Fuck reading books, but also fuck audio books

Ok, this is me being a bit annoyed.

Every. Time.

Someone complains about how hard it is to read and the first comment is “did you try audio books?”

The response I think misses the point of the question. The frustration for many complaining about it is the appeal of being able to immerse yourself without the outside stimulation. I’ve been diagnosed as for 30+ years and used to be able to read. Everything changed when the audio medium became accessible. From music at my finger-tips to podcasts…to reels and videos- my ADHD mind has become even more busy. I miss actually reading, and for the younger generation I’m not sure if they got to experience the “stillness” of a good read. At this point it feels unattainable for me again, and I get sad about it.

Of course, one person’s opinion here and we aren’t a monolith. I just wish the answer wasn’t always an option that requires my phone and, let’s be honest, another subscription.

Edit: I know everyone means well, and thank you for the subscriptionless audiobook suggestions, but that is absolutely not the part of the post I wanted so many to focus on. I am aware of libraries and ways to get free audiobooks. The point is that people complaining about reading might be complaining about missing READING, not even just the stories. I wish I hadn’t added that line.