LogFAQs > #943803652

WhiskeyDisk posted...

At least books on a bookcase demonstrate that you read.

I've never understood why people feel the need to "demonstrate that they read". Like the sort of person who buys "clever" books to leave on their coffee table to impress visitors, in spite of the fact that they'll never read them. I get the premise, but honestly, it just makes me think less of them as a person than if they'd never read anything at all and were just open about it.

I don't think people who ACTUALLY have bookcases full of books keep them to "virtue signal" their literacy (literacy signaling?). I think they (we) do it because we like reading, and have a fuckton of books.

I know I read tons, and actually reread books I've already read, so I never, ever get rid of books (I mean, I'm in my 40s and I still own books from when I was 10). But my aunt reads books once and moves on, so she tends to buy a book, read it, and then donate it to the local library or pass it on to someone else to read.

I don't think I've ever known anyone who owned bookcases full of books solely in a decorative sense, in the same way people will have figurines or knick-knacks. I'm not saying they don't exist (rare book collectors probably fall more into that sphere), but there's almost always another motive to own book collections.

Ironically, the same aunt who doesn't keep her books used to have a knick-knack cabinet that she used to keep little penguin figurines in.
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