How much do we read? Do we like to read?

Most of us, me included, complain so many times that reading seems to be dying, that books belong to the past and young people do not read anymore. Also – that literature is not needed anymore. I gave some thoughts to this recently for not any particular reason at all. My thoughts have been stirred toward contemplating reading vs. watching (my last blog: Words). So I thought more about it and come to some conclusions, which I would be happy to share with you.

From our early childhood the majority of us become familiar with books, since our parents read them to us during a time when we did not have the necessary skill yet, to read ourselves. So our parents or grandparents would spend time with us every night reading stories, fairy tales etc. to quiet our minds, calm our bodies and help us fall asleep. In our small and unfamiliar with earthly life minds, those stories became enormous adventures in the unknown but fascinating world. We began to learn how to create pictures from words, how to transform this information into a stream of images.

As we grow older and become teenagers and then adults, there is a lot more of seemingly more interesting things to pay attention to: first toys and video games, then boys and girls, then cinemas and theatres, organized sport games etc. This type of entertainment takes over most of our time hence there is not enough time for true reading. Time to explore great literature and fascinating writers. Time to increase previously learned skill of imagining and creating in our mind, the beauty stimulated by books. It even looks like we do not have enough patience for long descriptions of nature, psychological divagations etc. Action packed, fast plot criminal stories or horrors seem to rule. Dramas? Let’s leave it for our retirement time.

After observing many young people over a long period of time and by truly looking retrospectively at my and i.e. my son’s lives I must admit that I was wrong. Young people read a lot more now then when I was young. They actually read constantly. They read on the Internet, they read e-mails, messages, they actually read books and newspapers, flyers and notes. They are constantly reading something.

We may have long discussions about whether this is the ideal method of reading, but the fact remains, that they are reading. Our young generation have adapted to the fast growing technology. They more likely read on laptops, kindles, IPhones etc., not from the actual paper books. They read their newspapers from their mobile phones without missing the view of the actual physical paper page. They go from one “page” to the other on their tablets without missing the point, while I personally would prefer to turn the real page of a newspaper, feel the paper and smell the ink.

Yes, they perceive and run their lives differently, they live in fast pacing times where messages have no punctuation, since everything must be “to the point”, but writing and reading is there, still fully alive. Such a comforting thought!

I remember that in my old country every year there was a Book Festival held in the summer time, as it still is today which is widely attended. A few years ago the main theme of this festival was: “Paper Is Forever!” It was a manifestation of paper, old fashion books and reading habits. It was a great success, writers from all over Europe came to present their books and sign them on the spot.

I am not sure if paper in this form will truly survive. I am not sure if paper books will rule the readers market. What I believe and have faith in is that reading will survive despite all of the changes. That our search for meaning beyond everyday life with persist and something in us (we may call is soul, spirit, subconscious or whatever fits your believe system) will make us continue reading words, phrases and truly experiencing them – generally speaking, that great literature will last forever.

That is my dream for all us, our children, grandchildren and generations to follow.