Books are almost always bad gifts

[Basman]

Because no one spends 6-12 hours reading a book they aren't interested in. Only they can now what interests them enough to commit the time to a book. Rarely have I ever seen a gifted book actually get read. It's true of me as well as the books I've gifted myself. I see that fucker collecting dust on my mates shelf, begging to know it's purpose in life, unable to just end it all. Please stop gifting people books unless you know what your doing. Your doing the world a disfavor. This needed to be said.

Edited yesterday at 09:54 PM by Basman

[Natasha Tori Maru]

32 minutes ago, Basman said:

Because no one spends 6-12 hours reading a book they aren't interested in. Only they can now what interests them enough to commit the time to a book. Rarely have I ever seen a gifted book actually get read. It's true of me as well as the books I've gifted myself. I see that fucker collecting dust on my mates shelf, begging to know it's purpose in life, unable to just end it all. Please stop gifting people books unless you know what your doing. Your doing the world a disfavor. This needed to be said.

But isn't this more a symptom of a bad gift selection?

Not necessarily books as gifts. 

[Basman]

1 hour ago, Natasha Tori Maru said:

But isn't this more a symptom of a bad gift selection?

Not necessarily books as gifts. 

Not in my experience.

[Natasha Tori Maru]

Maybe its the interpretation of the experience, then. There are several layers of judgement, interpretion and concept sneaking in

[Basman]

4 minutes ago, Natasha Tori Maru said:

Maybe its the interpretation of the experience, then. There are several layers of judgement, interpretion and concept sneaking in

Books are high investment and interest is highly specific and personal. Even when you think you nailed their interest they'll probably won't read it. I know a guy who has a PHD in viking history got gifted a book about Viking history and he never read it 😂 Time and time again.

[Natasha Tori Maru]

Just now, Basman said:

Books are high investment and interest is highly specific and personal. Even when you think you nailed their interest they'll probably won't read it. I know a guy who has a PHD in viking history got gifted a book about Viking history and he never read it 😂 Time and time again.

Sure - agree to disagree. I think its a conflation of selection and category. 

Vent away and disregard me  

[enchanted]

I read every book I get. I love a book as a present because I can talk about the book with the person. I read 3 - 5 books a month so its not a problem to go through. If I don't have time I get the audiobook and go through it like that.  Sometimes I hate the book though other times the book is great and it really helps me understand the book giver.

Edited 19 hours ago by enchanted

[Basman]

If your a book freak of course 

10 hours ago, Natasha Tori Maru said:

Sure - agree to disagree. I think its a conflation of selection and category. 

Vent away and disregard me  

I'm not just imagining it.

[Carl-Richard]

I was gifted Sadhguru's Inner Engineering by a guy in university first year. He just happened to buy it because he was interested in engineering and thought "inner engineering" sounded cool. I read it a bit, until I had to put it down because I was getting insta-awakenings just reading it.

[enchanted]

1 hour ago, Carl-Richard said:

I was gifted Sadhguru's Inner Engineering by a guy in university first year. He just happened to buy it because he was interested in engineering and thought "inner engineering" sounded cool. I read it a bit, until I had to put it down because I was getting insta-awakenings just reading it.

Haha nice 

[Carl-Richard]

13 minutes ago, enchanted said:

Haha nice 

Not gonna lie, that "coincidence" (I was watching so much Sadhguru and other spiritual teachers at the time) made me think like it was some kind of plan.

Edited 9 hours ago by Carl-Richard

[pablo_aka_god]

I disagree, the receiver may never open it or it may change their life. That's the magic of it, the possibilities it opens.

Some books are designed so that you can read isolated mini-chapters without committing to reading the entire thing.

Also they look nice on a library even if it wasn't read.

But if given as a gift it must be given without any strings attached.

[Basman]

9 times out of 10 it doesn't go anywhere in my experience. It's almost always a waste. 

[Leo Gura]

You are generally correct. I like books but when people gift me books I don't want to read those books.

It is similar to gifting clothes.

You shouldn't force yourself to read books you aren't interested in. Life is too short for that.

Edited 47 minutes ago by Leo Gura

[Basman]

Grandmas socks are the worst gift in human history. She knitted those for hours. They itch and I feel terrible.

Edited 41 minutes ago by Basman

[Leo Gura]

16 minutes ago, Basman said:

Grandmas socks are the worst gift in human history. She knitted those for hours. They itch and I feel terrible.

Use for Xmas stockings