Steve Pavlina: Reading as mental exercise
By Robert Nagle
Steve Pavlina on the benefits of reading:
But the actual knowledge and the new distinctions you gain from reading are not the main benefit. My experience has shown me that the real benefit comes not from what you read but rather from the habit of reading. When you read a new book every week, you condition your mind to keep taking in new knowledge. Your thinking remains fresh and sharp. Your brain is always churning on new ideas, looking for new distinctions it can make. Every day you pour in more ideas, which your brain must find a way to integrate into your existing knowledge base. Frequent reading fires up your neural activity, even during the periods when you aren’t reading.
Of course, reading web pages is a kind of reading, but not as intensive as book reading. I just love reading a book before going to bed. Even if it’s for 30 minutes or so, that reading is immensely pleasurable. Last night I read a letter from Paris to Helen in Ovid’s Heroides. Paris is trying to convince Helen to leave Meneleus. Tomorrow I’ll be reading Helen’s letter in reply. I can’t wait. By the way, here’s a free online translation of Ovid’s Heroides by Tony Kline, and here’s more about Tony Kline.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Steve Pavlina’s comments are so true. I keep about 3-4 books next to my bed, usually the Deep & Meaningful (philosophy, the Classics, history) and one good old fashioned detective story for the nights when my brain is just not fit for anything else! I also wonder whether watching television late at night makes for a disturbed night’s sleep? Reading a book seems to make my mind more relaxed, ready to sleep. That alone would certainly improve mental abilities.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Reading is a source of ideas and information and when these two are put together in unprecedented, unusual and unpredictable ways it sparks creativity. Steve Pavlina manages to do this through using reading as one source for ideas and information and that is why his articles are vastly rewarding and original.