In 2023 my 3 year old caught 9 cases of pneumonia (he cant walk, very low muscle tone so hes prone to it) and apart fron my pastors helping me through it, discworld was a great distraction.
Ashley my son has cerebral palsy and I had similar experiences throughout the years, once with The Song of Ice and Fire and another time I listened to a Witcher podcast that discussed each book with a large dose of humor. Fantasy books are the real magic, channeling schmanneling…
“What actually brings you the most joy is serving others”. This. Honestly those times I sink into my own thoughts, at some point I reach that hollow awareness that when it comes down to it … there’s no point to existing. Except there is and it’s exactly that: Helping others is what gives life meaning. It’s the ONLY answer that ever eases me. Even if it takes form in something small and towards just one person close to me.
I have a hammock in my backyard, next to a small outdoors fireplace I built myself. It's a daily ritual to sit there, get the fire going and read my beloved sci-fi/horror books. Nothing beats it. I am finishing blindsight (which I am dying to know Richard's opinion on it.)
Don't worry guys, all your visual effort is for me :) I watch all your videos rather than just listen. Really great content and it helps me relax before I go to sleep and it's better than doomscrolling 😂
Excellent video guys. Watching it here and Spotified it in the car. You guys also sold me HARD on Dungeon Crawler Carl based on how much you both agreed on and loved it! Books 1 and 2 are coming in soon
I usually need to tell myself at least 2 or 3 times per week to put my book down and spend more time with my seven year old son. I can't help it that Mamoru from Sword of Kaigen is more interesting that my son
Guys, I felt extremely called out during this episode. I was sitting on my bed watching and staring at Richard's hair (if we can call it that yet 🧐), when you suddenly intimidated me into being a worthwhile person. So I left, listened to a church sermon, and then finished Sword of Kaigen. Now, I'm going to completely ignore what I just learned and watch your previous episodes instead of doing something worth two hours of my life. Btw, here's my rating for it (Hint: It's one of my new favorites. Misaki is amazing) Overall: 5 Emotional Impact: 5 Thought-provokingness: 4.5 Characters: 5 Plot: 5 Prose: 4 Worldbuilding: 4.5
... as you talk about not looking at the screen... I'm coloring by number on my tablet.... trying not to think about work... because I clocked out 5 hours ago... lol... an my brain can't even focus on any of the 4 books I got going on... Escapism...yassssss...
I recently watched an old episode of y’all’s where you mention having not read Eargon. It isn’t a great read for most adults. It was written by the author when he was sixteen, and you can tell. However for young readers interested in getting into high fantasy, it is a great introduction to the genre.
I love your videos but I watch/listen to them while I'm working or doing chores. I work from home so sometimes my family listen along. When I was listening to the 'Rating 1st Lines of Fantasy Books' video while cooking, my family played along and were rating the lines too even though they HATE reading. 😂
I have often had trouble with wanting to escape into my books, and feeling so overwhelmed that I can't shut my brain off enough to stay engaged in the book.
Lol its my first time listening to this channel today during my commute. I wasnt sure what I was expecting, from the topic of reading as form of escape to gay right, to revolution, to people with social media clout (actors, rappers, tiktokers etc) shouldnt speak on issues they arent expert on...lol it was an interesting trip, and I dont mean my commute. I am glad to have found this small gem of a channel that hopefully also discusses books every now & then. I will listen to more of yall going forward. Fyi, I too love the red rising series, reading Lightbringer at the moment.
1. I think all SFF is escapism. (Of course, that depends on the definition of "escapist," which many people equate with "fluffy" or the cozy sub-genres. I think anything that takes us out of this misbegotten world is an escape.) 2. I have learned SO much from SFF, even the stuff that anyone would say is basically escapist. 3. These are two big reasons I love SFF and primarily read those genres. 4. Piranesi YEAH!! ❤
I usually read whilst your videos are on unless I’m watching a review of a book I’ve read (or the spoiler free section of one I’m interested in) today im getting caffeinated and planning my next read after a side step in to some manga. I’m probably going to read The Lies of Locke Lamora but I’ve not fully decided as I have books I need to read for educational reasons but they’re non fiction and quite complex 😂
2:45 I think the common experience of video games is actually very in line with Rich's experience. The thing is most people will get bored of the game and then keep playing anyway. Games are incredibly engaging even when they're not entertaining. It's a mental skill to recognise when the fun is over and your better off moving on to do something else. So basically Rich is big brain and Austin is a scrub like the rest of us.
I am also sick and find this an amazing coincidence. (This comment will likely evolve into an essay as I watch. Just started) Oooh storytelling and sitcoms. The second you mentioned the topic of representation in media I thought back to Mr Humprheys of Are You Being Served. I LOVE talking about the evolution of how sitcoms grew from 60s to now, but Matt Baume though has a lot more good videos on how that is with gay marriage and stuff like that. Im a straight white nerd who grew up on sitcoms and thats about it on the social political side. On the gay marriage in stories, its telling in the reverse that while people say "its just a story, who cares" governments clearly valued the impact of art enough to want to censor it, whether thats stuff like the Haze Code or just 'less political' rating systems for different ages. I get very excited about new things I learn so I do tend to go "oh yeah that, i learned a thing about that the other day". Do you think that the internet arrogance situation is because people assume they know more due to reading more, or because the more reading there is, the more they shut off and stick to their corners? Is more info helping or hindering society? At uni they talked about a thing called Positioning. I know very little about it but it taught me its helpful to start any "here's my thoughts on that" by reminding myself what I know and dont know. I usually fail at it, because its generally storytelling and opinions im pretty certain of and comfortable in, and/or theres too much context to go "but i dunno, could be wrong' etc. But its more useful in essays because you can straight up filter heres what im touching and heres what i have no business touching dont ask me about it. "The camera is our silent friend" so not a very accurate representation of me at all then. 😆 although commenting is a strange thing, its like sitting socially, nodding and laughing but also taking notes and later sharing those notes not as advice or meeting minutes but just as if I was adding to the conversation but decided not to interrupt till afterwards. Parasocial relationships are cringe. (And I enjoy it anyway)
Hello our very not silent friend - great thoughts and we cant wait to further make this parasocial relationship duly uncomfortable 😂. The Dunning-Kruger effect of the internet is definitely something to be studied (prob already has) and is just another one of the many negative consequences of anthing that is also good in many ways. Great points and thoughts here, glad this episode sparked so much!
This is kinda personal for me. I used escapism to survive high school. I am starting to be happy with my life more and more, but I do struggle with escapist tendencies.
I hope this episode helped put things in perspective in some way! And totally with ya, everyone needs an escape at times - or else we wouldn’t even have made this channel
I feel called out because I was just binging 2 to Ramble non-spoiler review sections yesterday as the main things I sat down to watch. Honestly though, thanks for that. Sonetimes I do need to be reminded not to watch some of the more mindless dopamine hits on RU-vid (not 2 to Ramble, of course).
out of all types of activities you could waste your time on, reading is, even reading low-brow stuff, one of the better ones. it has some really practical benefits, especially for people like me whose native tongue arentEnglish. Also reading remains in this day and age, a deeply moral act.
Hey guys, little extra info on the gay acceptance bit - it was actually a recent development (Christianity) that made the gay thing seen as bad untill then people just kinda f*cked whoever they wanted, have a look at the ancient Greeks. (Interesting chat btw guys)
