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Every morning Quote by Anonymous

“The phrase “slow reading” goes back at least as far as the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who in 1887 described himself as a “teacher of slow reading.” The way he phrased it, you know he thought he was bucking the tide. That makes sense, because the modern world, i.e., a world built upon the…” quote by Anonymous
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““The phrase “slow reading” goes back at least as far as the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who in 1887 described himself as a “teacher of slow reading.” The way he phrased it, you know he thought he was bucking the tide. That makes sense, because the modern world, i.e., a world built upon the concept that fast is good and faster is better, was just getting up a full head of steam. In the century and a quarter since he wrote, we have seen the world fall in love with speed in all its guises, including reading—part of President John F. Kennedy’s legend was his ability to speed read through four or five newspapers every morning. And this was all long before computers became household gadgets and our BFFs. Now and then the Nietzsches of the world have fought back. Exponents of New Criticism captured the flag in the halls of academe around the middle of the last century and made “close reading” all the rage. Then came Slow Food, then Slow Travel, then Slow Money. And now there is Slow Reading. In all these initiatives, people have fought against the velocity of modern life by doing … less and doing it slower.””

Anonymous

About This Quote

Nietzsche coined “slow reading” as a counter‑cultural stance against the accelerating pace of modern life, urging deeper engagement with text rather than superficial speed.

In simple terms: Advocates deliberate, attentive reading over rapid consumption.

Key Takeaway

Depth over speed.

Themes

slow culture reading practices modernity counter‑cultural movements philosophy

Mood

contemplative critical nostalgic

Type

philosophical cultural critique historical anecdote

When to use this quote

  • academic study
  • personal development
  • media consumption
  • education curricula

Key Concepts

attention cognitive depth cultural critique

Practical Applications

  • designing reading workshops
  • creating reflective curricula

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does reading affect your understanding of complex ideas?
  • What habits can you adopt to balance speed and depth?
A Different Perspective

Some argue that speed reading can be effective for information scanning, but it sacrifices nuanced comprehension.

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