Reading a book is lame. Are you serious??

Hi there! It’s Monday and I’m here to discuss a very interesting topic with you. It's something that happened to me yesterday and I'm still furious. So, take some time to read this post and please tell me your thoughts. I really want to know what you’re thinking. Don't hesitate to tell me if I'm wrong. 

So, yesterday I went for coffee with a bunch of friends. The sun was hot, the day was beautiful and going out was ‘necessary’. At some point, someone started to talk about books and he said that he doesn’t want to waste his time reading! He said that reading is for old people and something that he will do at his retirement! Well, as you can imagine that was my first stroke. I mean, okay, I understand that some people just don’t like to read, but reading’s not a waste of time. I won’t even begging to say how much reading means for many people, but in my opinion, reading is way better than sitting all day in front of the TV, or playing games. I’m just saying.

Anyway, I could have let this pass but what followed made me even more furious. A second guy agreed by saying that reading fiction can’t offer you almost anything and the only books we should read are academic books. I swallowed my frustration and I took some deep breaths or else I would have punched someone. These two guys, in five minutes, managed to annihilate a form of art. I mean where the world is going if each of us starts to reject and make fun of the arts? Did any of them thought how hard was for those writers to create a book? A book is someone’s art. He didn’t just wake up one day and tossed some words on paper and called it a book! Do they know what sacrifices the author did in order to create a story; a solid story that people read and care about? 

When I have a book in my hands, I treat it with the respect it needs. Someone struggled in order for me to read it and he/she deserves my respect. Even if I end up hating the story, I will never hate the book. I can accept that those two people don’t like to read but I will not tolerate to degrade either reading or writing. All those authors, known or unknown, who wrote a fictional or any other story, they do worth our respect. Even if their story will never get published or even if their story will hit the bestseller list.

Reading a book develops your imagination, is fun, introduces you to new ideas, entertains you and keeps your mind sharp. These are just a few things that popped into my mind. I’m sure you can think of more.

It pisses me off that some people make fun or disgrace what they don’t understand. Most of the times they act like this, thinking that what they do is the only right way for people to act. Hey, you’re young, so the only thing you should do is to get drank every day and sleep around.

You’re reading?? OMG, you are a geek!

You are writing? OMG, get a life!

Yeah, allow me not to care what these people think about. And here it fits an older post I had published. Talk or stay Silent? I think it’s good that I keep my mouth shut.  

So, I’m asking you now…what would you say to those two guys if you were in my place? Am I overreacting?