Is reading a solitary activity?

Sometimes I think that Kim from the Upward Call and I share a weird brain connection. We frequently think about the same things and sometimes we think about them at the same time. Like this morning. Kim is thinking outloud about reading:

This one, was floating about in a number of places. It's a story about the growing popularity of electronic reading devices, specifically, Kindle, and the future of reading and writing. It disturbed me on many levels. Here is a one line that stood out to me:

"Nobody will read alone anymore"

This is a rather sad thought. Reading is supposed to be a rather solitary pursuit, is it not? And frankly, I don't think I want to see privacy and solitude become extinct. If all of this cyber "community" is so great, why are there still so many lonely people?

Funny, because I was thinking about that just last night. Tom was sitting on one end of the couch reading a biography of Benjamin Franklin. Ivy and I were laying on the opposite end. I was reading Doug Moo's commentary on Colossians. Sam was sitting in a nearby chair reading Harry Potter. We were all inwardly engaged in our own little bookish worlds; Tom absorbed with history, me with theology, Sam with fantasy. It was quiet in the house. You could hear the birds singing outside and I was keenly aware that reading was going on. Solitary pursuits--until one of us read something that required a comment. Tom shared a few things that ol' Ben got started (lending library, fire department, fire insurance), I found a word that needed looking up (still don't know what the definition of paraenetic is) which led to a brief discussion about words used in specific disciplines and areas of study, and Sam made an observation about a plot hole in the book he was reading. Every time someone spoke up, we all stopped what we were reading, listened to the other person, entered into their bookish world for a moment, then re-entered our own again--until the next observation.

I thought last night, while this was going on, how much I enjoyed times like that, when we were all reading and sharing.  Alone, but not alone. 

My favorite place to read is alone but 'not alone' with my family.

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BTW:  here's the word paraenetic in its context:

Paul's warnings about people who insist on following certain kinds of rules as basic to spiritual growth have been cited by theologians and laypeople alike to hold up the principle of Christian liberty.  And the paraenetic section of the letter, though brief, is typified by a collection of broad ethical principles that have provided significant guidance for believers seeking to translate their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ into practice.

Any ideas?

Comments

[Kim in On]

Weird brain connection. That's a perfect description!!

[sem]

The paraenetic style is that in which we give someone paraenesis.. . persuading. . . him to pursue something or to avoid something. Paraenesis . . . is divided into two parts, i.e., persuasion and dissuasion. (2)

http://www.acu.edu/sponsored/restoration_quarterly/archives/1990s/vol_38_no_3_contents/sensing.html

Hope that helps!Wow! Ask and you shall receive! Excellent! Thank you! I read the link and found it very interesting. I was totally ignorant of this concept and learned a lot.

[sem]

Restoration Quarterly

Didn't post link properly on first post. Sorry.

[John]

Sounds like a beautiful and peaceful homelife--everyone sitting together and reading. I've heard that Moo is a really good commentator. What do you think?I'm not very far along but so far, I'm liking it a lot. It's very academic, so a layperson like me is unlikely to mine its depths as deeply as someone with Greek and Hebrew and seminary training, but I am learning a lot and growing used to his style. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in an in depth study of Colossians.