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You Don’t Need to Read 100 Books a Year to be Smart
The illusion of knowledge retention
The average person in the US reads 12 books a year.
Some people will never read more than one book all their lives, and others will write a book that changes everything for everyone.
Many people take reading books for granted and aim for at least 100 books a year just to cross a number.
They care more about the number of books they are reading than how much practical knowledge they are actually accumulating for life.
Books are not status symbols. “Consuming as many books as possible has become a competitive sport for knowledge workers who want to show off their intellectual curiosity,” writes David Perell.
What was the last book you recently read? Did you absorb the main knowledge or idea the author intended to convey?
Great books are not meant to be binged like tv shows.
“The feeling you’re becoming smarter is often deceptive,” argues Maarten van Doorn. Reading 100 books a year is not a necessity or a requirement to become your best self.
Consuming more books does not make you more intelligent.
