Why don't Americans read?

[Mel Carriere]

I just took a gander at the top posting list of this forum. It seems that no Americans are in the top ten. Does this mean that us Yanks don't read, or that we just don't post? The two front runners are Irish, and the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen.' I would be interested in learning how people from other English speaking lands perceive us Americans. I realize we are not a country noted for its towering intellects, but it is rather shameful we can't crack the top ten in book readers on this forum. What are the thoughts of the world at large about American reading, and about our culture in general? Tell the truth, I won't be offended.

[Gannon]

I just took a gander at the top posting list of this forum. It seems that no Americans are in the top ten. Does this mean that us Yanks don't read, or that we just don't post? The two front runners are Irish, and the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen.' I would be interested in learning how people from other English speaking lands perceive us Americans. I realize we are not a country noted for its towering intellects, but it is rather shameful we can't crack the top ten in book readers on this forum. What are the thoughts of the world at large about American reading, and about our culture in general? Tell the truth, I won't be offended.

Hi there Mel Carriere. I hope you are not including Australia when you say "the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen'". Because we have not sung that anthom for over 25 years now.
Just for the record it's "Save" not "Bless".

[love_aud]

I think that in America MOST of us don't because of the school system. I know so many people who don't read because they find it "a waste of time" but find it useful to stay online all day long and do stupid stuff. So yes I totally understand why they say that America doesn't read. Though I am from America and read a lot so

[Mel Carriere]

I just took a gander at the top posting list of this forum. It seems that no Americans are in the top ten. Does this mean that us Yanks don't read, or that we just don't post? The two front runners are Irish, and the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen.' I would be interested in learning how people from other English speaking lands perceive us Americans. I realize we are not a country noted for its towering intellects, but it is rather shameful we can't crack the top ten in book readers on this forum. What are the thoughts of the world at large about American reading, and about our culture in general? Tell the truth, I won't be offended.

Hi there Mel Carriere. I hope you are not including Australia when you say "the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen'". Because we have not sung that anthom for over 25 years now.
Just for the record it's "Save" not "Bless".

You're right. I wish I could take it back. I spent some time in Australia as a young man, I love the Aussies and I stand corrected.

[Tralala]

Cuz we stoopid.
We've got too many other "easier" things to do...ten zillion channels of tv, for starters. And everybody's gotta have the newest thing...I thought "we" might be reading more often now that e-readers are "the thing", but I suspect that everyone's just downloading "entertainment" "magazines". Keep it up, yahoos, you're contributing to my paycheck!
I just read "The Affluent Society" again. Can ya tell?
~~"Tral"

[Fran]

Very interesting, I wonder why?

[Christine80]

I think that in America MOST of us don't because of the school system. I know so many people who don't read because they find it "a waste of time" but find it useful to stay online all day long and do stupid stuff. So yes I totally understand why they say that America doesn't read. Though I am from America and read a lot so

I agree with you about the school system. My son was having a bullying problem at his school so my husband started homeschooling this year. Well we found out that at 13 in the 7th grade he couldn't put together more than a simple sentence. So I'm asking myself how did they give him A's in English and pass him if he can't even do that. He has learned more in 4 months from us than he did in the past 4 years in school.

I think that parents need to step up and stop waiting on other people or society to educate our kids because its not working. Stop worrying about the things we don't have and start being grateful for the things we do. People say it but they don't live it.

[ThrivingDad]

I just took a gander at the top posting list of this forum. It seems that no Americans are in the top ten. Does this mean that us Yanks don't read, or that we just don't post? The two front runners are Irish, and the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen.' I would be interested in learning how people from other English speaking lands perceive us Americans. I realize we are not a country noted for its towering intellects, but it is rather shameful we can't crack the top ten in book readers on this forum. What are the thoughts of the world at large about American reading, and about our culture in general? Tell the truth, I won't be offended.

I think it's the educational system. Kids are not held up to high standards anymore. You get many high school graduates that can't read at an 8th grade level nowadays.

[cbcorysgirl]

Cuz we stoopid.
We've got too many other "easier" things to do...ten zillion channels of tv, for starters. And everybody's gotta have the newest thing...I thought "we" might be reading more often now that e-readers are "the thing", but I suspect that everyone's just downloading "entertainment" "magazines". Keep it up, yahoos, you're contributing to my paycheck!
I just read "The Affluent Society" again. Can ya tell?
~~"Tral"

I agree that reading gets pushed aside too often, due to other entertainment out there. I think our society today is all about instant gratification. When books are made into movies, I know too many people who would rather watch the movie then take the time to read the book. Which is their loss, because the book is ALWAYS better!!
I don't agree with you about the e-readers, I have an uncle who never read books, after getting his kindle he reads all the time now. Some people may be using it mostly for other forms of entertainment but I think the majority are actually reading on them. Like I said it's all about that instant gratification, you don't have to go out and buy the book, or go to the library, or wait for it if you order online.

[Maud Fitch]

On the contrary, I believe Americans do read. Unfortunately they read their own literature.

And every novel my American friends have ever read has been penned by American authors. They themselves cannot pinpoint what influences their choices. Is it marketing and promotions, the New York Times best-seller list or their insular educational system?

As previously stated, there is information-overload happening which has the effect of reading diarrhoea, not taking the time to absorb quality books.

[RuqeeD]

On the contrary, I believe Americans do read. Unfortunately they read their own literature.

And every novel my American friends have ever read has been penned by American authors. They themselves cannot pinpoint what influences their choices. Is it marketing and promotions, the New York Times best-seller list or their insular educational system?

As previously stated, there is information-overload happening which has the effect of reading diarrhoea, not taking the time to absorb quality books.

Is it just the easy access to their own literature? Here in England there is a wider variety of British books - that is, written by British authors, and even though I have read my fair share of American books there have been a few times I haven't been able to find a book either in the library or a bookshop that might be very popular in America but just not accessible here unless I go through online means. And when it comes to certain books like classics I haven't so far seen what you might term an American classic in the bookstores I visit, but they are full of British (obviously) and European.

[Va_treehugger]

Hmmm. Americans do read. (When they are not watching reality TV or working too hard. I know reading is heavily promoted in the elementary schools where I live).

I guess it is the same in every country, (as RuqeeD referenced) one has a wider variety of books from their own country. Now that I think about it, most of the books I've read lately have been by Americans. When I was in my teens and twenties, I did read many European authors. I think I need to check the book lists for some other countries to get a well rounded reading experience.

[Bighuey]

I never really thought of it before. Interesting thought.I think its like someone above me said, its the school system. Ive known kids who have graduated high school who can hardly write their own name. They run them through like crap through a tin horn. If they learn something fine, if not thats ok too. Got rid of those bums, send in the next batch. I know that from personal experience with my oldest boy. He was having problems in high school, we went to talk to the principal and he flat told us that they dont work with the kids, if they cant hack it they can get the hell out. So we got the hell out, and put him in a private school and he graduated with good grades. I once saw a list of the best and worst school systems in the world, and the US was second or third from the bottom. Dont remember what the top one was, it seems it was some European country. Anyway, back to the subject. Most American kids are into other things besides reading. TV, internet, with my own kids it was sports and cars, stuff like that. Im not up on the newer American books, but what few I have seen arent worth reading anyway.

[love_aud]

I think that in America MOST of us don't because of the school system. I know so many people who don't read because they find it "a waste of time" but find it useful to stay online all day long and do stupid stuff. So yes I totally understand why they say that America doesn't read. Though I am from America and read a lot so

I agree with you about the school system. My son was having a bullying problem at his school so my husband started homeschooling this year. Well we found out that at 13 in the 7th grade he couldn't put together more than a simple sentence. So I'm asking myself how did they give him A's in English and pass him if he can't even do that. He has learned more in 4 months from us than he did in the past 4 years in school.

I think that parents need to step up and stop waiting on other people or society to educate our kids because its not working. Stop worrying about the things we don't have and start being grateful for the things we do. People say it but they don't live it.

That's amazing that you did that! that's good that you did that! Some school's just forget about the kids that do "okay" and just focus on the ones that do really well or do really really bad. My little sister suffered from a growth stunt because of some medicine the doctors gave her because she has Seizure disorder so it takes her some time to think of things. So, last year my mom took her out of school part time, so she could have a tutor come to help her figure things out at her own pace. But that's really awesome that you took control over your child's education.

[Tralala]

I don't agree with you about the e-readers, I have an uncle who never read books, after getting his kindle he reads all the time now. Some people may be using it mostly for other forms of entertainment but I think the majority are actually reading on them. Like I said it's all about that instant gratification, you don't have to go out and buy the book, or go to the library, or wait for it if you order online.

That's good to know! I was having a cynical moment. Well, okay, a cynical life.
I was in a checkout line at the grocery store once, and started on my (fiftieth) rant about "why do people read all this crap, how stupid are they? No wonder we're all so dumb and can't even concentrate on anything more than a thirty-second commercial and turn 'Antiques Roadshow' into 'It's worth WHAT?', blahblahblah"...when the woman ahead of us turned around and glared...she was holding two of the "crap" magazines that I was just ranting about. Well, it's guilt, 'cause I work for most of those publications.
Fortunately, none of the people that I work with/for can actually read anything decent, so there's no way any of 'em would be on this forum. So I don't have to worry about my contract getting yanked. Right?
And if they are...well, obviously I was just kidding!