Kanye Just Be So Stupid...

I think that Kanye’s statements, “Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed. I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book's autograph,” speak for themselves. If you do not read, you are not going to be able to speak correctly. Oftentimes you need to see something in print in order to understand it. For years I thought the phrase “play it by ear” was “play it by year.” It wasn’t until I saw it in print that I learned the correct version. That’s only a minor instance, but there are other, more important situations where we might mishear things or use slang and colloquialisms inappropriately because we’ve heard them so often in casual conversation. It is by reading that we learn that some of these sayings are improper. Sure, we still use slang, but we readers are aware of the proper way of saying things so that when a formal situation arises, we sound intelligent and professional. Reading helps us prepare for such situations.

Reading also teaches us to become good writers. You cannot be a good writer without first becoming a good reader. These are skills that are definitely needed in the “real” world. Most professions require you to write something – presentations, reports, etc. For someone who is an artist, you would think that reading would be one of their top priorities. The cleverest lyrics often include sly references to literary works. For instance, Led Zeppelin’s famous song “Stairway to Heaven” makes several allusions to Lord of the Rings. Even recent, silly, sugarcoated pop hits, like Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” reference the likes of Shakespeare, (maybe that’s the real reason Kanye grabbed the microphone from her…hmm). Books are an invaluable source to draw on for any writer; it does not matter whether they write novels, articles, or song lyrics – good writing begets good writing.

Kanye, in his infinite wisdom, also makes the statement, "I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life.” But there is a flaw with this statement and it has to do with the type of information he’s talking about. There are certain types of information that can only be conveyed by talking to people, while other types are more properly expressed in books. Each has their place, and people should try to divide their time between both, since they complement one another. We would not be able to enjoy books or write them if they did not reflect real life. This connects us to the stories, the characters, and to each other. What do we converse about? Books, movies, music, sports… It’s true that books are the only things on this list that cannot be appreciated side by side with another person, but they are also the things that lead to the longest and most in-depth conversations. Even with other forms of entertainment, we sometimes choose to enjoy them alone and when others are present, we tend to focus more on what we’re watching and/or listening to than the people around us. When it is over, we talk and discuss our shared experiences. This is not a waste of “living real life.” This is living real life.

With such long and “wordy” novels such as Crime and Punishment, there is a lot to talk about. I’ve had interesting conversations with my friends about some of the characters, their actions, the murder, and the infamous horse scene. Even people who detest reading the story have something to talk about, a common experience. “Did you read last night?” “Yeah, I was up until 1. I hate this damn book…” “The only part I liked was when the old lady got hit with the axe…” “Oh yeah…I wish that part was a bit more graphic…” With other novels and plays, such as Hamlet, it’s definitely worthwhile to be familiar with the story. Almost everyone who has ever been to high school has read Hamlet and/or Macbeth, so it’s a part of our culture’s general knowledge. Everyone is familiar with these plays and this gives us all something in common, something to talk about, allowing us to connect with each other in “real” life. This repeats itself a thousand times, with different books and different experiences.

Reading enables us to see the world from different perspectives and to better appreciate what is around us. While you can get a sense of this by watching a movie or listening to a song, reading a novel is a full and immersive experience that is unlike anything else. In a book, you can get inside someone else’s head, see the world through new eyes, and discover possibilities, places, and feelings inside yourself that you never imagined. Kanye is sure missing out.