[shikshake]

Reading is an active skill vs watching something is more passive. There’s lots of pathways in your brain that intensive reading lights up compared to other mediums. And lots of studies show that you retain more information and building stronger informational connections when reading vs watching.

No one is telling you to stop watching movies or playing video games, but being a more active participant in a leisure activity can be beneficial every once in a while.

[sateesh]

I do read a lot, but I don't completely agree that reading is an active skill all the time. It also depends on what one is reading. When I am reading a fast paced thriller or page turner , it doesn't feel like a very active skill/activity.

[bluejekyll]

The activity in this context isn’t just that you are reading, it’s that you have to interpret what is written into scenes in your imagination. This is also required when listening to books or podcasts. This is partly why they show much of the same benefits from reading are also gained from listening to books and kids being read to by their parents.

[xethos]

The fact that you control the pace in your page turner example is part of what makes reading active instead of passive. You don't really get that watching a documentary or listening to a lecture or podcast

[arnaudsm]

Gaming is more active than reading. Maybe you're also thinking of imagination's involvment?

[BadHumans]

Is gaming more active than reading? I ask this as a gamer because I genuinely don't think it is. I feel more involved reading than I do gaming.

[almatabata]

> Gaming is more active than reading.

It does depend heavily on the game. There are games that involve a lot of farming where I think reading a book problem results in larger brain activity.

Puzzle games like the witness engage the brain much more.