What Again and Again in Reading Means
Let's Put an End to the "Read That Again" Meme Madness
Major reading issues in the Age of Skimming.
Manifestly, people don't read.
That's what I've determined. I know this because of a common meme tagline in contempo years that demands the readers to:
"Read that again."
My mind has officially been blown by the number of times I've seen some supposedly life-altering statement on social media followed by the tagline "read that over again" — and information technology'due south really starting to piss me off. And then here'due south my mini-rant followed by my mini-challenge to hopefully wipe this tagline off the internet for good.
My "Read It Again" Rant
To these meme creators: start of all, don't be lazy. If you desire me to read it once more, and so WRITE IT Once again.
Yeah, if you want me to read it again, then write information technology again. Just like that. Not too hard, huh?
Second, if I actually read it, I wouldn't need to "read it again." What makes y'all remember that if I didn't read it the offset time, I will go dorsum and read information technology the second time? Why, because you said then?! Who are you, my boss?
This nonsense of telling people to "read that over again" makes it seem like you're Einstein. You're not. How practice I know? First of all, y'all're making a meme. Second, your meme is non giving people the secrets to the universe. It's saying something rather obvious that people already know. But y'all're still trying to slam it into their heads by demanding they "read that again."
People like me who actually read when nosotros read are annoyed when nosotros are asked to read again. It's insulting, actually. It ways that you think I take a third-grade comprehension level, but somehow yous're writing at a twelfth-form level.
You're not. I got it the starting time fourth dimension, genius.
Problems With the Age of Skimming
Ok, rant consummate. Now on to the more pressing matters.
The consistency with which people are using this "read information technology again" phrase supports a contempo, disturbing discovery that'south likely the crusade of this nonsense. A series of studies concluded that a new reading norm is arising with our digital age. It's called skimming. These studies found that most people skimmed words on a page in a specific blueprint looking for keywords, withal few people sunk deep into the material.
In other words, few people really read. The ultimate trouble with skimming is that readers don't "have time to grasp complexity, to empathize another'southward feelings, to perceive beauty, and to create thoughts of the reader'southward own."
Ah. This is making sense now. A meme that tells me to "Read that once again!" is actually saying: "Please don't skim! Go back and actually read that because that was important."
So, perhaps the issue isn't that nosotros need to read something twice. Possibly this is the issue; we need to read it the first time.
We demand to end skimming.
We need to be more than choosy with our content.
And — set yourself for a big i (that way I won't have to ask yous to read it again) — we need to commit.
Considering, equally I see information technology, skimming is really a commitment problem. We but take and so much time in our day, just there are so many articles on the internet.
How will we fit it all in? Oh, I know. Nosotros can skim. We can skip over the parts that nosotros:
A) don't understand
B) don't care to understand
C) think are irksome
Instead, we settle on words that are familiar or that nosotros deem more interesting.
A Mini-Challenge to Put an Finish to "Read That Once again" Memes
So, hither's my claiming to all of usa (yes, I sometimes skim too! Rarely though, I promise).
Go through your Medium feed. Notice one new author per day for the rest of the month. Pick 3 articles from that writer — each at least 5 minutes or more in length. And commit to reading all the manner through each of the three articles.
At present, old habits dice difficult. Even though this skimming habit is likely less than 10 years old, it's a digital habit… and digital habits seem to die harder than the rest. Point beingness, you lot're going to want to skim. You're going to notice yourself getting bored.
Globe-trotting off…
Lulled past the possibility of all the other manufactures out there…
But what if they could woo you so much better than this one?…
Simply notice those things, and so recommit! Take your hand off that scroll push button and commit. Read. Tedious downwardly. Experience. Exhale. Stay with information technology. You tin can practise it. Commit, commit, commit!
You may notice something new. Y'all may learn something new. You may realize that when writers pen a 5–ten minute article, they're typically trying to craft a small piece of art with a starting time, middle, and terminate. When you skip over these pieces, y'all crook yourself! Yous receive less depth, less learning, and less comprehension every bit a reader. Likewise, you might miss out on a great story or some laughs. How awful is that?
Total-Read February Challenge 2021
Don't crook yourself anymore. Commit to reading iii full Medium articles all the fashion through for the residuum of February.
Take the Full-Read February Claiming with me.
Starting Sunday, Feb seven, 2021. 15 minutes of commitment per mean solar day to one Medium writer. 3 articles each twenty-four hour period. 3 weeks long. Choose a different writer each day. In total, you lot will explore the writing of 21 new-to-you writers on this platform.
Added bonus: yous can share the articles yous read or your thoughts on this practice. Make sure to tag me @kristy.lynn so I can read what you wrote.
I'll also exist posting daily on my Twitter: @KristyL_writer
You can do this. And, who knows — you may love it and so much you ditch skimming and keep reading!
leatherwoodnihing59.blogspot.com
Source: https://medium.com/free-thinkr/lets-put-an-end-to-the-read-that-again-meme-madness-3b17e27969f6
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