23 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: "A Man Who Reads" from starbreaker.org
The idea that men don't read comes from data that says men read less than women. When I look up the actual numbers it seems 73% men vs 78% women (people who have read / listened to a book in the last year). Of people who read women tend to read more books as well. So while there is a difference I don't think the difference is as large as some of the articles written about the subject would purport.
On the author of the article. I got the vibe that the guy is raging against the idea that reading women authors is "woke". He wasn't trying to have some grand statement about himself.
I know personally I HAVE gone out of my way to read books by a more diverse set of authors. I've found that process illuminating in some ways. (Men and women tend to write about relationships differently and more women character pov). But it is always hard to come to grand conclusions as you shift through genres of books as well as publication dates.
Comment by HeckelSystem at 01/03/2025 at 19:09 UTC
-4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I've seen some numbers like that, and they always seem to be a relatively minor gap that might be better explained by other factors.
I think your explanation of the post makes sense, but maybe this is an answer to a question I just missed. Who is he raging against? Who is saying we shouldn't be reading diverse authors? Is this a response to Tate-bros or something?
I get the vibe that maybe he does enjoy reading diverse perspectives but feels the need to claim it's "just what he wants to do" because he doesn't want to admit it, just like saying "I read it for the articles" instead of admitting to looking at naked ladies. That's why he included that but, to lampshade what he's doing, right? Wasn't that the joke?
I would rather just be authentic in saying I like books, and it's ok to read for pleasure and escapism or for broadening my horizons.