Something I've noticed over the years is that the people who say that reading code is harder than writing code are people who have been writing code for a long time and are paid to write code.
I think the truth is that it's actually a different skill, and one that's much harder to pickup because when you write code, there's a very quick feedback loop telling you that you're wrong, but you can read code, think it does something different than it does and never ever learn you were wrong.
I think reading code is very good for one’s character. It teaches compassion and openness to other people’s ideas. Pretty much like listening without prejudice. I am very guilty of not being interested in what other people did so now I am making a point to really trying to understand code before criticizing. It’s so much easier to throw a fit and think everybody else is stupid.
I think the truth is that it's actually a different skill, and one that's much harder to pickup because when you write code, there's a very quick feedback loop telling you that you're wrong, but you can read code, think it does something different than it does and never ever learn you were wrong.