I devour books, sometimes for technical knowledge, other times for context. But in the end, it's all just part of the data input process.
How valuable any given bit is, whether it comes from experience or reading, is entirely subjective based on the entirety of the blended data set, my state of mind, the needs of my core project at any given moment in time and my desired outcome.
Plus, as Amanda Palmer said, "We can only connect the dots that we collect," so if books allow us to collect more or better dots faster, sometimes faster than experience, why not add them to the mix?
How valuable any given bit is, whether it comes from experience or reading, is entirely subjective based on the entirety of the blended data set, my state of mind, the needs of my core project at any given moment in time and my desired outcome.
Plus, as Amanda Palmer said, "We can only connect the dots that we collect," so if books allow us to collect more or better dots faster, sometimes faster than experience, why not add them to the mix?