Do you feel guilty when you read fiction some times? Do you feel like it’s a frivolous pursuit? Sometimes, I do, because I’d think to myself “might as well watch a TV show”, and I hardly ever watch TV shows because, to me, they’re a waste of time. But damn it, some of these novels are so good and I can’t stop once I started reading them.
Actually, yes, sometimes. Sometimes I want to read books about real world topics. A lot of media I interact with offers books on the subject that I am interested in, but I rarely even pick them up.
However, I don’t think reading of any kind is a waste of time. You’re still imagining, learning new vocabulary, etc. And I like them! Finding a good book is the reason I read books first and foremost. These days, I try to have my nonfiction books loaded up for whenever I have to wait. I read a little bit more of “The man who mistook his wife for a hat” each time. Will it take me months to get through it that way? Sure, but I’m not in school and they can’t stop me.