It's super obvious that we live in a time where everything is turning to technology. We buy things online, we share posts online, we communicate with each other online (Why do you think I write here?), but things were never like this before. Because of this, "old" things are dying out. Take books for example.
Growing up, I bet that many of you at least read with your parents to get some prize at school depending on how many hours a week you read a book. Some of us grew into the people that like to read as a hobby.
It only popped in my head the other day when I was scrolling through Instagram when was the last time that I read? And I don't mean an article for class, I mean when was the last time I actually got comfy and read a book for my own pleasure? Probably not since the summer and I didn't even finish that book! It made me realize that I hadn't read in a long time, and of course, the excuses popped into my head. "I don't have anything to read." "I read too much for a class anyways." "I'm just way too busy to pick up a book on my own time." And while some of that was true, I knew there were many days where I would lay in bed and watch Netflix after class until I had to go to sleep.
It's becoming more and more common of people to say these excuses and spend time on their phone or watch tv instead. Ever since 2004, Americans that read for pleasure dropped about 30%. That is a large number of people who just don't read anymore. In 2017, people spend about 2 hours and 45 minutes watching tv or spending time online. Are you really sure you don't have time to read?
I mean I get it, these things can be more entertaining than a book, but people have so much power when they read. The imagination that we start with as kids can help us envision the stories we read or help us learn the lessons books provide. Reading is a sacred thing, and we should be thankful we even can read at all! There are so many countries in the world where a lot of people are illiterate. It breaks my heart that not everyone has the chance to experience something amazing. Even if it's one chapter before bed, people need to take advantage of the fact that they have a skill that others do not.
We need to enforce reading as a society. I don't see the cons of this. We need to get people to stop being so addicted to the internet and put their nose in a book instead. It doesn't cause anxiety or depression like social media has been linked to, and it's been shown that people who read more score higher on tests. There are only pros to reading. I understand that the internet allows us to stay connected, but do you really have to spend so much time on it?
All in all, taking a break from the social media world really isn't a horrible thing. It's a step closer to not be so addicted from being on our laptops or phones all of the time. Reading is shown to have so many benefits for people, and stories are super interesting anyway! Flipping to the next page might even be more exciting than watching the same YouTube video over and over.
