No Stupid Questions

I'm doing it reading these comments right now

I've reread so many pages and chapters because of this, sometimes even restarted books entirely

I used to read a lot more, and I do remember this happening, but it happens a lot for me now with podcasts. I'm a big podcast junkie and I will often find myself going down a rabbit hole of thought and realizing I have no idea what they're talking about anymore.

Not sure how common this is, but I know as a kid this was caused by my ADHD, and it would cause me to take twice as long to read a book

Can you stop calling my adhd ass out?

Oh, God yes. And I do it on audiobooks no less. I was reading something a few months ago. "And she still had no idea who the spy was that one of her friends had been killed and replaced with master impersonator". Wait... WTF? The chapter just started out that way. Well crap, chapter rewind. No I heard how that one starts out, tractor rewind again... No I heard that one too. I moved back through four chapters...nothing. I went and found the ePub downloaded it and text searched it. It happened like seven chapters ago in the middle of a chapter and I missed maybe 15 pages of content.

It also happens when I'm commuting now and then if I'm listening. I'll realize that I'm not paying good attention and tap 30-second rewind half a dozen times. Listen to it all again and realize that I totally missed everything they said again even though I'm not doing anything else but driving. I just put some music on and go the hell home.

I actually find myself facing this issue ALL THE TIME. Even in books that I am really enjoying.

I've absolutely read a book, thought it was a bit predictable, got to the end and realised I've read it before 🤦

Were you watching me yesterday from inside my head?

Yep, some books I just can't get into and it's like I'm reading them but not taking in anything? I find this happens a lot with textbooks and documentation and I have to really try hard to focus on what I'm reading

It's not even just books for me. I can watch a movie a second time it's like watching a whole new movie. Like I completely missed half the plot and most of the details. I can also watch 100 episodes of a TV show and realize that I don't know the main character's best friend's name (the best friends who had 30 focus episodes and appeared in 86 of the 100 episodes).

Happens way too often to me too... And then, I'll start reading all over, only to realize I've done the same thing again...

Yup. So many times. I've to go back and reread those pages because my mind hasn't registered what the words said.

This is why I have a hard time getting into or even reading books in general. I just... stop processing.

This sounds a lot like me. I have ADHD.

This happens to me all the time.

That happens when I'm tired. Sometimes my head falls into the book as well, I see it as a subtle hint my body gives me to hit the bed.

Yeah, then I try an reread the passage and do the same exact thing. I think it happens to me moreso when I'm disinterested or tired.

You keep reading because reading is a reflex. If you can't get your attention, you'll keep reading, but you'll be contemplating in your imagination. This is normal.

Yes, except instead of reading it's listening, and instead of fiction it's whatever I was supposed to remember to do after work today.

It's normal if you have dylsexia/ADHD <3

It does happen to me, I normally find it means I'm not enjoying the book.

I do this to literally every book every time I read

This happens to me if I get distracted and start thinking about something else while I’m reading. I think it’s normal, and I’ve read a lot of people experience this same thing.

Yep, used to do that all the time. Now whenever I'm reading introduction stuff I actively make myself think about everything that is being explained.

Really pays off later in the book I find.

Yep. That's when I realize it's time to put down the book and do something else. Because clearly my mind is not on the book.

I can read 50k fanfic no problem. I can virtually visualize it in 3D, but give me a book about, I don’t know, rocks? And my brain stops working.

It happens. I usually take that to mean that either I'm distracted by other things, or I'm stressed, or very tired. Sometimes it just means it's time to go to bed.

Very normal for me!

Yes! Just read the book Blood Meridian and then watched a 5 hour youtube video on it, turns out I missed a galaxy of subtext

Lol yep, or when I'm playing a story heavy game / vn. I think I get distracted by my thoughts and then have to refocus myself 😅

I'd say it's normal for this to happen once in a while, you could be fatigued or distracted by other thoughts. If it happens every single time you try to read something it might indicate an issue. I can tell my blood glucose is tanking fast and possibly having a hypo if I'm having trouble comprehending what I'm trying to read.

I try to have dedicated time to read/listen to books. I recently started to read an ebook and listen to the audiobook at the same time. I usually only listen to audiobooks with narrators I enjoy listening to so I don't mind if they read at a slower pace than I read in my head. I read PHM, the entire Bobiverse series, one of Obama's books, one of Trever Noah's books, and planning on reading The Three Body Problem this way.

I remember reading a new book that interested me, finished it, and realized I remembered NOTHING and didn't understand the ending at all. So I read the book again. It was pretty good. ... can't remember the book lol

Definitely, especially if too early in the morning and my mind still churning sorting out stuff for the rest of the day. Or just plain stressed.

I don't know if it is normal, but it happens to me sometimes, too. My attention span is not always great!