STOP READING TO START THINKING? 📚 Be Unique And Make Your Own Ideas 💭

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Can reading sometimes be a obstacle?

I'm not trying to say that the act of reading is something to be scorned at as reading in moderation is helpful and books are how we unlock and increase our knowledge. Years of learning and innovation summarised in a book which we can assimilate. It is truly amazing how much power a book can hold.

However, would you say that one who incessantly reads and never pauses to think about what they've read such as how to apply it in the real world, loses the ability to think?

If you constantly read and did not absorb anything, would that make you indistinguishable or worse than someone who took the time to stop and contemplate what he has read?

I've had experiences sometimes when I'd read a book for hours and not understand what was going on nor would I soak it up to apply it to the real world. It was just an hour of what I thought would be a time of invigoration as I stimulate my mind but it was more of a hindrance and impediment to clasping knowledge. I would read on and on without comprehending anything.

In order to truly discover something new you'd need to read and gather an understanding, but then you'd need to think about 'why?' and seep into the layers of meaning one interpretation of a text could mean.

Absorb What You Read

If you are reading constantly any thoughts you have that are original on the subject that could change it would be drowned out by this 'knowledge'. This isn't to say you can go in blind and guess but if you constantly read about a subject and never stop to think about what you've learned you are acting like a piece of food which comes in one and then goes out the other.

There is a profound difference between thinking for oneself and thinking about other distant ideas and it is important to make this fine line evident so we are not so dependent on others.

However with all that external information that you have endeavoured to soak in becomes filtered through the subjective conscience anyway. Any idea you absorb will be reflected back at yourself, it doesn't matter if the ideas were spawned directly from self-inquiry or from a book.

The mind will apply everything to itself when certain circumstances are met our a certain stimulus satisfies an ungovernable response. Sometimes without you knowing you may think you are doing something unique but truly it is a response that you don't remember.