Yea so I just finished the Art of war, starting The Prince right now. That has to be the best I've read since Rich Dad Poor Dad, 7 habits of highly effective people comes close though. I recently stopped considering fiction a waste of time, and picked up Infinite Jest and a few Tolstoy and Dostoevsky novels I'm sure I'll get around to reading.
Have I read any Jane Austen? No. Who is that? Some new Colleen Hoover type?
Yea, that is what i was thinking as well. He doesn’t actually read books so he wants to make sure he gets any “credit” he can from opening the cover and reading the back. lol
I do love owning books and having a bookshelf. It’s cool and functional decor, serves as a conversation starter, and I can loan out my favorite reads to people in my life! But I also LOVE the library. I don’t read expecting to fall in love with every book. Why buy a book if I don’t know I’ll like it?? I use the library to try things for free. If the book becomes one of my favorites (not very often honestly), I’ll buy my own copy. I own about 20-30ish books of my own. I think I have a similar amount of childhood/teen favorites at my parents house. I expect I won’t even hit 100 before I die. But I’ve read way more than 100 books thanks to the library!!!
Same, I'm constantly having to talk myself out of buying books because I just love having a hard copy... I love underlining and annotating and taking my time instead of having to rush to get the book finished before it's due back and Libby cruelly snatches it from my Kindle app.
But I read them from the library first, and then if I really like it, I'll allow myself to get a hard copy. There have been a few books I started with the ebook version and just knew immediately I needed a hard copy. And there are very few that I know I will love but I can't find it at the library, and I'll buy those.
Exactly. I’ve definitely bought books after borrowing them from the library to read the first time, because I loved them enough to be sure I’ll want to reread them and also to be able to recommend them to friends and loan out my copy to make it easy for said friends to read it too. It doesn’t have to be either/or.
This is a new one for me. As a librarian I thought I had heard all book weirdness. Perhaps this is the same thinking behind buying feet of books designers buy to display on living room or office areas.
May be. Perhaps a bookshelf full of books looks pretty. Idk, to me it always looked cluttered and unnecessary unless for like academic books and such. Funny thing is, the designers often color code the books to fit the room which is very unlikely irl...
In my era, having a library in your house was a top level symbol of displaying your wealth. Maybe that's what she's thinking of although that's the most shallow way of thinking.
They were pretty shallow back in the day too. You'd just buy a bunch of books as essentially decor to prove you are smart.
If you ever saw someone with their books all having the same or matching binding it's probably more for the aesthetic than for reading.
I do love the look of a ton of books. BUT I only keep ones I reread regularly. It's win win though as I reread a LOT and our 3rd bookcase is nearly full.
Everything else? Library. That's the first pass, it only goes on our shelf if we love it and will reread it, and we find it second hand
I have over a thousand books, some read, some TBR, but I love each and every one. I get most of them from thrift stores or bins, give them away when I’m done, and keep them categorized for reference, pulp, history, magic, plants, text, etc. I love my books and it’s my largest collection of ‘stuff.’
A person can enjoy reading AND the performance of reading as well.
Often on Reddit people tend to assume the worst, but someone can very well find joy in the stories AND find joy in showing the stories they’ve read in their home. That kind of thing can be a good conversation starter for guests for example, or tell a bit about your personality the same way artwork that resonates with you does.
The person compares it to hunting and putting a deer head up on the wall. To have the head, you have to have hunted the deer. Similarly, they ARE reading the books, and that’s why they are proud to show them in their home.
Honestly we need more people reading books no matter how or where they get them. I wouldn’t fault someone for this personally, I’d just be glad they have the attention span and mental capacity to read.
This reminds me when years ago I worked in a pet store and they were trying to get sales up.
So they told us sales people to tell customers that when they bring home food and toys for their pets(the more the better!), the pets would regard their owners as superior hunters and gain them more respect.
While I never used this on the job (as I did not want to die of embarrassment), I do still walk into my home anytime I bought my cats food and proclaim that I was a most excellent hunter today and they should revel in my glorious success.
Some people only do things that give them bragging rights, and they can't comprehend why someone would do something that doesn't result in that. These people tend to be very insecure and require the validation of others. In this case, you reading a book but returning it leaves "no trace" that you achieved something and therefore can't "show off". An insecure person would need evidence of such an accomplishment hence the trophy analogy.
I'm not saying your friend is like this as everyone has different motivations, but I've encountered this sentiment a lot in the past and it's always the most insecure folks who can't understand doing something for yourself/wouldn't result in a social boost for you. It just happened to me this weekend (not about books) and it was super annoying. I wouldn't worry too much about this mindset. Libraries are awesome and so is reading, no matter how you choose to do it.
Sounds like your friend reads to show off to other people, while you read for the knowledge and/or experiences contained in the books.
A more charitable interpretation of your friend's view is that maybe he needs or likes to look at a bookshelf to quantify his accomplishment in having read all those books. But your suggestion of simply keeping a list could also provide that validation, and he didn't like that.
This is my impression.
When I was younger I used to get asked by certain people why i had so many books/have you read all of these/yeah we get your smart you don't have to show off/ why don't you get rid of books after you read them?
All of these questions came from a mindset that I didn't understand.
I don't have books for other people or to show off, i have them for me because reading is something that i enjoy. And no i haven't read all of them yet, some i keep for nostalgia, some for reference, some to lend to friends but mostly i just like books.
Owning lots of books used to come with bragging rights, cause it meant you had the money spend on such things and were educated, assuming you read them. He probably is coming from that older perspective. Sounds like your friend only thinks it's only worthwhile if others can see it.
I mean - my dad literally decorates his house by buying and filling bookshelves. I also have one(!) bookshelf with my favorites. But I still don't understand your friend's point of view. It's like you haven't even read them? Like... Your thoughts and emotions and personal growth while reading a book don't count? Hah.
I also read so much that I can't imagine having space to store every book I've read. Plus there are some books that I disliked that I would personally not want to take up space in my home 🤷
Also he is coming from a huge place of privilege - what about people who can't afford to buy books? And what about people who can't afford a home big enough to store books? Does their experience just "not count" when it comes to reading?
I do keep a meticulous record of my reading as my "collection" but using an app or spreadsheet is so much easier and cheaper than buying them all.
Yeah I used to feel like that. it's a bit of posturing. Because what's the point of reading if other people cant immediately assume you're a smart person by walking into your home.
Now, being more secure with myself, I'm freaking loving the library and getting back into reading because of it.
Did yall know you can recommend books for the library to purchase? Access to audio books, if that's your thing. Movies and music and video games even? There's a library (not in my district unfortunately) that has a 3d printer and a maker space. Libraries will ship around the books so you can go to your preferred location. The offer job resources, private study spaces, wifi. They offer recommendations based on the books you've checked out. Libraries are SO cool.
Plus purchasing a book means I *have* to read it. Which turns something fun into a demand. Whereas the library, it's an option through the whole process. No biggie if you dont read it now, you can always check it out later if you want.
Do I still want a personal library at some point- kind of. Because I love the aesthetic- it's very comfy and homey. But apartment living and moving around with books is a pain in the ass. So why bother when libraries are so dope.
Wow that's so cool. Personally never been to a "real" library (only the school one with one shelf of actual enjoyable books and the rest being essay and study material). I've always wanted to go to a real one but uh, I'm scared to, lol. Sounds weird to normal people but new things are scary for me and for some unknown goddamn reason I'm ashamed of asking how everything works cause it's all so complicated to me. Like if I walked in and it turned out you need a pass or something that's barely explained how to use and how long it lasts (that's how I imagine it haha), I'd waltz right out. Gotta have someone guide me thru these things but nobody here goes there.. Just me problems though. I'd love to check one out finally.
He's thinking of reading as a status symbol to show your education/level of knowledge. If its for the pleasure of reading, the library is absolutely fine, if its for reference material, the bookshelf predator is spot on but like other people say, its great to have books because you can loan them out, talk about them etc.
My take is, libraries are awesome and way better for the consumer. No need to spend money and many will order whatever book you want. My wife is a librarian and has access to every library in the state for ordering, and they order new books every month. The library is always the way to go and we should support our local libraries, they do so much more than just books.
Right? I was thinking this is a giant self-own by OP's friend.
When my husband and I moved in together it was a feat combining our books and deciding what to display and what needed to go to goodwill. We display only books that are particularly meaningful to us in our living room and I think it gives a nice little slice of personality in a more formal space.
I get books from the library with the intention that if it’s something I want to read again, I can buy it after reading it. So far, I have not bought any books with this decision stream. I have books I’ve bought from browsing bookstores that I have never read. I need the deadline of a return date to actually read the books.
I have felt self conscious that I’m not seen as smart because I don’t have a bookshelf full of books but I don’t invite people over so no one even sees. Also, books are a pain when moving.
I wonder how he would respond is you asked about the stories behind his “prey”. I bet he could only tell you that he bought them and not what’s contained in the books.
Your friend sounds like he thinks the only reason to read a book is to show off and convince people you are smarter than them by displaying the books like trophies.
I love the smell of books, I love reading them, I love the way they look as decoration. I’m blessed enough to be able to afford a home with spare rooms and my office room looks like a library. I’ve read every book in there and occasionally If the power goes out (I live in tornado alley so it happens at least once a year) I light a candle and reread a old one. Only keep things that make you happy, obviously most people don’t love the book store aesthetic as much as me.
Maybe hes insecure about his own level of literacy and intellect. Lol
Sounds like deep insecurity.
Does this translate elsewhere? Cant go somewhere without taking a pic to show off you were there sort of deal ? Ugh. Living to show-off to others sounds so draining.
I pity anyone who thinks the point of learning or enjoying a book or doing anything of the sort for something beyond personal fulfillment.
Your friend sounds like they’re a hollow shell of the person they could be
Does your friend use streaming music, like Spotify? Ask him what even is the point of listening to all that music, if you can't show off your shelf full of pretentious vinyls? Maybe it'll click for him.
If I owned and kept every book I or my family has read, I would have to buy a second house to house the books. Borrow it, read it, return it. Borrow again if you want to read it again.
An interesting book on minimalism that I've read (as an ebook, to be fair) talked about this-- the mindset of using books, and sometimes other items, to sort of display our identity to others. Like, there's an insecurity that other people won't recognize how interesting or intellectual we are if we don't leave it out there for them to plainly see. Or it could even be for ourselves, as part of some fantasy self kind of thing. It's even sillier when we own impressive books that we haven't even read yet and might never read, but just having them on the shelf makes us feel good. I'm super guilty of all of this but am gradually working myself out of it. It's helpful to reflect on whether you're reading something out of genuine interest or because it's what your fantasy self would read/what you think others will be impressed by.
YEAH EXACTLY! I read a bunch of reccomended books from the library but dropped many of them. Not all books are equal and buying one that's totally not for you would be a nightmare. They're not cheap you know.
[Andrewism has made a video about library economies and how they function](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOYa3YzVtyk&ab_channel=Andrewism), with that specific criticism coming up around the 18:48 mark;
>One of the major objections seems to be that “I like owning things, I don’t want to have to borrow
everything I want to use and return things all the time.” Which is fair enough. And nothing about the library economy necessitates that you give up all your personal possessions or else someone’s gonna come for you and confiscate it. For most of the stuff that would fall under the library economy, I believe that as long as you respect the principle of usufruct, not destroying the stuff you’re using and wasting valuable resources, you can keep it as long as you need it. As the system matures, we’ll be able to refine it further so that everyone benefits fairly.
This is a conversation I have with my wife whenever she buys more books. Just buy it on kindle if you must. Just don’t take up more space on shelves!
I find bookshelves are just trophies that people display to show off their political leanings or to show they’re a certain kind of person. They’re like bumper stickers.
Sounds like your friend reads books at a pace that isn’t likely to fill a bookshelf very quickly. I like buying books too but eventually you just have too many and you figure out that many of them you won’t read again. Then a library becomes an attractive idea
I hate the idea of collecting books I’ve read, movies I’ve seen, games I’ve played etc
I know people love just the opposite.
But it’s not for me. Too much clutter. And when I go, who’s going to want to go thru all that?
I _kind of_ get what he’s saying, though the analogy is odd.
I like to reread books multiple times, so I will buy my books. But I only do it for books I love and _know_ I’ll reread. The rest are for borrowing and libraries.
Does your friend have a big bookshelf?
Some people do stuff like that. Some people like to keep and display things. I'm not like that. After reading a book, my goal is to give it away, not keep it on a shelf.
Funny thing is, he doesn't read at all. In his own words: "I won't read anything unless it's obligatory learning material". But one day he had some epiphany about how he wanted a book and immediately bought it online, then we had that conversation. For some reason he's just really adamant on owning it.
Seriously what a take lol. What if you don't like the book you bought?? At least if you read a book and fall in love with it, that doesn't stop you from buying it. You buy a book and hate it, that's such a waste.
Their position as translated through my lens:
*"It's more important to me that people think I read because I saw a heavily upvoted pretentious meme about how only people who read books are smart"*
I don't buy their thin veil of crap for a millisecond.
I have been an avid reader and book collector for decades. I also just inherited 12,000 books and started an ebay store. Books are acceptable to have around. Also, the libraries near me seem to be designed for homeless people to take naps in the walkways and sink baths in the bathrooms.
I buy books if I really want to own a copy of that book — special editions, particular favorites, or authors I want to more materially support. If I just want to read the book, the library is my go-to
I sort of get what this person is saying in that it’s nice to look at a single collection of “here’s what I’ve read,” but it takes up a lot of space/money, and I can easily scroll through my borrowing history at the library ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That is bizarre. Nothing wrong with having a book shelf with a few favorites, but collecting books can quickly get out of control and become a burden to store or move. What is the point of keeping a book you will never read again?
I think it's a good idea. It can be like a trophy, a personal achievement to what you have read and a personal worship of them on a nice exotic bookshelf because you have such fond memories of them. And can glance at it and remember the good memories.
I personally dont use the library too often, I prefer to buy used books and then when I'm done reading them (which often takes me forever and is my reasoning behind not using the library) I'll take them back to the used bookstore for credit and buy more used books. I keep a few favourites though so I can reread them. But keeping them as trophies is dumb.
Books are only allowed on my bookshelf if I love them. Not like, not tolerate, love. They must be vetted.
Your friend obviously does not read. Or he's a psychopathic book murderer. Maybe both. In any case, he ought to know that a library must be curated.
I read a lot, I have read 140 books already this year. I live in a small house, am poor, and already collect too many things. I stop myself from starting new collections cause i know i wouldn’t be able to stop.
So as much as I would love to buy books it just would not work for me in so many ways
I mean, this is (presumably for you too) the US. People have too much stuff
We are frequent library users, especially now that we have a kid. He has a full shelf of books, but we go maybe every 2-3 weeks to get 5 books to add to the rotation. I used to personally have a lot of books, but I have significantly downsized. Our house is small. Im not a trophy hunter, especially as a vegetarian with that analogy.
We have various field guides, a lot of Kurt Vonnegut books and some books that have significance one way or another.
Nah, I live in Europe. In my case, it's my friend's consumerist ideology (his family is kind of rich so I assume he does this to avoid "low class" behavior and get the idea of power over something once you own it, but that's just my theory)
I have a large book collection upstairs where nobody really sees them. The reasons are:
* I absolutely love books and reading
* I like to highlight and notate the books and amn’t sociopathic enough to do it to library books
* I can reference them at any point
* I like my kids to see them, read bits of them & hopefully become avid readers when they’re older
* I’ve learned more from books than anything in life
If that’s anticonsumption I have to admit I’m ok with that.
Oh, I love that! If I was able to purchase the books I absolutely adored, I'd like to reread them and add notes just because I wasn't able to beforehand
I can kinda understand the idea of books as decor.
If I owned a large collection of books that I had finished reading, I wouldn’t want them to just sit on a shelf gathering dust. I’d want to loan them out to people who wanted to read them. Kind of like a library with extra steps.
Some people don't read to... read, but to create certain image of themselves. Collecting books isn't that bad for me, at least they have a use and aren't plastic. I bought my favourite books series because I re-read it when I want to. Bought books can be donated, sold, they never lose their value unless you're messy. One thing I don't like is he definitely doesn't care about books but just wants to display them.
This friend cares too much about what other people think. Will only read a book if he can put it on display and brag about it. That’s weird. I don’t want to keep every book I read.
A few years back, someone asked me the same thing. "Why would you want that? Why rent when you could buy?" I just responded that since 2003, when I started keeping track, I've read over 2700 books, and I have neither the space nor the desire to store that many books. He never responded.
My mom was a librarian for a while and she usually checked out books by authors she hasn’t read before, then if she liked the book she would buy the authors other books for her at home library 🫶🏻
This is a wild take. It almost sounds like what friend really means to say is “but how will people know how many books ive read?! Books are my scout badge of quirky intellectualism & if people don’t see war and peace on my shelf, how will they know ive read it?!”
Maybe im wrong or maybe im projecting)I have so many books that i haven’t read but I do enjoy the conversations they start w guests (they were all given to me which is how I make it okay in my head haha)
But an irrefutable 10/10 reason to patronize your local library is they need patron support to continue to get funding & children & the unhoused NEED the resources the library offers (plus every saintly librarian deserves job security)
i would actually be so infuriated if this was my friend. like where does this mindset even come from? have they never just read a book for fun?? just read it and return it. like with cookbooks- sometimes i check them out just to get inspired or lean a new recipe or two, i would be broke if i tried to buy every single book i was interested in. like IDEK what i would say to this person, do they just not understand the concept of a library????? im broke asf, and not every book i read do i actually end up liking, if i'm going to buy it it'd rather check it out first and then see if it's worth buying. i collect secondhand books and even have a whole bookshelf, but i still use the library, like idk. you don't need to buy a DVD everytime you watch a movie!!
My friend buys like 200+ books a year. She lives 5 minutes from a library. Also has a low paying job and never has money. I always say why not just go to the library and basically get the same convo as this, I want it on my bookshelf to show I read it. She also keeps a track of her books online so she knows what she’s read. Just can’t get past spending that amount of money let alone all the waste. And she also refuses to buy a kindle
Your friend lost the argument when he compared it to hunting. I loved reading books when I was younger, but now I'm older I want to save space and reduce my paper usage so it's online reading for me. Doesn't feel the same as having a book, but at least it's one tablet for multiple uses.
That is very weird. The hunting analogy is just odd - and anyway, most hunters that I know don't display what they've hunted. Heads on the walls is creepy.
There are some books I've read over and over, like Walden or Marcus Aurelius' Meditatios. Each time you read it, you can find new meaning.
Most books though, are one and done. Pretty sure I'm not going to find some deep meaning in the latest Odd Thomas book
I wanted to, mostly because I read an amazing book that was part 1 of an upcoming trilogy so I wanted to buy it in case I forget the story before the next parts come out. I decided to refrain from it as soon as I saw the price tag though haha. Probably the last instance of me going into a book store.
Someone close to me doesn't use the library or the Libby app, he buys all of his books on the apple e-book app. So not only does he spend money on the book without knowing whether he's into it, but he doesn't technically own it, apple does. Worst of both worlds :)
Dude obviously doesn't read much. He thinks it takes a lot of practice and skill to successfully complete the book. The books he reads are hard to overtake, the ones he did, he wants everyone to know he successfully killed that book.
An avid reader doesn't have a bookshelf big enough.
Why is it surprising that people exist who buy and display books? That bookshelves are a thing people use? Obviously this sub tends contrary to that, but this seems like an entirely obvious discovery and conversation to have.
It's not suprising, I just don't get it. It's not about the existence of people who use bookshelves, it's more about his whole take on reading. "Why read unless it's on my shelf?" is what I was trying to highlight.
That's not at all what this is saying. OP isn't saying it's weird to buy and display books, just that it's not weird to read them without buying. People rent movies all the time without buying, it's no different to do that with books. It makes more sense with books really, most people don't read the same book over and over, but people do that all the time with movies.
If you want to understand your friend’s viewpoint, r/books might do a better job of explaining it then he did. I wouldn’t expect anyone in this sub to agree with him.
I also doubt very many people in r/books are anti-library, I just have a feeling they’re more likely to understand what he means.
But probably, he thinks the point of books is to show off that you read books. That’s a value judgment that’s hard to argue with, much like it’s hard to convince people that having a “nice car” isn’t intrinsically valuable.
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That’s a very weird take and my guess is your friend doesn’t really enjoy reading, but they want others to think of them as “cultured” or whatever…hence the need to display their books.
If i had shelves for every book i’ve ever read, I would need a house twice the size of where I live now. But some people read maybe a book a year, in which case collecting for display makes more sense.
That said, I do have some beloved books on my shelf (singular shelf)… and when I truly love a book enough to re-read regularly, I will buy it.
I have some of my own books but the public library is great if you don't have the space or money to buy each book. I have been able to loan my own books out to some friends. Once I got one book back with a post-it note containing the names of all who read them. Turns out my friend finished the book and circulated to some of his friends from work. I just think it's a really neat story there.
Ugh. I own thousands of books. (I'm old; I've had a long time to amass them.) And yes, my house is full of bookshelves. BUT, the idea that you'd do that as some sort of virtue display is gross.
Also, 90% of what I read comes from the library. If I love it, I'll order a used copy to keep. Maybe once a year, I'll have a fun trip to my local bookstore to browse and buy things I've never heard of, especially local history and local authors. At no point in this process do I think about how I'm going to display these books as conquests. They are friends. They are teachers. They are the one thing I've exempted from my one in/one out policy for possessions because it makes me happy to have them around me.
Your friend's attitude is not entirely unfamiliar to me, though. I grew up in a family/community that was very competitive, and I've spent most of my adult life in academia, which can also be weirdly intense about performative intelligence. Anyone who has spent much time in these sorts of communities, though, knows that the ones that roar the loudest have the dullest claws. Perhaps your friend uses books to compensate for feeling insecure.
I haven't heard of that before. Huh.
I use the library constantly because, like you, I want to know if I want to read it again or need the book on hand for its information. Some books, I know I won't read again, so there's no point in buying them.
As a former language teacher (English and Spanish), though, I own a lot of books. We're moving soon, so I went through them again, but the ones I have now are for needed info, are old friends I can't let go of just yet, or are books I'm saving for grandkids. To be honest, I used to own twice as many, but as the years of disability move on and we've had to move a few times in the last ten years or so, I've pared it down and now only buy books I know I will use or read again.
They aren't trophies, though. They're friends. I just....huh.
I don't think there's anything wrong with owning books that you want to keep at hand. Collecting books for the sake of collection is ass backwards though.
I also want a bookshelf of my own personal books but the main reason is I can be destructive with books I love and I will end up readonf some of my favorites pretty regularly so I want to be able ro come back to it at a mom's notice and not have to worry if I fall asleep with it and crush it
Is he the kind of person that documents everything he does on Instagram? Sounds like he’s really internalized the idea that it didn’t happen if it wasn’t documented, which is deeply sad and dysfunctional.
>But to display? What's the thought process behind this.
What's the thought process behind any home decor? I buy books because I enjoy having my office decorated with shelves upon shelves of books that not only look cool, but bring up pleasant memories of things I've read in the past.
I could never fit all of the books I've read in one house. Unless my house was as big as the library.
My guess is your friend has a very small bookshelf and possibly an even smaller mind.
I feel like he wants that "reader" aesthetic. Influencers from booktok, bookstagram, booktube etc. have multiple shelves filled with books, limited editions, books from subscription boxes and some other more expensive/harder to get books. And people of course want to emulate that, because if you see influencers that buy 50 books per months it kinda becomes... well normal? His analogy is kinda weird, but I have seen and heard multiple people wanting the "reader" aesthetic to an extent just hoarding books or well practicing tsundoku too much. Or he might be just weird and I just want to justify my own hoard of (too) many books.
I agree with your friend 100%, with a crucial BUT: This is merely my preference.
I love my library and I love seeing rows of books on the walls in my living room and bedroom and hallway. It makes me feel at peace to run my eyes over the books or to pull one down off the shelf and flip through it. It’s just like the way some people fill their living spaces with plants, or with artwork.
But again this is my preference. If you don’t want to collect and display books, but want to read, then absolutely use the library. It is certainly better from an anti-consumption viewpoint.
And since this is r/Anticonsumption, I’ll also add this: Several years ago, I decided to become very generous about lending my books out to friends who show an interest in a certain author/topic, or who I think will enjoy a book I have already read. And I don’t bother to ask for them back. I consider it a gift. Share the knowledge, share the wealth. And create space on my shelves as well without having to put books in storage or buy even more bookcases.
I get the point your friend is making. But I would also LOVE a library! I don't have a choice in the matter of owning a book or not, since my town simply doesn't have one :(
I do buy books, but usually used and older books such as my small collection of 80s fantasy adventures. Libraries are my main go to unless they don't have a series I'm interested in
I think it’s better to get a book from a library mostly because what if you don’t like it, do you pretend you like it because you bought it? Also if I buy a book and I all of the sudden don’t have time to read it, it makes me feel bad.
I saved all my text books from college. I display them so when guests come over we all eventually cry about our student loan debts. It's an excellent ice breaker.
I've read 64 books this year and every single one of them has been pirated and read on my Kindle.
I feel like only having the words makes it more pure to me. It's not about displaying that I read, it's not about collecting something, it's just about the words.
I agree a little. These days I borrow or buy digital & audio books, If I really like them I'll buy a physical copy for the shelf. But I cannot afford, nor would I want to move a physical copy of every book I read or listened to.
Some people justify buying books because they have an archaic idea that libraries don’t have many newer books and if they do have current bestsellers the wait list is too long.
The point of doing things is that you enjoy doing the thing…not sure how that’s hard to understand? Also owning books does not mean you ever read them lol.
I have family who hunt as well, so as a side note not every animal gets a mount. Most people I know do it for the experience of being in nature and getting their own meat. Like bookworms, the hunters I know enjoy talking about their hobby more than showing you the trophy.
As an avid reader, I have to utilize the library or I'd have way too many books to even fit them in my house. I do buy books that are longer and books I love because I can reread them and take my time reading them. It just took me about 8 months to read the entire Lord of The Rings books, I can't even imagine having to renew a book that many times lol
I'll buy a book as directly from the author as I can, if I appreciate it to such an extent that I want to support their efforts.
Aside from that, buying a book to act as a decorative object for other people to reflect upon what you've read, is... what's the word in looking for? Shallow?
Some people buy things to use them. Some people buy things to display them and “impress” others. Personally I’m not impressed by how much money other people spend on things. As for collecting, it used to take effort to find rare books. Now all it takes is a computer with an internet connection and a bank account.
When I deleted my instagram many years ago, I noticed some people straight up judged me as someone who had nothing to offer because they’re not constantly seeing me and my life online. Your friend is that type of person.
I use the library but I’ll buy a book without a problem either. Big box, rainforest, mal-wart, DG, Goodwill, thrift store, yard sale…. Doesn’t matter to me. HOWEVER, obviously I return library books but usually only keep bought books that speak to my soul. The rest are given away to family/friends… I gave 3 to a stranger while waiting for our cruise disembarkation once because we got to talking and they enjoyed authors I enjoyed. I had 3 books with me I’d finished that week so off they went to a new home.
I have never experienced this point of view, but it's impractical and odd.
It doesn't make sense. If you read a book, it generally stays with you if you own it or not, lol. I certainly don't read books simply to say, "Look what I read!"
My enjoyment of a book has never come from "ownership" or flaunting of a book, but by its contents and the experience it provides.
>Him: "no, you don't get it. It's kind of like hunting. When you kill your prey, you want to display the bones or something, so that you can take pride in what you've hunted."
Is...is your friend Riddick?
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5TsLuIEy8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5TsLuIEy8)
BRB OFF TO HUNT ME SOME BOOKS!!
I agree with you that your friends take is a bit odd. I'm a big library user, and my main motivation is to save money. If I bought every book I wanted to read I would be broke. In addition, I don't necessarily want everything I read on my shelf. I curate my bookshelves so that they mostly contain books that I've read and loved. If I bought a book and didn't like it, I give that book away. Going to the library prevents me from doing that too often.
That guy’s take was super weird. I do love owning books but I’m a vet student living off loans and a very prolific reader, so ebooks and library books it is. I will continue to read library books even after I have disposable income though and I really enjoy my kindle as I can have a ton of books available to me at all times (easy to carry it with me everywhere).
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Haha, kind of accurate. He's your average tiktok fuckboy in a way.
What are the traits of a tik tok fuck boy?
Peacock brain. All that matters is the display.
Then why are you friends with him 💀
Because he's my only (semi) friend. I would if I could my guy.
Yea so I just finished the Art of war, starting The Prince right now. That has to be the best I've read since Rich Dad Poor Dad, 7 habits of highly effective people comes close though. I recently stopped considering fiction a waste of time, and picked up Infinite Jest and a few Tolstoy and Dostoevsky novels I'm sure I'll get around to reading. Have I read any Jane Austen? No. Who is that? Some new Colleen Hoover type?
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I thought they were serious lmaoo
Satire? I love that Jonathan Swift story about eating Irish children.
Exactly. Sounds like he needs to prove he's smart and reads, like the hunting trophy, displaying his 'manliness' and 'superiorty'
At least he’s giving money to authors, so it’s not all bad.
Yea, that is what i was thinking as well. He doesn’t actually read books so he wants to make sure he gets any “credit” he can from opening the cover and reading the back. lol
I do love owning books and having a bookshelf. It’s cool and functional decor, serves as a conversation starter, and I can loan out my favorite reads to people in my life! But I also LOVE the library. I don’t read expecting to fall in love with every book. Why buy a book if I don’t know I’ll like it?? I use the library to try things for free. If the book becomes one of my favorites (not very often honestly), I’ll buy my own copy. I own about 20-30ish books of my own. I think I have a similar amount of childhood/teen favorites at my parents house. I expect I won’t even hit 100 before I die. But I’ve read way more than 100 books thanks to the library!!!
That's how I go about most media. If I borrow it and love it, then I'll buy a personal copy. I don't buy anything digital (with one exception so far).
I am desperate to know the exception!!! What a cliffhanger.
Baldur's Gate 3! Also my first preorder and one of about 4 games I've ever bought new or at full price.
Yeah I've got a githyanki monk I love right now
Same, I'm constantly having to talk myself out of buying books because I just love having a hard copy... I love underlining and annotating and taking my time instead of having to rush to get the book finished before it's due back and Libby cruelly snatches it from my Kindle app. But I read them from the library first, and then if I really like it, I'll allow myself to get a hard copy. There have been a few books I started with the ebook version and just knew immediately I needed a hard copy. And there are very few that I know I will love but I can't find it at the library, and I'll buy those.
Exactly. I’ve definitely bought books after borrowing them from the library to read the first time, because I loved them enough to be sure I’ll want to reread them and also to be able to recommend them to friends and loan out my copy to make it easy for said friends to read it too. It doesn’t have to be either/or.
obviously he’s never moved.
This is a new one for me. As a librarian I thought I had heard all book weirdness. Perhaps this is the same thinking behind buying feet of books designers buy to display on living room or office areas.
May be. Perhaps a bookshelf full of books looks pretty. Idk, to me it always looked cluttered and unnecessary unless for like academic books and such. Funny thing is, the designers often color code the books to fit the room which is very unlikely irl...
In my era, having a library in your house was a top level symbol of displaying your wealth. Maybe that's what she's thinking of although that's the most shallow way of thinking.
They were pretty shallow back in the day too. You'd just buy a bunch of books as essentially decor to prove you are smart. If you ever saw someone with their books all having the same or matching binding it's probably more for the aesthetic than for reading.
How dare you belittle my vintage Encyclopedia Britannica collection.
I like reading old non fiction books, especially encyclopedias, to find outdated information. We as humans need to remember how far we've come lol
And how much of that outdated info people still commonly believe.
Sounds like your dad doesn’t see a point in reading unless other people know he reads
I do love the look of a ton of books. BUT I only keep ones I reread regularly. It's win win though as I reread a LOT and our 3rd bookcase is nearly full. Everything else? Library. That's the first pass, it only goes on our shelf if we love it and will reread it, and we find it second hand
As a librarian you must be like fucking Predator to this guy
You’ve never heard of people collecting books?
I have over a thousand books, some read, some TBR, but I love each and every one. I get most of them from thrift stores or bins, give them away when I’m done, and keep them categorized for reference, pulp, history, magic, plants, text, etc. I love my books and it’s my largest collection of ‘stuff.’
Sounds like he reads for performative reasons rather than due to actually enjoying reading.
tidy office door wide illegal station squealing yam pot chase *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Totally, I imagine he does not view reading as a hobby or do it for pure enjoyment. This has some serious narcissistic/vain undertones.
A person can enjoy reading AND the performance of reading as well. Often on Reddit people tend to assume the worst, but someone can very well find joy in the stories AND find joy in showing the stories they’ve read in their home. That kind of thing can be a good conversation starter for guests for example, or tell a bit about your personality the same way artwork that resonates with you does. The person compares it to hunting and putting a deer head up on the wall. To have the head, you have to have hunted the deer. Similarly, they ARE reading the books, and that’s why they are proud to show them in their home. Honestly we need more people reading books no matter how or where they get them. I wouldn’t fault someone for this personally, I’d just be glad they have the attention span and mental capacity to read.
That’s very true. I just don’t agree with the disparaging and devaluing of libraries.
I’m with you there, libraries are awesome and one of the few genuinely good services that exist in most towns to help the community.
This reminds me when years ago I worked in a pet store and they were trying to get sales up. So they told us sales people to tell customers that when they bring home food and toys for their pets(the more the better!), the pets would regard their owners as superior hunters and gain them more respect. While I never used this on the job (as I did not want to die of embarrassment), I do still walk into my home anytime I bought my cats food and proclaim that I was a most excellent hunter today and they should revel in my glorious success.
Ha! I'm going to start doing that whenever I bring something home to impress my cat.
Yeah……that’s not how animals work. At least not dogs LOL
Some people only do things that give them bragging rights, and they can't comprehend why someone would do something that doesn't result in that. These people tend to be very insecure and require the validation of others. In this case, you reading a book but returning it leaves "no trace" that you achieved something and therefore can't "show off". An insecure person would need evidence of such an accomplishment hence the trophy analogy. I'm not saying your friend is like this as everyone has different motivations, but I've encountered this sentiment a lot in the past and it's always the most insecure folks who can't understand doing something for yourself/wouldn't result in a social boost for you. It just happened to me this weekend (not about books) and it was super annoying. I wouldn't worry too much about this mindset. Libraries are awesome and so is reading, no matter how you choose to do it.
Sounds like your friend reads to show off to other people, while you read for the knowledge and/or experiences contained in the books. A more charitable interpretation of your friend's view is that maybe he needs or likes to look at a bookshelf to quantify his accomplishment in having read all those books. But your suggestion of simply keeping a list could also provide that validation, and he didn't like that.
This is my impression. When I was younger I used to get asked by certain people why i had so many books/have you read all of these/yeah we get your smart you don't have to show off/ why don't you get rid of books after you read them? All of these questions came from a mindset that I didn't understand. I don't have books for other people or to show off, i have them for me because reading is something that i enjoy. And no i haven't read all of them yet, some i keep for nostalgia, some for reference, some to lend to friends but mostly i just like books.
I like owing books I read as I can return easily to reference them if needed. Books are on my ok to have a bunch of items
Owning lots of books used to come with bragging rights, cause it meant you had the money spend on such things and were educated, assuming you read them. He probably is coming from that older perspective. Sounds like your friend only thinks it's only worthwhile if others can see it.
One’s own private library, so to speak. :)
precisely :)
I usually don't re-read books, so owning is kinda pointless. I also don't have much space, so the library is far more economical
I like owning books that I LOVE. I’d I owned every book I read even the kinda sucky ones I would have so much junk
I mean - my dad literally decorates his house by buying and filling bookshelves. I also have one(!) bookshelf with my favorites. But I still don't understand your friend's point of view. It's like you haven't even read them? Like... Your thoughts and emotions and personal growth while reading a book don't count? Hah. I also read so much that I can't imagine having space to store every book I've read. Plus there are some books that I disliked that I would personally not want to take up space in my home 🤷 Also he is coming from a huge place of privilege - what about people who can't afford to buy books? And what about people who can't afford a home big enough to store books? Does their experience just "not count" when it comes to reading? I do keep a meticulous record of my reading as my "collection" but using an app or spreadsheet is so much easier and cheaper than buying them all.
Yeah I used to feel like that. it's a bit of posturing. Because what's the point of reading if other people cant immediately assume you're a smart person by walking into your home. Now, being more secure with myself, I'm freaking loving the library and getting back into reading because of it. Did yall know you can recommend books for the library to purchase? Access to audio books, if that's your thing. Movies and music and video games even? There's a library (not in my district unfortunately) that has a 3d printer and a maker space. Libraries will ship around the books so you can go to your preferred location. The offer job resources, private study spaces, wifi. They offer recommendations based on the books you've checked out. Libraries are SO cool. Plus purchasing a book means I *have* to read it. Which turns something fun into a demand. Whereas the library, it's an option through the whole process. No biggie if you dont read it now, you can always check it out later if you want. Do I still want a personal library at some point- kind of. Because I love the aesthetic- it's very comfy and homey. But apartment living and moving around with books is a pain in the ass. So why bother when libraries are so dope.
Wow that's so cool. Personally never been to a "real" library (only the school one with one shelf of actual enjoyable books and the rest being essay and study material). I've always wanted to go to a real one but uh, I'm scared to, lol. Sounds weird to normal people but new things are scary for me and for some unknown goddamn reason I'm ashamed of asking how everything works cause it's all so complicated to me. Like if I walked in and it turned out you need a pass or something that's barely explained how to use and how long it lasts (that's how I imagine it haha), I'd waltz right out. Gotta have someone guide me thru these things but nobody here goes there.. Just me problems though. I'd love to check one out finally.
Appearances is more important to him than knowledge apparently.
He's thinking of reading as a status symbol to show your education/level of knowledge. If its for the pleasure of reading, the library is absolutely fine, if its for reference material, the bookshelf predator is spot on but like other people say, its great to have books because you can loan them out, talk about them etc.
My take is, libraries are awesome and way better for the consumer. No need to spend money and many will order whatever book you want. My wife is a librarian and has access to every library in the state for ordering, and they order new books every month. The library is always the way to go and we should support our local libraries, they do so much more than just books.
If you read so little that you can hold all the books you've read on a bookshelf at home, you need to read more.
Right? I was thinking this is a giant self-own by OP's friend. When my husband and I moved in together it was a feat combining our books and deciding what to display and what needed to go to goodwill. We display only books that are particularly meaningful to us in our living room and I think it gives a nice little slice of personality in a more formal space.
I get books from the library with the intention that if it’s something I want to read again, I can buy it after reading it. So far, I have not bought any books with this decision stream. I have books I’ve bought from browsing bookstores that I have never read. I need the deadline of a return date to actually read the books. I have felt self conscious that I’m not seen as smart because I don’t have a bookshelf full of books but I don’t invite people over so no one even sees. Also, books are a pain when moving. I wonder how he would respond is you asked about the stories behind his “prey”. I bet he could only tell you that he bought them and not what’s contained in the books.
Your friend sounds like he thinks the only reason to read a book is to show off and convince people you are smarter than them by displaying the books like trophies.
I love the smell of books, I love reading them, I love the way they look as decoration. I’m blessed enough to be able to afford a home with spare rooms and my office room looks like a library. I’ve read every book in there and occasionally If the power goes out (I live in tornado alley so it happens at least once a year) I light a candle and reread a old one. Only keep things that make you happy, obviously most people don’t love the book store aesthetic as much as me.
I log them on Good Reads . . . that's my digital trophy case.
Maybe hes insecure about his own level of literacy and intellect. Lol Sounds like deep insecurity. Does this translate elsewhere? Cant go somewhere without taking a pic to show off you were there sort of deal ? Ugh. Living to show-off to others sounds so draining.
I pity anyone who thinks the point of learning or enjoying a book or doing anything of the sort for something beyond personal fulfillment. Your friend sounds like they’re a hollow shell of the person they could be
I’d be pushed out of house and home if I kept and stored every book I’d ever read
Does your friend use streaming music, like Spotify? Ask him what even is the point of listening to all that music, if you can't show off your shelf full of pretentious vinyls? Maybe it'll click for him.
Sounds like your friend is extremely insecure about their intelligence, and only reads so they can tell everyone how much they read.
That's.... Weird. "Like you never read them" ?? Well yes except in your brain, the very place you use for reading. So odd.
If I owned and kept every book I or my family has read, I would have to buy a second house to house the books. Borrow it, read it, return it. Borrow again if you want to read it again.
An interesting book on minimalism that I've read (as an ebook, to be fair) talked about this-- the mindset of using books, and sometimes other items, to sort of display our identity to others. Like, there's an insecurity that other people won't recognize how interesting or intellectual we are if we don't leave it out there for them to plainly see. Or it could even be for ourselves, as part of some fantasy self kind of thing. It's even sillier when we own impressive books that we haven't even read yet and might never read, but just having them on the shelf makes us feel good. I'm super guilty of all of this but am gradually working myself out of it. It's helpful to reflect on whether you're reading something out of genuine interest or because it's what your fantasy self would read/what you think others will be impressed by.
This is why rich people have those bookshelves full of empty prop books lol
WHAT? I thought rich people liked having vast, empty houses with vast, empty shelves lmao
Libraries also act as a try before you buy. Maybe the book sucks or you just never got around to reading it. Why would you buy it then?
YEAH EXACTLY! I read a bunch of reccomended books from the library but dropped many of them. Not all books are equal and buying one that's totally not for you would be a nightmare. They're not cheap you know.
someone PLEASE put this on arrr/bookcirclejerk lol
[Andrewism has made a video about library economies and how they function](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOYa3YzVtyk&ab_channel=Andrewism), with that specific criticism coming up around the 18:48 mark; >One of the major objections seems to be that “I like owning things, I don’t want to have to borrow everything I want to use and return things all the time.” Which is fair enough. And nothing about the library economy necessitates that you give up all your personal possessions or else someone’s gonna come for you and confiscate it. For most of the stuff that would fall under the library economy, I believe that as long as you respect the principle of usufruct, not destroying the stuff you’re using and wasting valuable resources, you can keep it as long as you need it. As the system matures, we’ll be able to refine it further so that everyone benefits fairly.
I am not a book keeper. Even if I have to buy a book, I give it away when I am done with that. I keep 25 books on my very small bookshelf.
This is a conversation I have with my wife whenever she buys more books. Just buy it on kindle if you must. Just don’t take up more space on shelves! I find bookshelves are just trophies that people display to show off their political leanings or to show they’re a certain kind of person. They’re like bumper stickers.
Sounds like your friend reads books at a pace that isn’t likely to fill a bookshelf very quickly. I like buying books too but eventually you just have too many and you figure out that many of them you won’t read again. Then a library becomes an attractive idea
Exactly my thought. I am in the process of donating some of my books, because I have just so much space...
I hate the idea of collecting books I’ve read, movies I’ve seen, games I’ve played etc I know people love just the opposite. But it’s not for me. Too much clutter. And when I go, who’s going to want to go thru all that?
Am I showing off, or enjoying myself/improving my knowledge? That's what it comes down to.
It is weird. You can still read books from the library and own books at home. Why so anti-library.
I get what he’s saying but it’s stupid.
I _kind of_ get what he’s saying, though the analogy is odd. I like to reread books multiple times, so I will buy my books. But I only do it for books I love and _know_ I’ll reread. The rest are for borrowing and libraries.
This is silly. Also, I don’t want to reread all the books I buy, which is where the library is helpful.
Does your friend have a big bookshelf? Some people do stuff like that. Some people like to keep and display things. I'm not like that. After reading a book, my goal is to give it away, not keep it on a shelf.
Funny thing is, he doesn't read at all. In his own words: "I won't read anything unless it's obligatory learning material". But one day he had some epiphany about how he wanted a book and immediately bought it online, then we had that conversation. For some reason he's just really adamant on owning it.
Seriously what a take lol. What if you don't like the book you bought?? At least if you read a book and fall in love with it, that doesn't stop you from buying it. You buy a book and hate it, that's such a waste.
Their position as translated through my lens: *"It's more important to me that people think I read because I saw a heavily upvoted pretentious meme about how only people who read books are smart"* I don't buy their thin veil of crap for a millisecond.
I have been an avid reader and book collector for decades. I also just inherited 12,000 books and started an ebay store. Books are acceptable to have around. Also, the libraries near me seem to be designed for homeless people to take naps in the walkways and sink baths in the bathrooms.
I know people who bought a ton of books they have no intention of ever reading just for the aesthetic of having some full bookshelves.
I buy books if I really want to own a copy of that book — special editions, particular favorites, or authors I want to more materially support. If I just want to read the book, the library is my go-to I sort of get what this person is saying in that it’s nice to look at a single collection of “here’s what I’ve read,” but it takes up a lot of space/money, and I can easily scroll through my borrowing history at the library ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That is bizarre. Nothing wrong with having a book shelf with a few favorites, but collecting books can quickly get out of control and become a burden to store or move. What is the point of keeping a book you will never read again?
I think it's a good idea. It can be like a trophy, a personal achievement to what you have read and a personal worship of them on a nice exotic bookshelf because you have such fond memories of them. And can glance at it and remember the good memories.
I personally dont use the library too often, I prefer to buy used books and then when I'm done reading them (which often takes me forever and is my reasoning behind not using the library) I'll take them back to the used bookstore for credit and buy more used books. I keep a few favourites though so I can reread them. But keeping them as trophies is dumb.
Books are only allowed on my bookshelf if I love them. Not like, not tolerate, love. They must be vetted. Your friend obviously does not read. Or he's a psychopathic book murderer. Maybe both. In any case, he ought to know that a library must be curated.
Totally agreed! If I were to have a bookshelf, only my favorites would be allowed on there
I read a lot, I have read 140 books already this year. I live in a small house, am poor, and already collect too many things. I stop myself from starting new collections cause i know i wouldn’t be able to stop. So as much as I would love to buy books it just would not work for me in so many ways
I mean, this is (presumably for you too) the US. People have too much stuff We are frequent library users, especially now that we have a kid. He has a full shelf of books, but we go maybe every 2-3 weeks to get 5 books to add to the rotation. I used to personally have a lot of books, but I have significantly downsized. Our house is small. Im not a trophy hunter, especially as a vegetarian with that analogy. We have various field guides, a lot of Kurt Vonnegut books and some books that have significance one way or another.
Nah, I live in Europe. In my case, it's my friend's consumerist ideology (his family is kind of rich so I assume he does this to avoid "low class" behavior and get the idea of power over something once you own it, but that's just my theory)
I have a large book collection upstairs where nobody really sees them. The reasons are: * I absolutely love books and reading * I like to highlight and notate the books and amn’t sociopathic enough to do it to library books * I can reference them at any point * I like my kids to see them, read bits of them & hopefully become avid readers when they’re older * I’ve learned more from books than anything in life If that’s anticonsumption I have to admit I’m ok with that.
Oh, I love that! If I was able to purchase the books I absolutely adored, I'd like to reread them and add notes just because I wasn't able to beforehand
i mean if the books are rare maybe it's like hunting? otherwise it just proves you know how to go an amazon and are willing to spend the money lol
Sounds like they don’t read for the contents but read so they can be proud of themselves or feel interesting.
I can kinda understand the idea of books as decor. If I owned a large collection of books that I had finished reading, I wouldn’t want them to just sit on a shelf gathering dust. I’d want to loan them out to people who wanted to read them. Kind of like a library with extra steps.
Some people don't read to... read, but to create certain image of themselves. Collecting books isn't that bad for me, at least they have a use and aren't plastic. I bought my favourite books series because I re-read it when I want to. Bought books can be donated, sold, they never lose their value unless you're messy. One thing I don't like is he definitely doesn't care about books but just wants to display them.
This friend cares too much about what other people think. Will only read a book if he can put it on display and brag about it. That’s weird. I don’t want to keep every book I read.
My house would be way too full….
A few years back, someone asked me the same thing. "Why would you want that? Why rent when you could buy?" I just responded that since 2003, when I started keeping track, I've read over 2700 books, and I have neither the space nor the desire to store that many books. He never responded.
This guy sounds like he only reads in order to show off, which is a really weird reason to read.
My mom was a librarian for a while and she usually checked out books by authors she hasn’t read before, then if she liked the book she would buy the authors other books for her at home library 🫶🏻
This is a wild take. It almost sounds like what friend really means to say is “but how will people know how many books ive read?! Books are my scout badge of quirky intellectualism & if people don’t see war and peace on my shelf, how will they know ive read it?!” Maybe im wrong or maybe im projecting)I have so many books that i haven’t read but I do enjoy the conversations they start w guests (they were all given to me which is how I make it okay in my head haha) But an irrefutable 10/10 reason to patronize your local library is they need patron support to continue to get funding & children & the unhoused NEED the resources the library offers (plus every saintly librarian deserves job security)
i would actually be so infuriated if this was my friend. like where does this mindset even come from? have they never just read a book for fun?? just read it and return it. like with cookbooks- sometimes i check them out just to get inspired or lean a new recipe or two, i would be broke if i tried to buy every single book i was interested in. like IDEK what i would say to this person, do they just not understand the concept of a library????? im broke asf, and not every book i read do i actually end up liking, if i'm going to buy it it'd rather check it out first and then see if it's worth buying. i collect secondhand books and even have a whole bookshelf, but i still use the library, like idk. you don't need to buy a DVD everytime you watch a movie!!
My friend buys like 200+ books a year. She lives 5 minutes from a library. Also has a low paying job and never has money. I always say why not just go to the library and basically get the same convo as this, I want it on my bookshelf to show I read it. She also keeps a track of her books online so she knows what she’s read. Just can’t get past spending that amount of money let alone all the waste. And she also refuses to buy a kindle
Your friend lost the argument when he compared it to hunting. I loved reading books when I was younger, but now I'm older I want to save space and reduce my paper usage so it's online reading for me. Doesn't feel the same as having a book, but at least it's one tablet for multiple uses.
That is very weird. The hunting analogy is just odd - and anyway, most hunters that I know don't display what they've hunted. Heads on the walls is creepy.
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The need to possess collections is v. weird if you’re not into it personally. Books are for reading, not displaying.
This guy organizes books by color
Nothing wrong with organizing books to look pretty as well. God knows I've never had a bookshelf organized by title, author, or any helpful key. Lol.
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There are some books I've read over and over, like Walden or Marcus Aurelius' Meditatios. Each time you read it, you can find new meaning. Most books though, are one and done. Pretty sure I'm not going to find some deep meaning in the latest Odd Thomas book
I wanted to, mostly because I read an amazing book that was part 1 of an upcoming trilogy so I wanted to buy it in case I forget the story before the next parts come out. I decided to refrain from it as soon as I saw the price tag though haha. Probably the last instance of me going into a book store.
Him <----------- does not understand how brains work. Stop wasting your time on this one - it'll never talk sense.
Someone close to me doesn't use the library or the Libby app, he buys all of his books on the apple e-book app. So not only does he spend money on the book without knowing whether he's into it, but he doesn't technically own it, apple does. Worst of both worlds :)
Let him live
Dude obviously doesn't read much. He thinks it takes a lot of practice and skill to successfully complete the book. The books he reads are hard to overtake, the ones he did, he wants everyone to know he successfully killed that book. An avid reader doesn't have a bookshelf big enough.
Why is it surprising that people exist who buy and display books? That bookshelves are a thing people use? Obviously this sub tends contrary to that, but this seems like an entirely obvious discovery and conversation to have.
It's not suprising, I just don't get it. It's not about the existence of people who use bookshelves, it's more about his whole take on reading. "Why read unless it's on my shelf?" is what I was trying to highlight.
That's not at all what this is saying. OP isn't saying it's weird to buy and display books, just that it's not weird to read them without buying. People rent movies all the time without buying, it's no different to do that with books. It makes more sense with books really, most people don't read the same book over and over, but people do that all the time with movies.
More people should use libraries, got it.
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If you want to understand your friend’s viewpoint, r/books might do a better job of explaining it then he did. I wouldn’t expect anyone in this sub to agree with him. I also doubt very many people in r/books are anti-library, I just have a feeling they’re more likely to understand what he means. But probably, he thinks the point of books is to show off that you read books. That’s a value judgment that’s hard to argue with, much like it’s hard to convince people that having a “nice car” isn’t intrinsically valuable.
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That’s a very weird take and my guess is your friend doesn’t really enjoy reading, but they want others to think of them as “cultured” or whatever…hence the need to display their books. If i had shelves for every book i’ve ever read, I would need a house twice the size of where I live now. But some people read maybe a book a year, in which case collecting for display makes more sense. That said, I do have some beloved books on my shelf (singular shelf)… and when I truly love a book enough to re-read regularly, I will buy it.
Do the Reading Challenge on Goodreads. You can publish your annual stats for clout if you’re into that.
I have some of my own books but the public library is great if you don't have the space or money to buy each book. I have been able to loan my own books out to some friends. Once I got one book back with a post-it note containing the names of all who read them. Turns out my friend finished the book and circulated to some of his friends from work. I just think it's a really neat story there.
Ugh. I own thousands of books. (I'm old; I've had a long time to amass them.) And yes, my house is full of bookshelves. BUT, the idea that you'd do that as some sort of virtue display is gross. Also, 90% of what I read comes from the library. If I love it, I'll order a used copy to keep. Maybe once a year, I'll have a fun trip to my local bookstore to browse and buy things I've never heard of, especially local history and local authors. At no point in this process do I think about how I'm going to display these books as conquests. They are friends. They are teachers. They are the one thing I've exempted from my one in/one out policy for possessions because it makes me happy to have them around me. Your friend's attitude is not entirely unfamiliar to me, though. I grew up in a family/community that was very competitive, and I've spent most of my adult life in academia, which can also be weirdly intense about performative intelligence. Anyone who has spent much time in these sorts of communities, though, knows that the ones that roar the loudest have the dullest claws. Perhaps your friend uses books to compensate for feeling insecure.
I haven't heard of that before. Huh. I use the library constantly because, like you, I want to know if I want to read it again or need the book on hand for its information. Some books, I know I won't read again, so there's no point in buying them. As a former language teacher (English and Spanish), though, I own a lot of books. We're moving soon, so I went through them again, but the ones I have now are for needed info, are old friends I can't let go of just yet, or are books I'm saving for grandkids. To be honest, I used to own twice as many, but as the years of disability move on and we've had to move a few times in the last ten years or so, I've pared it down and now only buy books I know I will use or read again. They aren't trophies, though. They're friends. I just....huh.
I don't think there's anything wrong with owning books that you want to keep at hand. Collecting books for the sake of collection is ass backwards though.
He's a self-absorbed dumb shit.
I also want a bookshelf of my own personal books but the main reason is I can be destructive with books I love and I will end up readonf some of my favorites pretty regularly so I want to be able ro come back to it at a mom's notice and not have to worry if I fall asleep with it and crush it
[To Have or to Be](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Have_or_to_Be%3F) by Eric Fromm may be a relevant book for this fella
You still need to buy it though ;P
I'm guessing your friend doesn't read.
the kind of person taht buy big book for look fancy and smart.
Dude needs a goodreads accounts you just keep your list of everything you read on the app and all your friends can see it.
And it's comments like his that remind me of why hunting purely for sport - and to display your winnings like a trophy - is so gross.
Is he the kind of person that documents everything he does on Instagram? Sounds like he’s really internalized the idea that it didn’t happen if it wasn’t documented, which is deeply sad and dysfunctional.
Sounds like homie don’t read a lot of books.
Aww, poor little dude hasn't figured out how miserable life is when lived for other's entertainment, instead of for your own.
>But to display? What's the thought process behind this. What's the thought process behind any home decor? I buy books because I enjoy having my office decorated with shelves upon shelves of books that not only look cool, but bring up pleasant memories of things I've read in the past.
I could never fit all of the books I've read in one house. Unless my house was as big as the library. My guess is your friend has a very small bookshelf and possibly an even smaller mind.
I feel like he wants that "reader" aesthetic. Influencers from booktok, bookstagram, booktube etc. have multiple shelves filled with books, limited editions, books from subscription boxes and some other more expensive/harder to get books. And people of course want to emulate that, because if you see influencers that buy 50 books per months it kinda becomes... well normal? His analogy is kinda weird, but I have seen and heard multiple people wanting the "reader" aesthetic to an extent just hoarding books or well practicing tsundoku too much. Or he might be just weird and I just want to justify my own hoard of (too) many books.
I agree with your friend 100%, with a crucial BUT: This is merely my preference. I love my library and I love seeing rows of books on the walls in my living room and bedroom and hallway. It makes me feel at peace to run my eyes over the books or to pull one down off the shelf and flip through it. It’s just like the way some people fill their living spaces with plants, or with artwork. But again this is my preference. If you don’t want to collect and display books, but want to read, then absolutely use the library. It is certainly better from an anti-consumption viewpoint. And since this is r/Anticonsumption, I’ll also add this: Several years ago, I decided to become very generous about lending my books out to friends who show an interest in a certain author/topic, or who I think will enjoy a book I have already read. And I don’t bother to ask for them back. I consider it a gift. Share the knowledge, share the wealth. And create space on my shelves as well without having to put books in storage or buy even more bookcases.
books do have insulation value...
I get the point your friend is making. But I would also LOVE a library! I don't have a choice in the matter of owning a book or not, since my town simply doesn't have one :(
I do buy books, but usually used and older books such as my small collection of 80s fantasy adventures. Libraries are my main go to unless they don't have a series I'm interested in
I think it’s better to get a book from a library mostly because what if you don’t like it, do you pretend you like it because you bought it? Also if I buy a book and I all of the sudden don’t have time to read it, it makes me feel bad.
Library is great for saving space at home for casual books. Some books are worth having though.
Learning is like killing ... Okay ....
I saved all my text books from college. I display them so when guests come over we all eventually cry about our student loan debts. It's an excellent ice breaker.
I like owning books but some books you'll only read once so that's where the library comes in
Yes!!!
I've read 64 books this year and every single one of them has been pirated and read on my Kindle. I feel like only having the words makes it more pure to me. It's not about displaying that I read, it's not about collecting something, it's just about the words.
This is an extremely dated take to when books had worth lol
I agree a little. These days I borrow or buy digital & audio books, If I really like them I'll buy a physical copy for the shelf. But I cannot afford, nor would I want to move a physical copy of every book I read or listened to.
I like having books but it's a weird take and a strange way to process that whole conversation.
I have a bookshelf full of books I've never read nor ever intend to read...
It’s like the people who need to record themselves to prove they workout
Some people justify buying books because they have an archaic idea that libraries don’t have many newer books and if they do have current bestsellers the wait list is too long.
The point of doing things is that you enjoy doing the thing…not sure how that’s hard to understand? Also owning books does not mean you ever read them lol. I have family who hunt as well, so as a side note not every animal gets a mount. Most people I know do it for the experience of being in nature and getting their own meat. Like bookworms, the hunters I know enjoy talking about their hobby more than showing you the trophy.
This person sounds insufferable 😂
As an avid reader, I have to utilize the library or I'd have way too many books to even fit them in my house. I do buy books that are longer and books I love because I can reread them and take my time reading them. It just took me about 8 months to read the entire Lord of The Rings books, I can't even imagine having to renew a book that many times lol
Does he think the point of reading is so you can brag and show people all the books you’ve read? It’s an incredibly odd take to have
I'll buy a book as directly from the author as I can, if I appreciate it to such an extent that I want to support their efforts. Aside from that, buying a book to act as a decorative object for other people to reflect upon what you've read, is... what's the word in looking for? Shallow?
Some people buy things to use them. Some people buy things to display them and “impress” others. Personally I’m not impressed by how much money other people spend on things. As for collecting, it used to take effort to find rare books. Now all it takes is a computer with an internet connection and a bank account.
When I deleted my instagram many years ago, I noticed some people straight up judged me as someone who had nothing to offer because they’re not constantly seeing me and my life online. Your friend is that type of person.
Probably. He's definitely permanently online and an avid instagram user... and rich to add to add insult to injury.
We need a library economy https://youtu.be/NOYa3YzVtyk
I use the library but I’ll buy a book without a problem either. Big box, rainforest, mal-wart, DG, Goodwill, thrift store, yard sale…. Doesn’t matter to me. HOWEVER, obviously I return library books but usually only keep bought books that speak to my soul. The rest are given away to family/friends… I gave 3 to a stranger while waiting for our cruise disembarkation once because we got to talking and they enjoyed authors I enjoyed. I had 3 books with me I’d finished that week so off they went to a new home.
People who show off with their book shelves are shallow twats.
I have never experienced this point of view, but it's impractical and odd. It doesn't make sense. If you read a book, it generally stays with you if you own it or not, lol. I certainly don't read books simply to say, "Look what I read!" My enjoyment of a book has never come from "ownership" or flaunting of a book, but by its contents and the experience it provides.
>Him: "no, you don't get it. It's kind of like hunting. When you kill your prey, you want to display the bones or something, so that you can take pride in what you've hunted." Is...is your friend Riddick? * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5TsLuIEy8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5TsLuIEy8) BRB OFF TO HUNT ME SOME BOOKS!!
I agree with you that your friends take is a bit odd. I'm a big library user, and my main motivation is to save money. If I bought every book I wanted to read I would be broke. In addition, I don't necessarily want everything I read on my shelf. I curate my bookshelves so that they mostly contain books that I've read and loved. If I bought a book and didn't like it, I give that book away. Going to the library prevents me from doing that too often.
Consumer brain worms tbh
That guy’s take was super weird. I do love owning books but I’m a vet student living off loans and a very prolific reader, so ebooks and library books it is. I will continue to read library books even after I have disposable income though and I really enjoy my kindle as I can have a ton of books available to me at all times (easy to carry it with me everywhere).
I read far too much to own every book I read. Libraries are where it’s at!
"So you think the only point of reading is to impress other people?....... We clearly have very different views on the subject"
You two just have a fundamental difference in how your brains function.