You don't choose to spend your time reading books. You probably roll your eyes when someone tells you they don't have time for some activity you deem valuable. This is the 'no time to exercise' debate in a different shape.

They are also different activities, with audio it's easier to listen to more but retention is usually lower. Not casting any elitist "you need to read" bullshit by the way, but find it odd to define it in terms of lack of time, and I really like both mediums.

there is not much of a choice here. sure, i could use the time i spend reading and commenting on HN to read books instead. so technically speaking it is a choice. but i want to do both and many other things besides also having to work and a family to take care of. so the result is, i can't afford the time to read without giving up other things that are also important to me. listening to books allows me to access books i would otherwise not be able to read because of these priorities.

there are other factors as well. i love reading so much that i tend to forget time around me. as a result reading would cause me to neglect other duties. i can't allow that, and therefore i am forced to avoid reading. i also don't like long form reading on electronic devices, and as a frequent traveler, printed books are simply not practical and often not even accessible.

i agree with the retention issue, but i found that a much larger factor for retention is how well i can follow the story. a good story that is easy to get into is also easier to retain. and finally, reading fiction is for entertainment. i don't have to retain it.

> You probably roll your eyes when someone tells you they don't have time for some activity you deem valuable.

There's a few categories where it makes sense to roll your eyes, like if they say they have no time to shower or have never been to one of their kid's baseball games.

But for things that aren't basic human expectations, I think you'd have to a real jerk to roll your eyes at someone not having time. No time to cook multi-pot dishes? No time to exercise? No time to read? No time to go to museums? No time to meet at the bar for a drink? Any of them sensible.

No one can do everything, we all make our priorities and its well within their choice not to have any one optional life thing at the top of their personal stack.

Agree completely, my point was indeed they are choices, not lack of time. I think I came across too judgy even trying not to. You made a better job of it.

This is a weird comment. They are just saying why they prefer audiobooks thus why general TTS is useful for them.

Why are you trying to argue about their preference? They didn't cast any judgement on others with different preferences.

This is nothing like “no time for exercise”.

It's more like "I have no time (preference) to fire up the wood stove so I use microwave" and then you come in with "wow so you roll your eyes at us fire stove users?"

Two hours before you posted this there was already an admission from me in a sister comment that I came across too judgy and someone else made the point I tried better than myself - not sure how much penitence I need to do but sorry again :)