[stanrivers]

The other thing that is important about reading beyond brain development is the learning of lessons / history / culture. I can't remember who the quote is from, but something like "He who does not read lives but one life. He who reads can live thousands."

There is also something about forming your own identity that is important too - like understanding history tells you something about who you are and who you can become. Stealing from David McCullough [1]:

"History is philosophy taught with examples... First of all we have to get across the idea that we have to know who we were if we’re to know who we are and where we’re headed."

"The Greeks said that character is destiny, and the more I read and understand of history, the more convinced I am that they were right... It is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed."

And so reading is much more than just developing skills around reading and focus, it is about learning and growing as an individual.

[1] https://www.butwhatfor.com/p/takeaway-tuesday-knowing-histor...

[autoexec]

> The other thing that is important about reading beyond brain development is the learning of lessons / history / culture. I can't remember who the quote is from, but something like "He who does not read lives but one life. He who reads can live thousands."

You could say the same today about video games, movies, television, or even youtubers. Exposure to culture enriches the mind.

[tnel77]

Not to imply playing video games is as intellectually stimulating as reading, but I feel like some games really challenge you in a positive manner. The ability to manage your inventory, interact with characters, make choices and deal with the consequences are all great for expanding your mind. Essentially, playing some RPGs (I feel) can make you a slightly better person whereas I have a hard time seeing the intellectual value in something like Fortnite.

[autoexec]

That's absolutely true. The game matters. Games with a strong story can put you in the role of someone with unfamiliar backgrounds and challenges where other games are more about reflexes. I think they likely all have some sort of value. Fine motor skills, teamwork, dealing with success/failure, spatial reasoning, etc. but a good story is great for lessons you can't get with space invaders or bejeweled.

[Filligree]

Factorio? Stationeers? There’s games and then there’s games.

People seem to like writing off the entire medium, which makes about as much sense to me as neglecting all of fiction. That happens, too.

[tnel77]

Yeah those are excellent examples of brain games!

[imtringued]

>The ability to manage your inventory, interact with characters, make choices and deal with the consequences are all great for expanding your mind.

Have you tried playing Minecraft with mods? You know, something like GT New Horizons or Omnifactory. Those will melt your brain. They are the equivalent of climbing a mountain vs taking a leisurely stroll (reading). The idea that reading would be as mentally stimulating as that sounds ridiculous to me.

"Some RPGs". You have seen nothing. Nothing at all.

[Filligree]

There's a strange assumption going around the (western?) world that, because something is fun for children, it must be bad for you.