The Opportunity Costs of Reading Books

Study Notes

Many effective altruists and rationalists oppose reading books due to the opportunity costs involved.
The belief is that most books are unnecessarily long and filled with fluff to make them seem impressive.
Authors often extend their ideas into books to boost their CV and gain media attention.
The last part of the book "Lifespan" by David Sinclair contains two chapters about his political and social views that are not related to his area of expertise on aging.
Sinclair's opinions on politics and social issues are unremarkable and similar to what one would find in Atlantic think pieces.
The majority of books are similar to this, with needless padding and repetitive arguments.
Academics often publish a paper in a major journal and then present the same results in a book, adding useless words.
Economists are generally more negative towards books due to opportunity costs.
Reading a 300-page book may not be the most efficient way to learn about a topic, as shorter articles and summaries can provide the same information.
Academic articles are often filled with filler and can be skipped in parts.
Substacks and tweets are efficient methods of transferring information as they cut out the useless fluff.
Reading a book is a large commitment that puts the reader at the mercy of one author's perspective.

Description

Are you a bookworm or do you prefer shorter articles and summaries? Test your knowledge on the opportunity costs of reading books with this quiz. Learn about the arguments against reading books, including unnecessary padding, repetitive arguments, and the commitment required to read a full book. Discover more efficient ways to gain information on a topic and see if you agree with the economists who are generally more negative towards books. Challenge yourself with this thought-provoking quiz on the opportunity costs of reading books.