Why People Reading Fewer Books: Consequences
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In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of people reading books. While a number of factors can be attributed to this trend, two of the most significant are social media and audiobooks.
With social media, people can get their information in short bites that are easy to consume. In contrast, reading a book requires time and patience, and many people don't have the attention span for it.
It is claimed in studies that the human attention span has shrunk to mere 8 seconds. It means that most of the readers will not get past this sentence. If they do, impatience would have overtaken focus in the search for instant gratification.
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... human attention span has shrunk to mere 8 seconds ...
This inability to concentrate is a silent pandemic that has already crept into human society.
In an age of information overload, it's no surprise that people are looking for ways to consume information more efficiently. As a result, traditional book reading has declined in popularity. It seems a lost battle to provide excitement between a few seconds of scrolling and hours of book reading.
Each year, the number of books published worldwide is nearly 22 Lakh (2.2 million), of which India publishes only 1.5 Lakh titles. It is minuscule for the vast population. Compare this with WhatsApp users. There are 48.7 Crore (487 million) of them in India.
These many WhatsApp users in India would read many posts daily, along with other videos and audio. Some of the posts can be lengthy. If one is to interpret this data, there is a case for information consumption by reading, using another medium, which is not a book.
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... India publishes only 1.5 lakh titles, yearly ... has 48.7 crore Whatsapp and 23 crore Instagram users.
There are 23 Crore (230 million) Instagram users, another medium that has taken away the attraction and patience from book reading.
Similarly, the popularity of audiobooks has also increased in recent years, as they allow people to listen to books while doing other activities.
In a hectic life, it can be challenging to find the time to sit down and read an entire book. Multi-tasking and duality of priorities have given rise to audio and other visual digital aids.
Books may evolve, and optimistically they will remain an essential part of our culture.
In our fast-paced, impatient world, it's no surprise that some believe books are no longer necessary. After all, why would anyone want to read a long text when they can get the information they need with a quick Google search?
In recent years, social media has become one of the most popular forms of information and entertainment. With platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, people can easily stay up-to-date on current events, share their thoughts and connect with friends and family.
According to a recent study, the average person spends nearly four to five hours daily on social media. That's roughly twenty per cent of their waking hours. Moreover, these social media scrolling hours are growing with each passing year.
With so much content available at our fingertips, it's no wonder that many people are finding it hard to find the time to read. But, thanks to technology, we now have more options than ever when learning new things.
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Average person spends nearly 4 to 5 hours daily on social media
It would be wrong to compare consuming digital media with book reading. Both have their own space in a person's life, using different brain parts. However, since social media are designed to give a feeling of instant reward, pushing users towards addiction, books are incomparable.
Even though some argue that this shift damages society, others believe it reflects how people consume information nowadays. In any case, it is clear that technology significantly impacts how we access knowledge.
While it is true that social media has made it easier to consume information quickly, does this necessarily mean that books are being replaced?
On the contrary, reading has proven to have a plethora of benefits that can improve one's focus, patience, interpretative skills and in-depth knowledge. It has also been linked with developing a person's maturity.
A study by the National Endowment for the Arts states that people who read tend to have "larger vocabularies, better reading comprehension, and better communication skills".
Furthermore, those who read frequently can "Summarize long passages more accurately, judge characters more critically, and [have] stronger analytical skills".
Book reading uses part of the brain, which no other medium does. It is not just about gathering information but about living through the process.
As a result, they provide a more immersive experience. Readers are transported to another world and allowed to explore it at their own pace. With other media, the pace is set by the provider.
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Book reading uses parts of brain, which no other medium does
To test this out, readers can try recalling the characters in the last book they have read. Compare that with thousands of social media updates in the previous few days. There will be a stark difference between the quality and quantity of the experience and the pleasure derived from them.
Psychologically, reading a book gives a sense of achievement and fulfilment. It makes one confident. One can even boast of reading so many books, even though they may not be classics.
In addition, they are portable and can be part of one's personal proud collection. No wonder, what started as a practice during COVID, is now a trend.
People want to pose in front of the books during a video call. Therefore, people choose bookshelves as their background to look well-read and hence sound credible.
In the new world, contracts and agreements are a way of life and reading fine print hidden between "terms and conditions" makeup products and services.
"Attention to detail" and extensive reading are the new traits of successful people. Hence, the practice of reading is becoming more and more critical.
Reading books helps to promote critical thinking and understanding. At a time when we are bombarded with information from all sides, it is more important than ever to be able to sift through the noise and construct thoughtful arguments based on evidence.
Pervasive fake information is a recent phenomenon. Misrepresentation and misinterpretation of religious text and history are on the rise. It has incited violence and hatred in a society that was once peaceful. Some attribute the global rise of nationalism to exaggerated misrepresentation.
"There is only one good,
knowledge,
And one evil,
ignorance"
~ Socrates
If people had read more, they would not have gotten carried away with provoking shallow information. As a result, much of the world's unrest would not have occurred.
Finally, reading can be a great way to relax and wind down after a long day. Unlike watching television, flipping channels endlessly or scrolling infinitely through social media, reading requires full attention. For these reasons, it's essential to read every day.
If people who read books have more exciting lives than those who don't and a nation's prosperity depends on its literate citizens, then the decrease in reading habits should worry policymakers.
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A nation's prosperity depends on its literate citizens
On the contrary, social media and listening to audiobooks are much more shallow and inferior in intellectual quality.
It is time for the transformative power of literature to inspire a nationwide renaissance of literary reading and bring this change into the lives of all citizens.
For all these reasons, we should make an effort to encourage others, especially the new generation, to keep away the digital distractions and read more books.
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