Reading is Faster than Listening

“Reading is faster than listening. Doing is faster than watching.” — The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness

If reading is a faster way to consume information than listening, why do so many people prefer listening?

I’m amazed at the number of people who don’t like to read. I’m also amazed at the people who read as many fiction books as they do. I can’t blame them because I’m currently reading Project Hail Mary and look forward to each chapter. The last fiction book I remember getting really into was The Stand.

I don’t necessarily consider myself a reader, considering how many television shows I’ve watched, but I’d put my book count higher than most of my friends based on generic responses like, “I don’t like to read.”

I consume the Wall Street Journal daily. I go through stages where sometimes I’ll binge-watch a show, and other times I’ll crush four or five books that I download over a week or two. I tend to get especially far along when I’m traveling.

All that setting was to make a point about the opening quote: reading is faster than listening.

As a reader, I’ve always felt like I was lagging behind people who listened to podcasts. It’s almost as if there are two groups of people, those who prefer reading and those who prefer listening. I’d be surprised if there were people who were split anywhere close to 50/50.

I, for one, don’t enjoy podcasts. I find them slow. I watched some Barstool clips where they were ragging on Rico Bosco, and I thought it was funny, but ultimately pointless. I’ve tried Theo Von and Joe Rogan, and don’t get me wrong, I find interviews with Musk and Zuckerberg entertaining. They offer a type of conversation and interaction you can’t get from a book. But the format takes too long for me to hang with.

I suppose the counterargument is that podcasts allow you to do something else while listening. You can drive, exercise, or clean the house while somebody talks about whatever it is they’re talking about. But I wonder how much of that information you’re actually retaining.

When I’m reading, I’m paying attention. I’m moving at my own pace. If something is boring, I skip ahead. If it’s interesting, I slow down. Maybe people don’t dislike reading as much as they dislike the attention it requires. Listening allows you to be entertained without having to do much of anything.

Bud made an interesting point about reading speed. When you look at a restaurant menu, you’re able to identify the options much faster than if somebody were reading every item aloud to you. I hadn’t thought of it like that, but it makes perfect sense. You can scan an entire page in seconds, pick out what interests you, and ignore the rest.

Which makes me wonder why more people don’t like to read if it’s the more efficient way to consume information.

Is reading speed a skill you have to develop? I was a dumbass at English growing up, so I don’t think it has much to do with an inherent skill set. I’d agree that the faster you can read, the more you enjoy it. And the more you enjoy it, the more you read. Maybe it’s a self-reinforcing cycle.

Of course, reading doesn’t always have to be about efficiency or learning something useful.

I read a book by David Duchovny a few weeks ago, and it was really good. It took me about two weeks, and I couldn’t believe how entertained I was throughout. I don’t even know why I decided to read it. Maybe because I like Californication. Maybe that book was what he was writing as an author in Californication?

I’ve spent too much time on this post so I can’t delve into the doing is faster than watching, but also a good point.