The Stack That Never Shrinks

Look at your bedside table. Is there a pile of books leaning at a dangerous angle? Now ask yourself honestly: when was the last time you read the one at the bottom?

If your book stack is growing faster than your reading speed, you are not alone. Psychologists even have a special word for this habit. In Japan, it is called tsundoku: buying reading materials and letting them pile up in the house without reading them.

Why do we keep buying books we do not read?

First, we are optimistic about our future free time. At the bookstore, you do not just buy a physical object. You buy a fantasy version of yourself. You buy the quiet Sunday mornings, the long train rides, and the peaceful evenings away from screens. You are not buying the current tired version of yourself who just wants to sleep. You are investing in an idealized future self.

Second, books represent potential. Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a scholar and writer, talks about the "antibrary." He owns thousands of unread books. He argues that unread books are more valuable than read ones. Read books are just history; unread books are potential. A room full of unread books reminds you of how much you still have to learn. It keeps you humble.

Finally, books are comforting objects. Just having them around makes us feel smarter and safer. We like looking at the colorful spines and feeling connected to the authors and ideas inside.

So, do not feel guilty about your leaning tower of books. It is not a monument to your laziness. It is a monument to your curiosity. It proves that you still believe in learning, growing, and imagining new worlds.

What is the oldest unread book on your shelf?