[johnG]

We live in a time where there is a constant influx of interesting news articles, analysis, books, blogs. Lately I'm starting to notice that it is impossible for me to read all of the things I encounter and find interesting. I'm struggling to set priorities and I'm curious if any of you recognizes this?
If you do, how do you decide what to read and what not?

[Thunderhawk]

1) I tend to follow certain authors I know have produced good quality work in the past. Those they reference are usually on my list to look into.

2) I follow suggestions from friends, colleagues and those sources I find to be reliable (certain talk shows*), including those on the internet. Reviews from chapters/amazon/etc. I find to be unreliable for positives, but generally reliable for negative comments.

3) I look for new speakers/authors (usually on TED) and if I discover they are interesting, I might look up their products and those they reference.


*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Agenda

[johnG]

Those talk shows are a nice suggestion, they seem to give a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time.

[Daktoria]

I read whatever my opponent is reading. Most of my ideas are strictly philosophical, so I don't need anymore material. The best thing to do is find out how my opposition is manipulating public opinion.

[Zenno]

I don't decide. I just dive into the cosmic consciousness. No reading is required.

[johnG]

I read whatever my opponent is reading. Most of my ideas are strictly philosophical, so I don't need anymore material. The best thing to do is find out how my opposition is manipulating public opinion.

Opponent?

[Daktoria]

For example, I watch CNN and MSNBC not to learn about current events, but to learn about how people portray current events to represent special interests.

[The One.]

Purely practical matter for the most part.

I simply do not have the time to ponder the fate of rare lizards in Zimbabwe

[Baff]

If the cover has pictures of laser robots fighting dinosaurs and ninja's or Bruce Lee I'll give it a read.
If not, not.

[Cartertonian]

For example, I watch CNN and MSNBC not to learn about current events, but to learn about how people portray current events to represent special interests.

Ahhhh...

...but do you watch Fox et al with the same questioning mind?

[Social_Critic]

I read three types of material:

1. What I have to read for work. That's usually highly specialized and you would find it very boring.

2. Magazines such as The Economist and Scientific American - I get them delivered.

3. Whatever fiction of non-fiction I think I want to read at a given time. For example, a while back I re-read A Confederacy of Dunces because I was cleaning bookshelves.

I guess it all depends on what you're aiming for, and how much time you have. Some of you are evidently in college and this limits the time available for reading. But I do recommend you read from my recommended list:

Tarzan of the Apes
Moral Animal
Generation Kill
Against all Hope
A day in the life of Ivan Denisovitch
The Dark Angel