About this quote

Avoiding reading narrows the kinds of ideas someone can hold and the people they can empathize with. When you skip books and articles you skip practice at seeing things from another person's view, and that can make your decisions harsher. Ask yourself how often you ignore thoughtful sources because they feel inconvenient. Start with one short piece a week and watch how your thinking and reactions change.

When to use it

• At work, my manager refused to read the competitor report and blamed the team when sales dropped; I used this quote to point out that ignoring reading leads to worse choices.
• In my university debate, a classmate admitted she never read opposing arguments; I quoted this line to challenge her to do the homework she was avoiding.
• When my brother kept dismissing parenting books and then repeated the same mistakes, I left this quote with a few pages highlighted as a direct nudge.
• Before signing a risky investment, my partner wouldn't read the prospectus; I brought up this quote to argue we needed to read first and decide after.