I have always loved reading. When I was young, I found it relaxing and it allowed me to escape from everyday life for a while. It gave me a break from the world and its hectic pace. However, a few years ago, I started tracking my reading habits with apps like Goodreads and similar apps. Since then, my reading experience has changed somewhat. I no longer necessarily choose a book because it appeals to me or simply because I want to read it at that time, but rather because it will allow me to achieve my annual goal. For example, I will favor a shorter book over a longer book, even though the longer book perhaps responds more to my mood and interest at that moment. Am I the only one who finds that tracking one’s reading habits and measuring the performance of this moment which is supposed to be a moment of relaxation and escape harms our reading experience? That this tends to bring a toxic notion of performance to some things that should in no way be performance-driven? For me, reading is above all a hobby that we do for ourselves and that regardless of our reading habits, the simple act of reading is a benefit in itself.
by Clauclou22