Do RSS Readers Spoil the Web?

When I first changed my web reading habits to use Google Reader, it was a bit of epiphany - I could keep track of all my car and gadget websites without spending time going from site to site, I didn't miss a post, and I could star anything I fancied posting to this site for when I actually had time. I had previously looked at a desktop newsreader ages before that, but I freaked out after an hour as the thing dinged everytime I got a new post, so I got nothing done for that first hour, and uninstalled the app a few minutes later (and yes, I realize that I could have switched off notifications, or the app for that matter, but I was just too scared). Google Reader was kinda like the perfect combination - I needed to make an effort in the first place to open it, it didn't ding, and I could control my reading habits at least somewhat.

Then of course, I started to add feeds - I've got more car sites than I car to mention on there, work feeds (broken into GIS, hiring, VC's, general technology news, partner news feeds etc etc), actual news feeds, a whole section of randomness (think Dooce, Lifehacker and the like), friends.... and the list goes on - you've got the idea.

I think I could probably have a full time job just reading feeds without even adding any more to the list. They're all interesting to me at some level, but some get more care and attention than others (I only ever check the gossip section at the weekends, whereas the work ones normally get a look most days). So I don't read a lot of the information that's there. I did read somewhere (probably in one of the feeds) that one guy was simplifying his life, and cutting down on the number of feeds he keeps track of, and I've considered this, but the "mark all items as read" button keeps me sane most of the time. And what happened if I just missed something! That might be like, bad. I could miss a Steve Jobs announcement, or the latest Porsche spy shot and I'd feel like my life may not be complete anymore, and that would be bad (I like my complete life).

But this isn't really the issue. What bothers me most is that I read the feeds, and most feeds are of the full fat variety, and I don't read websites so much. One of the car sites I read went through a whole redesign, and I don't think I even noticed it for at least a month. I miss out on seeing the latest pretty colors, the widgets, the blogrolls, the (occasional) pictures of whoever is writing what I'm reading. I don't really read the comments on posts either. You kinda get used to reading feeds only, and suddenly the thought that the web might be boring crosses your mind. I know it's not, you just think it if you read feeds all the time.

So, I've started to make a bit of an effort to actually visit the websites that I "read" regularly. It's making me smile a little more, and it almost feels like visiting old friends that you haven't seen for a couple of months. It's given me a fresh perspective on the web, along with a strange desire to make another crack at redesigning this site (although that isn't on the immediate horizon).

And the other thing - find some cool sites on Tumblr, and get your dashboard set up to follow them - I don't know if it's the posts themselves, or the layout, or what, but it never looks boring over there.