Why are people who read on a daily basis generally accredited with intelligence?

Question:I was just in an argument with an ex over intelligence and what defines them, and she, for whatever reason, said that intelligent people read books on a daily or regular basis.

Do you agree?

I don't. I don't see how it even relates, honestly, because not all books are educational. Most people I know that read regularly are into fiction, so how can it relate? I already knew that it was a common social misconception, but I don't think there's enough to support it in the first place.

Thoughts?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I was just in an argument with an ex over intelligence and what defines them, and she, for whatever reason, said that intelligent people read books on a daily or regular basis.

Do you agree?

I don't. I don't see how it even relates, honestly, because not all books are educational. Most people I know that read regularly are into fiction, so how can it relate? I already knew that it was a common social misconception, but I don't think there's enough to support it in the first place.

Thoughts?

If they're reading Stephan Hawking, Carl Sagan, Nietzsche etc... then they're probably intelligent. If they're reading Harlequin's newest by Mary Clamdigger, "Pirates of Chesty Bay" well... that's probably a bored house wife with the reading comprehension of her 10 year old child.

Reading daily is not a good sign of intelligence. Example A:
<--------- complete idiot reading big girl books nearly daily.

Dude! Yeah man. Reading's overrated.

No one is accredited with intelligence unless they get a genuine certificate properly notarized and signed. Don't fall for that cheap internet stuff.

I kinda agree with you. I suppose the reason reading is associated with intelligence is that it takes open minded people to accept philosophy, culture etc without bitching and whining about how it wont help them later in life, that sorta thing.

Reading develops intelligence because it stimulates the brain in a way that watching tv or doing yard work, whatever, does not. When you read, you visual or imagine what you're reading about. So you're creating while you're reading. Also, it's a proven fact that good readers are good spellers and usually they're good writers. Even fiction uses some facts. For instance, if you read a good mystery, it's going to have factual information about criminal psychology, detective work, etc. Fiction writers do a large amount of research to make their stories believable. Some writing causes you to think more deeply than others, but all reading is good for the brain.

I think the only reason why someone would think so is for vocabulary reasons, but you can stretch your vocab by doing any kind of reading or listening to different sources. Because I rather watch the Nat Geo channel on the Whales off the coast of Alaska then read the magazine, doesn't not make my way of learning less effective.

People that read fiction are only enhancing one thing and it is the ability to read. The more you do something the best you get. Just ask the friend I have that play me in Video Games or the people I play guitar with.

Seriously though, unless the reading is for educational reasons and you are comparing that to someone that would rather pull a healthy hit off the peace pipe then read the same material, then reading daily has nothing to do with intelligence...

YOU SPELLED KARL MARX WITH A C
he's karl marx not carl marx!

fiction can easily relate. you dont even have to know jack sh it about philosohphy to be intelligent.
she's wrong, but you still aren't intelligent

It's true that reading is fundemental, but an argument over intelligence is by far, more defining. Todays age of tech. is slowly outgrowing the need for books but to disagree on intelect therories has got to be the bottom of the list of things to do when your with your ex-girlfriend. Good luck with that one dude....
Namaste

its a social construct, reading is linked to intelligence because once the majority of people could not read (eg UK) so we draw of that to base intelligence on reading amount.

i read alot but that's because my mum does (it sort of rubbed of on me) but tend to lean towards more intelligent fiction like Orwell or the dune series.

Maybe she is implying that people who have a stimulated and motivated mind are generally more intelligent than those that aren't

Umm, Ok, I'll take the counter-point here. Reading is as much about discipline, and discovery than anything else. A lot of people limit their growth, because they use intelligent intuition to leap ahead to a conclusion rather than be assured of it by fact. Why does an intelligent person read? For exposure to other opinions and theory, in the hope of possibly learning more! LOL! I do agree that reading doesn't make one intelligent, but can we argue that not reading daily, has the same merit? I don't have the patience to read daily, and when I do, 1/2 of it is for pure entertainment. Daily readers could argue that if they balance their choices of material, they will be exposed to more overall knowledge, than the non..... Now, comprehension is another debate! LOL! Course, I don't believe everything I read anyway......

well because if you ask most of the truely intelligent people how they got that way, id say 99% of them will say they read a lot. reading fiction may not teach you actual facts but it does stimulate the brain, it teaches you new words, it gives you new thoughts and ideas, it sparks creativity. either you can feed your brain with something good, like books and articles and random information or you can do nothing and not feed your brain. so again all i gotta say is look up the smartest people in this world, and i guarentee you that the main link between all of them is a love of not just reading but of learning and gaining information in general. but in order to find out this information you gotta read a book or two so maybe thats why you dont agree.

Hey!

Vocabulary wise? Heck, yeah. Mathematically? Um, well, no. Unless you like to read books about physics and the like, I mean...

Now, I'm a moderately intelligent individual and I read constantly. And, I have to tell you, someone who reads every day usually is an intelligent person, in this day and age. Because reading requires concentration, imagination, and deductive reasoning. If you don't have those, reading is boring for you.

Also, recreational reading increases your capability to concentrate, your creativity, your vocabulary, and even some knowledge in certain areas (you would not BELIEVE the stuff I've learned from reading fiction).

But, yeah, there is usually a correspondence between intelligence and reading books. Are they always co-dependent? No, not always. Some people can read regularly, yet not be very intelligent. And other people can read irregularly, yet be very intelligent. Also, it depends on the type of intelligence. I've known people with Down Syndrome who could work a computer like you would not believe, but had a difficult time working a toothbrush. So, it's all relative to the application of the word "intelligence" not to mention the level of the books you are reading (reading one first-grade level book a day, when you are thirty-years-old, does not help your I.Q. go up) or the amount of books you read every day (and how long those books are). I, personally, can read anywhere up to four or five books a day (and they are usually anywhere from 200-500 pages long).

More than intelligence, however, this reflects on how much time I have on my hands...

Anyway, hope that helps! Sorry the answer is so long! Have a great day!

Luv ya,
Tashi :)