Why is reading 'dorky'?

[abecedarian]

I've noticed this a lot in the school setting. We have kids who can hang with most adults when it comes to discussing certain authors and philosophies. Those who do the negative finger-pointing are barely literate.

And the really sad part is when those barely literate kids grow up and get elected to their city councils and have the power of life and funding for their public library....ask me how I know

 

[Dermotjpr]

I've noticed this a lot in the school setting. We have kids who can hang with most adults when it comes to discussing certain authors and philosophies. Those who do the negative finger-pointing are barely literate.

Thats a good point myself and fistdantilus both went to the same school im slightly older (me 17 Fistdantilus 15 or 16) and have left but we both are capable of discussing many literary topics and there effect on us as people. we were both called dorks and we dont care because we knew fine well that while they sat scratching themselves we were furthering our knowledge by reading.
on that note fistdantilus and i are both great friends and both helped each other get past the neverending taunts from illiterate idiots that have trouble spelling anything past 4 letters long.

 

[CattiGuen]

my school was completely different from any of the schools i have read about here. since it was such a diverse school, there werent really any "clicks" or social groups to talk about. everyone either talked to every one or didnt. there was really no popular group to talk about nor were there popular people. everyone was just real chill.

i however, was never even a part of the normal mass.

during 9th grade at lunch all i did was go into my next class sit and read. that was fun for me. rather than act like an idiot in the hallways i would read.

10th grade, i did about the same thing but i also went on the computer a lot more often. now, you might get the impression that i was a loner that didnt talk to anyone, which is partly true. i talked in class with people but i didnt hang out with those same folks later.

11th grade i started hanging around with friends at lunch more often and by 12th grade, just friends and no reading at all during lunch.

reading for pleasure at my school was seen as "oh you think youre too good for this school." (it was a public school)

really, from what i experienced in my ap english class, most of the kids in there have probably never read a book on their own, yet they all believed that they were amazingly intelligent. it just comes down to laziness, thats why some people dont read. and because they dont, they feel jealousy towards those who cant get their hands off books. weird.

 

[Scottishduffy]

I've noticed this a lot in the school setting. We have kids who can hang with most adults when it comes to discussing certain authors and philosophies. Those who do the negative finger-pointing are barely literate.

That would have been me. I was very close friends with several teachers, especially my science teacher. We would sit and chat about current events, new scientific research, and what not. We also would often discuss books or get into debates regarding morality and ethics. I *loved* this. It is so rare, as a teenager, to be treated as an adult. I was 16-18 but appeared about 12.To have an intelligent conversation and have an adult actually value your opinion. I loooked forward to this time to dicuss with my teachers (during lunch hour, of cutting Bible class to hang with other teachers on their breaks). It felt so wonderful, so gloriuosly unorthodix.

I still tend to gravitate towards people older than myself. Most people around my age are still into night clubs, whereas I prefer ay form of learning. Just the other day I spent 30 minutes in a discussion with a friend at work (who is a huge history buff like myself).

As a kid, other children thought I was huge dork.... but then again, they were just pissy because I could get away with murder at school if I had wanted. Back then, people called me dorky and made fun of me. Currently, I frequently hear comments about people my age envying how much I read and how 'smart' I am. Ha ha ha.. me... smart....

 

[abecedarian]

That would have been me. I was very close friends with several teachers, especially my science teacher. We would sit and chat about current events, new scientific research, and what not. We also would often discuss books or get into debates regarding morality and ethics. I *loved* this. It is so rare, as a teenager, to be treated as an adult. I was 16-18 but appeared about 12.To have an intelligent conversation and have an adult actually value your opinion. I loooked forward to this time to dicuss with my teachers (during lunch hour, of cutting Bible class to hang with other teachers on their breaks). It felt so wonderful, so gloriuosly unorthodix.

I still tend to gravitate towards people older than myself. Most people around my age are still into night clubs, whereas I prefer ay form of learning. Just the other day I spent 30 minutes in a discussion with a friend at work (who is a huge history buff like myself).

As a kid, other children thought I was huge dork.... but then again, they were just pissy because I could get away with murder at school if I had wanted. Back then, people called me dorky and made fun of me. Currently, I frequently hear comments about people my age envying how much I read and how 'smart' I am. Ha ha ha.. me... smart....

Well Miss Duffy, if this be dorkedom, we'll all hang together!
I had similar experiences with some of my teachers. Perhaps these kinds of experiences are what true education is all about. Who was it who said "Education is not the filling of a bucket; it is the lighting of a fire."
We know reading a few textbooks and acing a few tests is not enough to call ourselves educated. The ache to know more, to understand why, cannot be caught by mere rote memorization of dull facts and dates. The meat is in the stories those dates and facts represent.

 

[SFG75]

Thats a good point myself and fistdantilus both went to the same school im slightly older (me 17 Fistdantilus 15 or 16) and have left but we both are capable of discussing many literary topics and there effect on us as people. we were both called dorks and we dont care because we knew fine well that while they sat scratching themselves we were furthering our knowledge by reading.
on that note fistdantilus and i are both great friends and both helped each other get past the neverending taunts from illiterate idiots that have trouble spelling anything past 4 letters long.

Well, it's good that you see their antics for what they are. Congrats for being here at TBF and for providing some hope for those of us who are older that the world will be in better hands!. Life really has an amazing form of karma. My class valedictorian is now in his tenth year of undergraduate college. Life truly is a tortoise and hare race.

 

[SFG75]

And the really sad part is when those barely literate kids grow up and get elected to their city councils and have the power of life and funding for their public library....ask me how I know

Oh tell me about it. The smart ones leave and go and do better things while the dullards stick around town and eventually get elected to the school board or end up running the city.

 

[abecedarian]

Oh tell me about it. The smart ones leave and go and do better things while the dullards stick around town and eventually get elected to the school board or end up running the city.

bet my town is more backward than yours..neener neener neener

It does seem to be a fact of life for the small towns, that with few exeptions the folks running things are the ones who think they "finished" their education when they were about 24. Once in a blue moon we get lucky and get a lifelong learner on one of the boards, bit they have to fight the crap their whole tenure, and usually won't run again. I still shake my head over the number of "educated" people on my local city council who see no need to increase funding for the library, and insist the library cut hours rather than hire another worker or pay their current employees for an extra day...Grrr!

 

[Scottishduffy]

It does seem to be a fact of life for the small towns,

Never underestimate how many complete idiots reside in large cities as well.

It is so much worse because you just can't fight with an idiot, they just drag you down to their level then beat you with experience. In my town we recently had a town official arrested for assualting an officer. Then, he later committed suicide in the after walking into the lobby of our local newspaper. This man ran our city!!!!!

I have lived here over a year, and only in the last month saw my first library. It took a good deal of hunting to find it as well. I don't think I saw a signle bok under ten years old and almost the entire library was dedicated to childrens reading. Apparently adults just weren't that into reading.

 

[abecedarian]

My library has trouble attracting patrons too. There is a lot of us regulars, but they have a hard time getting new patrons. The city council members tend to think the library ought to operate more like a business. They also balk about the computers! "Why have public computers since most homes already have one." I've even heard the arguement that the public library should merge with the public school libraries. This one tends to come from people who never use a library and have no idea what they're talking about.

When I was in middle school, a security guard from the main branch of the library(Wichita) shot and killed a woman in the parking lot. He'd become infatuated with her, and got mad when she wouldn't have anything to do with him. After shooting her, he turned the gun on himself. His daughter was a friend of mine. People are just wonky.

 

[SFG75]

My library has trouble attracting patrons too. There is a lot of us regulars, but they have a hard time getting new patrons. The city council members tend to think the library ought to operate more like a business. They also balk about the computers! "Why have public computers since most homes already have one." I've even heard the arguement that the public library should merge with the public school libraries. This one tends to come from people who never use a library and have no idea what they're talking about.
QUOTE]

There has been an interesting movement as of late that seeks to do the things you mentioned above. The ALA has an impressive listing of initiatives and other votes taken during the 2004 elections in regards to funding, library expansion, as well as retaining current services offered to patrons. To me, cutting library funding ranks up there with cutting EMT care and the fire department. Fortunately, people realize what a service libraries truly are.

 

[a1is0n123456789]

Im a freshman and 15 i go to a small college prep priivate school, so its not a really geeky to read. I dont consider myslef geeky at all, but i do love literature.

 

[SFG75]

Im a freshman and 15 i go to a small college prep priivate school, so its not a really geeky to read. I dont consider myslef geeky at all, but i do love literature.

Glad to have you here a1. "Geeky" is a rather subjective designation. To me, books aren't geeky. Now computers.........

 

[abecedarian]

Im a freshman and 15 i go to a small college prep priivate school, so its not a really geeky to read. I dont consider myslef geeky at all, but i do love literature.

Reading isn't geeky..selective ignorance, now THAT'S geeky! I still think it the height of wonkiness that it's people who choose to be ill informed who presume to call those of us with inquiring minds, "geeks."
Welcome aboard!

 

[crazy4pandas123]

I am a teenager and many people mock me for reading. I don't understand why they don't enjoy to read. I love to read because you get to have another world inside of your head. I have plenty of other friends that enjoy reading as well but I am not sure they enjoy it as much as I do.

 

[Oklahoma]

I don't know. Why is being athletic considered sexy? I never understood that one either. The only time I was ever called down from reading was by a third grade teacher. The next year, I started homeschool, and never had to deal with any social pressure.

I guess I wouldn't have given it up even if I had been called geeky for it.

 

[SFG75]

Anyone ever notice how if you read in public or at work during break time, that people look at you in an odd way?

I just wonder if they wish they could read or something........

 

[Blindsided]

Hmm. I don't think reading is essentially "dorky." I'm 20 now, and have been avidly reading since middle school. I party a lot, get drunk, skateboard, lift weights, have lots of friends, etc. I don't really talk about reading unless someone else brings up a book and I've already read it. I've had friends say they were "shocked and surprised" when they saw my book collection. Readers being "dorks" is just a stereotype. But really, I think the kids that are reading in the school locker room during lunch break would be better off socializing with their friends (or making friends if they don't have any).

 

[polkadots234]

I dont think reading is dorky, though people do think i am kinda odd cause i read so much. They always seem so surprised when i finnish a book in a day. I guess it is just matter of opinion.

 

[goatgoatgoat]

I dont think reading is dorky, though people do think i am kinda odd cause i read so much. They always seem so surprised when i finnish a book in a day. I guess it is just matter of opinion.

it shouldnt be dorky yet some people never read and ask me why i do and when i say because its fun they look at me strangely and don't belive me when I tell them how much i read