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gnatsaredancing t1_jdziz4z wrote

Not if they commit crimes to buy more books while hurting their loved ones it's not.

But that would be the difference between actual addiction and people being hyperbolic about their hobby.

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froeuhouais1 t1_jdzkraq wrote

All addictions are bad.

I can’t stand it when those twitchy, disheveled looking individuals with soulless eyes are standing outside of bookstores.

The other day one of them was offering sexual favors in exchange for a copy of Of Human Bondage. It’s a disgrace. Can’t they see what they’re doing to their families? Who are these people?

If your loved ones are in this situation, please do not hesitate to schedule an intervention as soon as they start talking about how similar to our society 1984 is.

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ButteredNap t1_je0m47j wrote

All addictions are illness.

The actions a person takes because of that addiction are what can be harmful. They are hurting themselves and often place more important things like self-care, personal and professional relationships, monetary stability, and living crime-free as lower priorities than getting the fix of their addiction.

People can be addicted to pretty much anything. It’s not the substance, it’s the neurochemistry of the afflicted that causes such a dependence.

It doesn’t excuse their behavior, but we can’t continue to treat these people like they’re bad when they’re just sick and stuck.

If you’ve ever lived on the streets, you’ll know how cold it can get in the winter without shelter. Many use stimulant drugs like meth or crack to keep them awake and moving through the night because stopping to sleep could result in death. And then they’re hooked and it further ruins their life.

I understand you feel bothered or unsafe by what you’re experiencing, but I ask you pleas try to access some compassion because it would only take a few missteps for you or anyone to end up in similar situation.

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artsanchezg t1_jdzgad3 wrote

Being cultured and well read is usually seen as a good thing.

Being a book addict (not sure what this really means to you) it's not positive at all, as having an addiction implies it controls your life at least to a certain point.

You can't stop reading even when you should be doing other things? You can't stop buying books even when your house looks like a second hand bookstore warehouse? I don't think its positive at all...

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Choice_Mistake759 t1_jdzi4y3 wrote

>However, being addicted to books is generally considered a positive attribute,

Tell that to poor D.Quixote.

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vanZuider t1_jdzvw6r wrote

Addiction is when something takes over your life to a degree that has the potential to damage your social relations and your job. If books do that, it will definitely be seen as bad.

The difference between books and drugs is that liking books in a non-problematic way is generally seen as good while many people will call anyone who takes certain drugs an "addict" and see them in a negative light, even though they may take these drugs responsibly and without damaging other aspects of their life.

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HugoNebula t1_jdzeyvu wrote

Not all addictions are equal, or even comparable.

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Handyandy58 t1_je0gtmb wrote

People who are described as "book addicts" are almost never actually addicted to reading. It is usually meant exaggeratively to describe someone who really enjoys reading. The term "addict" gets used euphemistically to describe lots of behaviors which do not really amount to true addiction.

If someone were truly addicted to reading, I think the people in their life probably would be very concerned for them and it would be very disruptive and damaging to their overall well-being and relationships.

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lucia-pacciola t1_je0kp2b wrote

You're confusing a figure of speech for a literal description. Book addiction is seen as good because nobody is talking about literal addiction, when it comes to books. They're talking about a great enthusiasm, that is both healthy and beneficial for the enthusiast. Nobody thinks a literal addiction to books is a good thing. Nobody says that.

I'm curious: Do you find that you struggle with literal versus figurative meanings generally, or is it just that this particular figure of speech slipped past you somehow?

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callmemaybe88 t1_jdzdwrn wrote

I think nothing good when it becomes addict.

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bhbhbhhh t1_jdzh1o1 wrote

I believe Madame Bovary and Northanger Abbey are said to be critical of the effects of being too fond of novels.

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Amphy64 t1_jdzvme4 wrote

The real problem in Madame Bovary is she just doesn't fancy her husband and he's not really trying to help, otherwise she could read her drippy poetry with him and it'd totally feel like it was about them.

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INITMalcanis t1_jdzya2y wrote

Reading addicts have much less of a reputation for violence and property crime in pursuit of their habit.

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Jack-Campin t1_je0g062 wrote

Try Elias Canetti, Auto da Fé.

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Ineffable7980x t1_jdzs3kv wrote

What do you mean by book addict?

Being a reader does not make one automatically an addict.

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CrazyCatLady108 t1_je0u2rg wrote

Hi there. Per rule 3.3, please post book recommendation requests in /r/SuggestMeABook or in our Weekly Recommendation Thread. Thank you!

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