difficult time establishing relationships and fitting in as a peer.

That being said, Busy91's post contained the excellent advice/suggestions.