Reading is to enlighten wisdom, broaden horizons, absorb nutrition and help success. Successful people like reading and sharing their own books.

For example, Warren Buffett's partner Munger said, "All the smart people I have come into contact with don't like reading." The implication is that if you want to be smart enough, you must keep reading. Isn't it a strong utilitarianism to make yourself smart?

And Bill Gates, who shares his book list with netizens every year. His fans will buy corresponding books to read. They are all eager to learn high-quality nutrition from the books recommended by Gates. Isn't this also utilitarian?

Besides, we have been studying since childhood in order to find a good job and a well-paid job in the future. Every student is utilitarian. If it takes 20 years to study, if it is useless, isn't it a waste of 20 years' life?

So reading must be utilitarian. Only utilitarianism can have purpose and pertinence. This kind of reading is efficient and rewarding. Especially in today's rapid development of the times, only by constantly studying and learning with a purpose can we keep up with the pace of the times.

Everyone's energy and time are limited, and there is no way to choose targeted reading. Some entrepreneurs have discovered business opportunities and developed related reading business models.

For example, reading club is a business model to help you learn. The purpose is to choose books and spend less time picking out the essence of a book and sharing it with subscribers. This is the best proof of the utility of reading.

If you are worried about not having time to study, it is a good choice to ask someone to help you with your study.

These are all utilitarian choices.

02

Counterparty: I study because I like it.

Uncle Dongguan Library left a message. In the past, his greatest pleasure besides going to work was to soak in the library. He found a new pleasure in ordinary life, that is reading.

Through reading, he not only harvested the nutrients of knowledge, but also harvested the fun of plain life. He doesn't want to change his work and life by reading. Reading helped him find the joy of enjoying a dull life.

Elite white-collar workers in many big cities are nervous and running at high speed, and they are overwhelmed by mortgage, car loan and marriage loan. Fighting spirit during the day, tears at night. Their happiness is far less than that of Uncle Wu. It is precisely because of low happiness that we treat people and things around us more utilitarian, including reading.

On the contrary, countless ordinary factory workers like reading novels in their spare time, especially fantasy novels and fairy tales. Now, with the help of technological equipment, they can also choose to listen to novels. In this way, reading is more interesting.

For them, reading is a pastime, and reading is a way to relax. The purpose is to relieve the fatigue of work and the pressure of life.

They read books because they find pleasure in reading.

03

The best choice: I specialize in the art and like reading miscellaneous books.

You never know which book you read is useful to you.

For professional books, you must read them, and read them repeatedly and thoroughly. For non-professional books, you can choose to read utilitarian books or leisure books.

Ma Weidou once said that reading miscellaneous books outside the major is called reading. Many western countries carry out "general education" with the aim of cultivating highly compound talents. The choice of textbooks for general education is similar to Ma Weidou's "miscellaneous books". Because miscellaneous books can cultivate a person's divergent thinking to a certain extent, and divergent thinking is very important for technological innovation.

For example, Li Ka-shing, a rich man, keeps the habit of reading books before going to bed every day. He not only reads management books, but also English and science books. Because he always wants to keep pace with the times. He has a famous saying: reading alone can't increase your wealth, but there are more opportunities.

Zuckerberg, the founder of facebook, read quantum mechanics to his newborn child. He said he wanted to stimulate the development of children's brains. Let children have a unique and broad vision from an early age. The idea of rich people is really strange.

In addition, you will find that the top candidates in the college entrance examination in China have not only mastered the textbook knowledge well, but also read extensively. Rich reading has increased their horizons and the depth of their thoughts. They are the top candidates in the college entrance examination and read many unprofitable books.

Therefore, whether reading should be utilitarian cannot be generalized.

Whether utilitarian or not, if you can feel fun and inspiration from reading, you are happy. The happiness you can feel is happiness. Just like Uncle Message in the library, I watch what I like and enjoy it.