Like the Romans used to drink from lead cups. Something like that.

(it appears that the moderator is removing any replies with which he disagrees. It might be a piefed issue. But all the removed replies are top level and upopular. Stranger coincidences have happened I suppose.)

  • fluffy_cloud@piefed.worldOPEnglish
    225·
    3 days ago

    I think that reading is unhealthy. The act of focusing your attention upon text and thoughts like that, for hours. It’s like a mind-altering drug. No, I’m not talking about the knowledge gained. Just the “psychic act” of it. It’s good too, but it’s also unhealthy.

    • CultLeader4Hire@lemmy.world
      9·
      3 days ago

      You think human imagination is bad for humans? That’s what the “psychic act” of reading is, it’s just your imagination

    • FooBarrington@lemmy.world
      10·
      3 days ago

      Shouldn’t we see negative effects pop up in studies that compare readers to non-readers? Non-readers probably do interact with a bit more text nowadays, but AFAIK reading seems to have mostly positive effects.

        • FooBarrington@lemmy.world
          5·
          2 days ago

          That might be true in the short term, but we’ve had books and avid readers for centuries, and during this time we’ve seen positive effects. So if there are any negative effects, they must be so tiny that they’re neither noticeable nor measurable.

          • fluffy_cloud@piefed.worldOPEnglish
            3·
            2 days ago

            no, this comment did not get removed. only top level ones, only unpopular ones

            okay I didn’t know that about piefed. I suppose the other guys who got removed were on piefed too.

            but it’s suspiciously only top level comments that got removed. and only spicey unpopular ones.

            but yes, stranger coincidences have happened. I will abridge statement.

    • Zarobi@aussie.zoneEnglish
      5·
      3 days ago

      What type of reading? Because the written word is the only reason humanity could progress at all as a society and pass information between generations… oral tradition is great and all, but not so great for objectively recording the way to create a steam engine or an aeroplane or a speed limit sign. I feel like maybe you missed some details in your opinion, otherwise this is a really crazy take

      • fluffy_cloud@piefed.worldOPEnglish
        43·
        2 days ago

        Yes, reading has good things about it and also bad things about it. That’s something that happens sometimes.

        And yes, my opinion differs from the popular one, not to mention 100 years of pro-reading propaganda. That is also something that happens sometimes. sometimes people have ideas that conflict with the ideas of everyone else. if they make a bunch of money we call them geniuses, if they don’t then we call them crazy.

        • Zarobi@aussie.zoneEnglish
          3·
          2 days ago

          So you’re ok with like, reading Elden Ring stat pages? E.g. 16 Vigor? Or are videogames also unhealthy due to the focus requirement? Just trying to figure out the shape of your opinion here

      • fluffy_cloud@piefed.worldOPEnglish
        22·
        2 days ago

        By reading I mean the common thing : focusing your attention upon the words on the page and the thoughts they evoke in your mind and so on. The more intensely and more prolongedly you do it, the more intense the negative effects.

        It gets you stuck in your head. You tend to stay there. Do it everyday and being stuck in your head becomes normal life for you and you forget there was anything else.

        • Zarobi@aussie.zoneEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          Ah yep I think U get what you mean now. You’re talking about too much introspection right? Which can lead to rumination, depression, and anxiety. I agree that too much navel-gazing isn’t healthy, but none at all isn’t healthy either. You ideally want a balance where you’re neither avoiding dealing with your deep inner problems, nor getting stuck endlessly self-analysing in a loop. At some point you need to go and actually live your life.

          I’m not sure reading really has anything to do with it though; other than being a quiet activity that might promote introspection. If anything it might distract you from it. As someone with a fatigue condition, I was at my worst mentally when I was stuck in bed for hours every day, with nothing to do but stare at the ceiling and think. Just completely alone with my thoughts. Not enough energy to distract myself at all.

          Personally, I feel like 5% of people are overly introspective to the point of causing symptoms, 0.1% has a healthy balance, and the other 94.9% is the other extreme, and have never once even stopped to reflect in their entire lives; terrified of their own thoughts and feelings. Which is unhealthy in it’s own way. Repressed issues tend to bubble up in unexpected paths (e.g. bad habits, addictions, behavioural issues)