{"id":882,"date":"2008-12-18T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2008-12-18T17:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/18\/how-to-read-books-you-disagree-with\/"},"modified":"2019-03-08T09:07:04","modified_gmt":"2019-03-08T17:07:04","slug":"how-to-read-books-you-disagree-with","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/18\/how-to-read-books-you-disagree-with\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Read Books You Disagree With"},"content":{"rendered":"

Several months ago, I wrote an entry entitled, \u201cIs It Better to Read Books You Disagree With?<\/a>\u201d.   It\u2019s human nature to fill your life with people, books and media that agrees with you.  Liberal viewers are more likely to watch The Daily Show than The O\u2019Reilly Factor.  Fundamentalist Christian readers would probably prefer reading, Of Pandas and People<\/em> rather than Richard Dawkins.<\/p>\n

While this may be human nature, that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s optimal.  When you only read authors and books you agree with, you aren\u2019t going to be challenged.  Defending an elegantly crafted argument from the opposing side will teach you far more about an issue than simply nodding your head along to your favorite writer.<\/p>\n

And the best benefit of reading books you disagree with is that sometimes they change your mind.  You develop a more sophisticated view of the world when you\u2019re shown a different perspective.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think it\u2019s unreasonable to draw a few conclusions about reading books you disagree with:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. They are more mentally stimulating.<\/li>\n
  2. They have a greater chance of giving you new ideas.<\/li>\n
  3. You learn more from having to defend against an argument, than by swallowing one where you already agree with the conclusion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The only argument I\u2019ve seen for not reading disagreeable books is that somehow, reading a book you disagree with will taint your mind and you may be converted over to the opposite side.  For people who follow this logic, it either means that their skills with logic are so poor that they will be easily overwhelmed by broken arguments, or they are genuinely worried they might be wrong.<\/p>\n

    Good in Theory, Hard to Do In Practice<\/h2>\n

    In theory, this idea sounds great, and in the article, I left the idea at that.  But there\u2019s one problem with this approach: it\u2019s incredibly hard to do.  Looking through the bookstore, it\u2019s incredibly hard for me to pick up a book and pay $30 to disagree with someone from cover to cover.<\/p>\n

    The other problem is one of taste.  Even if you buy the book, can you stomach it the whole way through?  Reading a book you disagree with completely might not be nearly as enjoyable as following your favorite author defend an idea you already believe.<\/p>\n

    I think there\u2019s three strategies you can use to expand your reading diet: cycling, picking fringe books and focusing on quality over viewpoint.<\/p>\n

    Strategy One: Cycling<\/h2>\n

    This tip is simply to cycle your books, so for every book you select where you agree with the main conclusion, pick one where you disagree.  Rotating is easier than only reading authors you don\u2019t agree with, and it\u2019s more effective than just sticking inside your own camp.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re reading a well-written book, debating against the argument can feel like trying to take down a professional boxer.  They have spent years structuring and researching their perspective, so if you aren\u2019t prepared it can be overwhelming to articulate your side.  By reading from both camps you can have a more balanced perspective, making reading a disagreeable book less threatening.<\/p>\n

    Strategy Two: Fringe Books<\/h2>\n

    The next tip is to pick books where you agree with most of the author\u2019s points, but begin disagreeing with a few ideas.  This is easier to handle since you have more common ground with the author.<\/p>\n

    How do you decide whether a book fits this category?  Read the jacket to get a rough idea what the conclusions are going to be in the book.  If you do this, and find it hard to decide whether you agree or disagree, then it\u2019s a good book to read.<\/p>\n

    I almost never look for books where I completely agree with the premises.  The best books fit somewhere in this category because they are more interesting, but less frustrating than books where you have little in common with the author.  These are also the books most likely to persuade you, since you don\u2019t immediately close your mind when you start reading.<\/p>\n

    Strategy Three: Look for Quality, Not Perspective<\/h2>\n

    Book reviews in blogs and newspapers are often how I find new books to read.  Although this tip might make me a snob, I believe critical support helps me weigh a book\u2019s merits.  A book I disagree with, but has provoked intelligent reviews is worth considering.<\/p>\n

    The purpose of reading books you disagree with is to test you mentally.  But this doesn\u2019t stand if the arguments used in the book are irrational and broken.  Intelligent discussion about a book is a good sign that, even if you disagree, you will at least be challenged by reading the book.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s a Big Library, Pick Wisely<\/h2>\n

    The degree to which you disagree with the author isn\u2019t the only factor when choosing a book.  Interest in the topic, relevance to your life and entertainment are all important.  So is the decision for your next book to be fiction or non-fiction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    But yesterday I walked through my campus library to find a new book to read.  There are tens of thousands of books stored there.  In a lifetime, I doubt I\u2019d be able to read even a tenth of the books contained there.  With so much to choose from, and so little time to actually read, it pays to think a little about what you pick off the shelf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Several months ago, I wrote an entry entitled, \u201cIs It Better to Read Books You Disagree With?\u201d.   It\u2019s human nature to fill your life with people, books and media that agrees with you.  Liberal viewers are more likely to watch The Daily Show than The O\u2019Reilly Factor.  Fundamentalist Christian readers would probably prefer reading, Of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[681,661],"tags":[188,75,266,159,29,14,35],"class_list":{"0":"post-882","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-nc-mindset","7":"category-reading","8":"tag-books","9":"tag-challenge","10":"tag-disagree","11":"tag-ideas","12":"tag-learning","13":"tag-mental","14":"tag-reading","15":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Read Books You Disagree With - Scott H Young<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Only buying books you agree with isn\u2019t challenging. 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