Reading Less to Learn More
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Why do I read?
I suppose many answers could be given, but I think I read mostly to enlarge myself. Reading, especially reading other points of view, enlarges my thinking. Blogging, in part, thrives on the dialectic of divergent points of view. Even our little eddy of the blogging pond thrives on such discourse, though some might think Orthodoxy monolithic. I hesitate to accuse others of being reactionary; pots and kettles, beams and splinters, and all that. However, there comes a point at which the tone of a writer’s work is no longer healthy for me. (Forgive me for further hypocrisy.)
Sometimes a blogger feigns interest in the views of others by inviting their comments, when in fact, they view their website as their “home,” and honest discussion is not wanted. Please pet my ego, the blogger says, and tell me you think I’m right. Please don’t give me another view to consider. That is distasteful in my “home.” There is one blogger I know who does this well: World Tim Zone. How does he do this? He doesn’t ask the reader to respond. He doesn’t care what you think (which can also be an admirable trait in a thinker); if you want to say something about it, get your own blog.
Sometimes it is simply an unwillingness to accept alternate understandings. My way is right, and there is no other. From outside, my Orthodox Christian faith probably looks like that. Conservative Christianity looks like that to most non-Christians. Unless you’re a religious relativist, faith in general will look like that at some level. Yet, there is a certain haughtiness that is unattractive, and I just don’t want to read it anymore. (I am sure I’ve lost readers to the right and left of my rather eccentric views for just this attitude. Mea culpa.)
I am pruning my blogroll. I know that some use my site as a launch pad for other blogs, so please feel free to ask me about blogs I’ve removed. I may be persuaded to re-graft them onto this sickly little page. However, you probably won’t get me to re-subscribe to them in my newsreader.
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6 Responses to “Reading Less to Learn More”
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February 16th, 2005 at 3:50 pm
So, what the heck happened to your blog?
February 16th, 2005 at 3:54 pm
Erich: Gideon summarized it nicely.
February 18th, 2005 at 11:01 am
Alright, what did I say this time?
February 18th, 2005 at 11:09 am
Actually, I think I know what I’ve said. I’m a little disappointed that you don’t think I’m interested in discussion, or that you think I just want you to pet my ego. Just because we don’t or won’t agree on a topic does not mean we can’t talk about it. But you do what you have to do: this is your choice, man, and I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong for it. I just don’t understand at what point something I wrote bothered you this much–you certainly haven’t given me any prior notice. In fact, I’ve been waiting for your further comments from our last discussion. Should I assume that these will not be coming?
February 18th, 2005 at 12:48 pm
This is fascinating. Pete, you are the last person I would expect to get defensive on this subject. To be honest, I was thinking of someone else entirely. Though your reaction reminds me that I need to add Crawling Off the Altar to my blogroll. I removed “Fierce Trousers” because you weren’t blogging there anymore.
As for comments on theocracy et cetera, I think I will blog about it here. I’m not blowing you off, brother.
February 18th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
WHOOPS!!! Sorry for the overreaction on my part. I hope you understand why I was so surprised, though!
Be blessed.