This, I found gripping.
Why would someone lie about reading, anyway?
The new study on this premise says:
"Nearly 40 percent of readers surveyed in England admitted that they lied about reading something to "impress friends or potential partners."
The breakdown was even worse along gender lines, according to the BBC: 46 percent of men and 33 percent of women said they lied about reading experiences. Teenagers were the worst offenders, with 74 percent lying about reading books, websites, or song lyrics.
The 1,500-reader survey was part of England's National Year of Reading campaign. The BBC report on the study revealed some dating tips for readers as well:
"The men polled said they would be most impressed by women who read news websites, Shakespeare or song lyrics. Women said men should have read Nelson Mandela's biography or Shakespeare."
Read more here.
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10 comments:
I have often lied about what I read when on first dates. Or when talking to certain friends, actually. Many of them are voracious readers and I simply don't want to com across as lazy.
I know it's wrong, but I understand why so many feel like me.
In my line of work it's not a good thing to 'out' myself as a slow reader.
Good piece. And I'm trying to be more forthright about my reading habits.
Mandela's bio?
Hm.
I have not always read all the article others seem to have. I have read the headlines, however.
Good bit.
And I said once I had read the work of this European author and when asked specifically by 'a certain someone' what it consisted of, well, let's just say it was very embarrassing.
I don't know why so many people have the need to say they have read stuff they actually haven't but I do know that the question is right up there the age questions or dating/social history category.
i lied in pretty much every book report or test about a book i had in high school.
Most of the time we're at a social gathering and the subject of books comes up I resort to a kind of informed silence. It's uncomfortable to say 'I haven't read it' multiple times a day. But then who really has the time and the opportunity to read all that's reading-worthy?
Ok, maybe, speed readers and people in the reading business, but I do think this is a situation many identify with.
When I learn of things I haven't read yet, I tend to try to rectify it and read more.
When I learn of things I haven't read yet, I tend to try to rectify it and read more.
Silence is best, I find.
Even though a favorite moment in my memory is the one when a certain someone we know was asked what 'they' thought of a new book and the answer was: 'yeah, I don't think. it's saturday night and as far as i'm concerned titles don't exist for another hour or so.'
Expectations extend to reading choices, too. Alas....
I have told a fib or two about what I have read, or not.
I'm with Liam. I read many of the books I was assigned in high school, some of which are still among my favorites, but sometimes I did the Cliff's Notes route because I procrastinated too much to actually read, or because I tried reading it but I just wasn't feeling it (like with The Great Gatsby, My Name is Asher Lev, and The Jungle -- only read parts of those before I couldn't take it anymore). I think most students do Cliff's Notes at one point or another.
These days where grades are not on the line, I have no motivation to lie about what I've read.
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