The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
As regular readers know, I often write about what politicians read, and what it says about them. It is generally a good thing when politicians read, as reading shows a seriousness of mind and exposes them to ideas and perspectives that talking to aides and supporters may not be providing. There is, however, a caveat: the politicians should actually read, or at least be familiar with, the books they are citing. The Economist has a story today about the Mexican presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto, who referred to the Bible, but admitted not having read the whole thing. He then wrongly thought a second book was written by a historian, when it was in fact a Carlos Fuentes novel. And then he pulled a Rick Perry by searching for the name of a third book, but failing to come up with it. Reading by politicians should be encouraged, but politicians fake being readers at their peril.
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Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
I think politicians take nodding along to a whole new level. A certain bit of nodding a long is necessary in life. Yeah, sure, I totally know exactly which band you're talking about. What's my favorite song? Too many to even decided really, what's yours?
But actively pretending to have read, seen, or done something? I think we can all imagine that person at a party. The boasting windbag telling stories with major holes in them. The one who took the class with you but didn't read any of the material and now he's quoting what the professor put on the slides. The question is: do we really want that guy making decisions for us?
Feb '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
This reminds me of the recent Romney/Baier interview, in which Romney skipped over the fun book he was reading in favor of name-dropping. (Decision Points was one book he cited; I can't recall the others.) I would really really like to know what Romney reads for fun. I am not claiming that Romney did not read the serious books he named. But I already knew he was an earnest good doobie. I wanted to know that he is human.
Aug '10
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
How many people on the planet can honestly say they've read The Bible cover-to-cover?
It takes serious dedication to get through the Book of Numbers.
Jul '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
I will admit to having personally never read the Bible cover to cover. As a result however, I never quote from it. I think a lot of people conflate being intelligent with being well-read. This leads to a lot of people claiming to have read things they haven't.
Now, with that said, I have read thousands of books (novels and non-fiction) and am not entirely certain that I could accurately quote from any except the most recent of them.
Mar '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
Fake reader syndrome is obnoxious and always makes my skin crawl. It reminds me of the scene from Metropolitan where Tom hates on Jane Austen even though he hasn't read a word she's written. I start dismissing other things of value the person might be saying if they try to dress up their opinion with false learning.
Look, if you were more influenced by Norman Vincent Peale than Aristotle, brother, just say it. No shame there. Rather, there is dignity in recognizing who you are and an ugliness of soul in the man who lacks self-awareness.
I think this might go beyond just nodding along. Nodding along takes a kind of emotional or social intelligence where you read another person carefully enough to facilitate a conversation via quick agreement. The politician who 'fake reads' strikes me as clumsy at reading other people because they've failed to notice that most avid readers aren't the sort of folks that brag about reading-so-and-so, regardless of whether or not said reading occurred on or in the vicinity of a beach.
Nov '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
It's good that most people consider book-reading to be an admirable habit, even better that most people do not practice that habit, and best of all that almost everyone fibs about doing it.
"Hypocrisy is the compliment vice pays to virute," so to challenge hypocrisy's compliment because of some harmless falsity in it is unwise, especially when hypocrisy's compliment supports the otherwise uncertain respectability of a pleasant habit--book-reading--which should not long remain respectable if practiced more widely.
So we should be thankful for politicians, who set the proper example: Praise book-reading, claim to do it, but don't actually do it unless (like every other bad habit) you just can't stop yourself. If you can't stop yourself from doing it, dissimulation might again be the better policy, as few people are actually fond of the fewer people who truthfully admit the dubious habit.
Do you imagine this country would be a happier place if more of us were readers? Having lived a while in the 60615 zip, I say it's better to be a une nation de boutiquiers.
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
I like Crow's Nest's coinage of "Fake reader syndrome." With respect to Misthiocracy and J. Voss, I am not sure you need to have read every "begat" to be able to claim to have read the Bible. I will say, however, that Numbers is far more readable than Leviticus, especially from a plot perspective. As for what Romney reads, I wrote this piece for the Washington Post about what the GOP candidates are reading: Romney is partial to science fiction.
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
Tevi, you've often focused on what Republican politicians are reading. Have you ever taken a look at the books that Democrats read or, as the case may be, pretend to read? Has Maxine Waters, for instance, ever read a book? I'd also be curious to know Nancy Pelosi's reading list.
Apr '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
This may be the interview you're looking for. He'd recently finished Anna Karenina, which he apparently loved. He enjoys watching Modern Family and The Mentalist.
Apr '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
I'm no bible enthusiast but even I have caught people claiming to know the bible getting their stories mixed up. Someone I know once referred to the bible story about the Sword of Androcles. I expected him to next tell me about the bible story involving Goldilocks and the three wise men. Or maybe the bible story about King Arthur and his arch-enemy, Hercules.
Apr '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
Mama Toad:
I would really really like to know what Romney reads for fun. · Dec 6 at 10:16am
Well, if you really, really want to know:
"I mean I like the Twilight series. I thought it was fun," Romney said. "I don't like vampires personally, I don't know any but you know my granddaughter was reading it and I thought, well this looks like fun so I read that."
Apr '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
From the Parade article James of England linked to:
Is it true you were the one who pushed him to try again for the presidency?
After the last race, I never wanted to do it again. But I knew that business success wasn’t enough for Mitt and he wouldn’t be fulfilled without this other piece. And I felt the country needed him.
Why?
What he could bring to the presidency was exactly what the country needs right now. He has got experience in both the private sector and the government sector. And he’s got that ability to be such a great leader. This is now Mitt’s time.
Okay, it's a fluffy interview with his wife, but I still think it's telling that the idea of principles or values doesn't seem to figure into the equation. My impression remains that for Romney the White House just another CEO gig. He has zero interest in actually fighting for conservative values and reforms.
He'll drink chocolate milk and read Twilight while America simmers - and conservatism takes the fall.
Apr '11
Re: The Danger of Being a Fake Reader
Cutlass, how is "and I felt the country needed him" not a reference to his principles?
Imagine he views the Presidency as just another CEO gig. Do you imagine that he'd view that as a passive role, or that being CEO would involve behaving as he has done in previous CEO positions, cutting spending, defeating unions, and deregulating? I can see how "just another CEO" gig could be a problem if the upcoming struggles were primarily social (although it's worth noting that he was willing to fight for social conservative causes as governor, most notably on embryonic stem cell research). If you think that this is about spending and the economy, though, a "CEO fight" is much the same as a "conservative fight".