I think your comments about how this sense of obligation and guilt is pretty specific to reading are spot on.
I actually happened to read this while I was in the middle of editing something that touches on similar thoughts, so I linked to you in my own post I sent out today.
I don't know if I would go so far as to say having "reader" as part of your identity is a bad thing. Although your thoughts about it definitely make me want to rethink it. At the very least, over the past couple years I've more and more come to the idea that it's better to diversify your identity. Spread your eggs of self-confidence into many baskets. It helps alleviate that sense of guilt and anxiety, I've found.
I really appreciate reading something so earnest and straightforward that helps sweep away the unhelpful cloud of obligation & pretense surrounding reading & writing. A real pleasure to read this morning.
I think your comments about how this sense of obligation and guilt is pretty specific to reading are spot on.
I actually happened to read this while I was in the middle of editing something that touches on similar thoughts, so I linked to you in my own post I sent out today.
I don't know if I would go so far as to say having "reader" as part of your identity is a bad thing. Although your thoughts about it definitely make me want to rethink it. At the very least, over the past couple years I've more and more come to the idea that it's better to diversify your identity. Spread your eggs of self-confidence into many baskets. It helps alleviate that sense of guilt and anxiety, I've found.
I really appreciate reading something so earnest and straightforward that helps sweep away the unhelpful cloud of obligation & pretense surrounding reading & writing. A real pleasure to read this morning.