Knowledge acquisition is a gross underestimation of the fruits of reading.
There is a saying, “Kill two birds with one stone.”
Reading is closer to “Kill a flock with a rock.”
A non-exhaustive list of the benefits of reading:
- Find inspiration
- Heightened empathy
- Broadened vocabulary
- Knowledge acquisition
- Solve others’ problems
- Prevent others’ mistakes
- Prevent your own mistakes
- Improved written communication
- Improved verbal communication
- Solve your own problems more efficiently
- Cultivate the habit of sustained attention
- Increased creativity by allowing you to combine ideas
- Meditation-like benefits of quietening the monkey mind
- Add depth and meaning to everyday interactions with more raw material
- A greater capacity for meaningful interactions with a wider range of people
When you’re justifying reading more, remember that it’s not just knowledge acquisition.