## Stopping Buying Books - The decision to mostly stop buying books was made by committing to it through telling a wife, rather than writing it down, with the goal of not buying books in 2025, except for necessary research or work-related purchases [(00:00:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=42s). - An exception to this rule is buying books for research or work-related purposes, which will be done with accountability by running the purchases by the wife [(00:00:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=52s). - The decision was influenced by realizing that there are many unread books already owned, with around 100 books planned to be read this year, 40 of which are Platonic dialogues, and all of which are already owned [(00:01:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=102s). - The idea to stop buying books was born after moving and building new shelves, which made the large number of unread books more apparent, and the realization that buying books and reading books are two different hobbies [(00:02:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=147s). - The goal is to enjoy the books already purchased, as they were bought because they were liked or thought to be liked, and to delay the satisfaction of reading a good book by constantly buying more [(00:03:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=181s). - The decision is also influenced by the psychology of enjoying buying stuff, but not always reading the books, and the desire to break this cycle [(00:03:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=213s). - The line "buying books and reading books are two different hobbies" is seen as a clear and true statement that highlights the difference between the two activities [(00:03:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=229s). - Buying books can be a hobby, and saying one is a big reader can be ambiguous between reading a lot of books and buying a lot of books [(00:04:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=243s). - The habit of buying a lot of books worsened after gaining popularity on [[YouTube]], as it was initially a book-focused channel, but has since shifted to philosophy content [(00:04:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=264s). - The channel used to feature book lists and note-taking, but those segments have been discontinued, and book lists will now be posted on a different channel if needed [(00:04:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=287s). - Books were sometimes bought speculatively as potential assets for future videos, with the justification that they might be useful or worth reading even if not used for content [(00:05:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=309s). - However, this led to buying books that weren't always read, such as purchasing nine [[John le Carré]] novels at once without knowing if they would be enjoyed [(00:06:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=362s). - This year, there are plans to read all of the previously purchased John le Carré novels, as well as other unread books by authors like [[David Mitchell (comedian) | David Mitchell]], whose works have already been enjoyed [(00:06:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=379s). - The goal is to read the complete works of certain authors, such as [[Plato]] and [[Aristotle]], who have already been partially read and appreciated [(00:06:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=412s). - Instead of buying new books, the focus will be on reading the already-owned books by these authors, which will help to avoid unnecessary purchases [(00:08:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=480s). - Reading books by authors that are guaranteed to be liked and learning something new from them is a good approach to reading, as mentioned in an article on [[Substack]] [(00:08:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=494s). - Reading every book by a particular author is a good suggestion, but in reality, the list of authors who have been read extensively is very small, with [[Terry Pratchett]] being an exception, having read about 30 [[Discworld]] novels out of 40 or 41 [(00:08:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=533s). - Having reading projects can be a powerful thing, and many planned readings for 2025 are part of these projects, such as understanding Plato, reading big works of philosophy, and finishing up the [[Ursula K. Le Guin | Le Guin]] novels [(00:09:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=566s). - Compulsively buying books by authors that are liked can be a problem, and realizing that the materials for many reading projects are already available can help in following one's own advice more systematically and saving money [(00:09:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=597s). - A challenge to stop buying books is being undertaken, but it is already proving to be difficult, with the desire to buy more books by authors like Borges arising just a day into the year [(00:10:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=641s). ## Stopping Reading Unenjoyable Books - The first response to reading a book should not be to buy more books, but rather to savor the experience, think about it, or write about it, and recognizing the danger of compulsive buying [(00:11:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=663s). - Temporarily abstaining from buying books is a solution to this problem, and other reading resolutions for the year include stopping reading books faster [(00:11:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=673s). - The goal is to make a change in reading habits and approach reading in a more mindful and intentional way [(00:11:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=698s). - The decision to stop buying books was influenced by the realization that even escapist fiction can sometimes feel like a chore to finish, and it's absurd to feel compelled to complete a book that isn't enjoyable [(00:12:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=765s). - Reading a book that's hard or not enjoyable can have value, especially for works of philosophy, as the enjoyment often comes later when reflecting on the ideas [(00:12:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=775s). - However, for fun fiction, there's no point in wasting time on a book that isn't enjoyable, as life is short and there are many other books to read [(00:14:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=887s). - An example of this is the experience of reading "[[The Expanse (novel series) | The Expanse]]" novels, which didn't live up to expectations, and the writing wasn't enjoyable [(00:11:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=713s). - Another example is reading "[[Wind and Truth]]" by [[Brandon Sanderson]], which was poorly written, had a plot that wasn't engaging, and didn't have any characters to care about [(00:14:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=856s). - The experience of reading Brandon Sanderson's books was also influenced by the fact that they were read during a period of needing easy fiction, but ultimately, the books didn't hold up to reevaluation [(00:14:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=845s). - The decision to stop reading a book that isn't enjoyable is also influenced by the realization that there's no obligation to finish a book, and it's okay to move on to something else [(00:15:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=927s). - The preference for reading books that are enjoyable is also influenced by the appreciation for authors like John Lare, whose writing is masterful and enjoyable [(00:12:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=750s). - The realization was made that reading was being done out of a sense of obligation to finish a series, rather than genuine interest, leading to the decision to stop reading a particular book, "Wind and Truth" [(00:15:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=933s). - After stopping "Wind and Truth", a more enjoyable book, "[[Hogfather]]" from the [[Discworld]] series, was picked up and finished quickly, highlighting the importance of reading for pleasure [(00:15:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=955s). - A decision was made to be more flexible with reading plans in 2025, allowing for the freedom to move on from books that are not being enjoyed, rather than sticking rigidly to a predetermined list [(00:16:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=979s). ## Changes to Reading Habits - A physical shelf, the "2025 shelf", was created to hold books that are wanted to be read in 2025, allowing for easy visualization and flexibility in reading choices [(00:16:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=1006s). - Due to the nature of content creation, fun reading has declined, as a lot of reading is done for video research, such as a big video about N, which is currently being worked on [(00:17:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=1036s). - A goal was set to enjoy books read in off-hours, such as early morning and before bed, by reading books that bring joy, rather than out of obligation [(00:17:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=1065s). - Two reading resolutions were made: to stop buying new books and to stop reading books that are not actively being enjoyed [(00:18:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA&t=1081s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrJ6RReYnA?si=pLj_JfjDSQx5osNW)