Why reading a lot of books might not make you smarter
In short: We often equate volume with value, assuming that finishing more books automatically leads to greater wisdom. But true literacy isn't just about the quantity of pages turned; it is about the quality of engagement and the intentionality behind every word we consume.
The pursuit of knowledge can easily fall into what Seneca described as a 'pointless enthusiasm for useless knowledge.' This suggests that simply consuming content—whether through speed-reading, building massive personal libraries, or listening to audiobooks at high speeds—does not inherently improve the intellect. To become a better reader, one must shift focus from how much they read to what and how they read.
One practical method for refining this process is the '100 pages minus your age' rule. For example, a 30-year-old reader should stop a book if it fails to captivate them by page 70. This strategy forces the reader to abandon unengaging material, much like turning off a boring movie or unfollowing useless social media content, ensuring that time is spent only on high-quality work.
Deepening comprehension also requires active engagement rather than passive consumption. The practice of keeping a 'commonplace book'—a dedicated collection of quotes, stories, and facts—helps internalize great writing. This technique was used by the character in Tobias Wolff’s 'Old School' and even by Ronald Reagan, who kept boxes of handwritten note cards filled with aphorisms and thoughts in his desk during renovations at the Reagan Presidential Library in 2010.
Ultimately, these strategies aim to transform reading from a passive hobby into a tool for personal growth. By curating what we read and actively preserving the best parts of it, we move beyond mere information gathering toward becoming wiser individuals.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Becoming a Better Reader
- Also: 6 strategies that will make you a better reader — and person
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