OK, I’ve been spacing out on reading books for a while now, favoring reading blog posts. I can waste my entire day on the Intertubes if I let myself.
But now, I’m spacing on long blog posts, finding myself favoring short and pithy stuff. Oh there are still some writers who can hold my attention for a long post, but really – shouldn’t my attention span be longer than this?
How about you, is anyone else having this problem lately?
4 Responses
I found that my attention span for reading books improved a great deal when I had my eyes checked this summer, and then filled the prescription for a new pair of reading glasses.
Yup, been there, done that. Before I had my cataract surgery I was down to “reading” books on tape. I do have good reading glasses, just don’t use them enough. ;^)
But it’s more I’m looking for that quick information fix as opposed to wanting to take the time to be with a story in-depth, I think. The American disease….
Maybe you don’t read the correct lecture. I’ve just finished “The unbearable lightness of being” by Milan Kundera and I haven’t had any problem, just because the book was so amazing. But if I read other books that sometimes even won high prizes (like Empire Falls, damn that was a lousy book, although it won the Pullitzer), I can’t concentrate for longer that 15 pages.
I have the same problem with blogs, I really like reading blogs, but it’s very hard to stay concentrated more than 3 posts, it’s just impossible. That’s why I read them in small parts during the day. It helps a bit and it passed time 🙂
I totally get this! I have had to discipline myself to not read blogs, even though the long posts scare me off because of my short attention span, and have started reading disposable novels (thrillers). I need the quick fix right now. (And Happy Darwin Day to both of you!)