The Pleasures and Powers from Reading Books

Think about it this way: you live in your head with your own thoughts.

But if somebody printed your thoughts on paper for just one week, you'd be surprised at how boring and meaningless they would seem.

The same thoughts would repeat over and over again.

And your world would be very limited.

Living in a city with a particular culture, seeing the same people every day, and watching the same TV shows or listening to the same podcasts every day, creates a very small and limited world. You are suffering because of it.

A book takes you out of your world. It is an adventure where you get to travel to ancient Rome and see Marcus Aurelius, the emperor. You also go to ancient Greece and experience the Peloponnesian War. You get to see ancient Egypt and all the strange things they did. Additionally, you get to go to Renaissance Italy and hang out with Leonardo da Vinci. Lastly, you follow Napoleon Bonaparte and his battlefields.

When you read a book, you are exposed to ideas from people that are not you. These ideas can be interesting, weird, or even strange.

You also get the opportunity to learn about theories and ideas from other cultures, which can feel like they are from another planet. This exposure can open your mind to new perspectives.

It's like taking a trip.

It's like being able to travel.

It's like exploring different perspectives and cultures that are not from the ordinary.

It's like getting out of your own little world, your own little apartment, and seeing the world.