# Read little There are few problems when reading a lot. First, it might lead to laziness of the mind as it prefers the [[Do the real thing|easier task]] of being familiar of other thoughts than to make his own original ones. "It is only by rowing oneself the one goes forward; no current can take you to the point you aim at reaching". "never read when you can reflect" Second, it consumes much time and there is a flood of writing on any topic e.g., academic papers. Third, reading with delight is an escape from self. Fourth, reading can provoke strong feeling which destroy the internal silence that is required for thinking clearly and deeply. Fifth, rereading a text multiple times might cause the effect of [[familiarity vs. understanding]] Therefore, we must select what we read carefully and with intension. Do not consume news on a daily basis, once a week is enough. Review what happened in the past week and consume it out of working hours. "But such is the case of many scholars: they have read themselves stupid." -- Schopenhauer Reference: [[@The intellectual life]] ## Created 2023-08-28 08:59