The Silent Exodus: Navigating the Disappearance of Reading
In our youth we all had different reactions when it was time to pick up a book to read. Some had feelings of excitement and eagerness, whereas others felt dread, a valid feeling especially if you had to read a book that was boring, or not a preferred genre.
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Waiting at the bus stop, sitting in a café, going to the park, or flying on an airplane are all places where we could pick up a book and immerse ourselves while we wait for time to pass, but now in this digital age we’ve transitioned to picking up our phones and laptops to get through the day. We are all guilty of it, but it’s the new norm; we have adjusted well to technology and now depend on it in our times of boredom.
The decline of hard copy books being purchased from bookstores or borrowed from public libraries has decreased significantly, our youth are now being shown tablets and phones before receiving small books and writing materials to entertain.
We tend to neglect the long-term benefits of consistent reading, and although many of us like a good audio book or invest in a kindle, the hard copy books are now slowly going away. Contemporary technologies have elevated our everyday life while simultaneously taking away the simple and timeless pieces of our past, present, and future.
We explore various factors that contribute to the decline in reading habits which are, the rise of social distractions, changes in lifestyles, and shifts in education priorities. There have been newfound forms of entertainment to gather people’s attention and give options for our leisure choices.
According to The Guardian, children are reading significantly less than ever before. Reading for pleasure has been influenced by rapid technological advancements. The evolving dynamics of children’s development are now surrounded by incorporating technology, short videos, and comics or pictures for learning.
“In 2019 just 26% of under-18s spent some time each day reading,” Donna Ferguson says.
The future promises a shift from traditional static narratives to interactive and immersive storytelling experiences. A multisensory experience has become more attractive to people of all ages; it allows people to imagine without the work of individual imagination. We share these entertainment experiences now.
E-books and digital platforms play an increasing role in reading habits. With these tools, anyone can connect with stories, go beyond geographical boundaries, and foster global perspectives. Technology continues to enable collaborative reading and discussions with people of different cultures all over the world.
College students today are now seeing changes in their personal reading habits. Depending on majors, and personal preferences the amount of reading one goes through varies. College experiences are academically enriching yet students often are placed with textbooks, research papers, and exams. Amidst the noise and academic commitments, the simple joy of reading or pleasure can be elusive for many college students.
Time constraints and the pressures that come academically leave little room for leisurely reading; due to rigorous coursework, extracurricular activities, and social lives there becomes a challenging environment for a student and majorly affects if a student will allocate time and money for books unrelated to their studies.
Source: Pexel
Digital distractions have been a big part of everyone’s life since the use of technology became popular. Since childhood television and computers have been in our faces for entertainment and educational purposes. The prevalence of screens in college life can lead to students finding it difficult to switch from academic reading to reading for pleasure. Digital stimuli impact the brain in tremendous ways, cognitive overload, shortened attention spans, impact on memory, and even sleep disruption.
The time spent on our screens exceeds 10 hours daily and doesn’t benefit our emotional or physical well-being. For the youth, many have negative comments regarding English literature classes. Reading books too boring and difficult to comprehend has left a bad impression of reading on many of the youth. Book fairs ended by the time middle school came around so the excitement for buying a book ended before many gained a true interest in the books they bought.
A student at Fordham University goes over the fact that reading at one point was enjoyable, but due to the immense schoolwork that occurs every week, reading for leisure can be difficult although she enjoys reading. Sometimes it’s easier to grab a phone or computer and scroll or watch television mindlessly for hours on end.
“Every assignment has a workload that seems impossible to finish, something new is keeping me in front of my computer or on my phone procrastinating. I feel like avoiding reading as much as possible after finishing schoolwork,” says Kethia.
There is a culture for instant gratification which is fueled by social media and on-demand entertainment which contributes to the lack of patience for a slower-paced experience such as reading a book. Faster and more immediate activities become more rewarding for the youth.
Overwhelming choices in bookstores and libraries are a major turnoff and students feel the pressure to choose a good book, or they feel as if their time was wasted, and it could’ve been used doing something far more satisfying.
Although online platforms like Tik Tok have become popular in more recent years and some creators have attempted to get others interested in reading again by making fun content or book reviews there only became a surge of trending books that many would buy and never read. They named it BookTok and it essentially is an easy way for the people of the internet to find a book that is like their algorithms.
Book Tok was a huge part of reading gaining popularity again and stores like Barnes and Noble used this trend as an advantage to sell books, so now most Barnes and Noble we walk into will have a section dedicated to Book Tok. Colleen Hoover, Evelyn Hugo, Rebecca Yarros, and many other authors have created books that flourished on TikTok either for it’s romantic interests or the mysterious and medieval aspects that sound appealing on the internet.
Reviews online have made the selection process easy for many, yet buying the book is only part of the process. Reading and enjoying the story is more challenging than many would think. Not everyone can enjoy a coming-of-age story or romance during the war; this is what can easily turn anyone away from reading. Simply because the imagination was told from another person’s perspective which made it interesting, but reading firsthand grows to be difficult.
“I mean, sure, videos are fun, but nothing beats the satisfaction of holding a hardcopy book in your hands and turning the pages. I found it easier to figure out the genre I liked best by reading the back of the book and skimming a few pages before buying,” says Ariana, an associate at Barnes and Noble.
Reading book reviews online can be beneficial depending on the person, yet the appeal to go to a bookstore, or library to read the back of a book to see if it would be enjoyable is not on many people's To-Do list. The community engagement online helps determine the books for you. With comments under videos and Instagram posts, you don’t have to get one person’s opinions on a book you're considering.
It’s time saving and there are diverse perspectives provided online. Yet the online community can also make reading unappealing for others due to biased reviews, spoilers, or loss of personal exploration. Reading is a deeply personal experience, and some readers may prefer to navigate through literature without other opinions influencing or judging.
While the assertion that the fate of reading is heading towards extinction might be an exaggeration, there are concerns and challenges that the act of reading faces in the modern era. The decline in print media is a perfect example of this.
The reduced consumption of traditional print media, like magazines and newspapers shows the shift to exposure to reading. Crossword puzzles, daily news, and catalogs are now in those little cellular devices and keep us updated and entertained.
Maps, calendars, and journals or to-do lists are no longer written down or learned. Instead, our notes app, calendar, and GPS apps assist greatly in how we navigate our daily lives. While print media continues to coexist with digital platforms print media remains a valuable and cherished form of information distribution.
A librarian speaks to how the daily occurrences of life prevent many of us from delving into the joyous wonders of reading and imagination. She believes it’s only natural that we get distracted daily, but many still make an effort to buy and read books that mean something.
“Getting into reading nowadays is a challenge, it’s not that the books aren’t interesting it’s just that life’s distractions have turned reading into a marathon,” says Lindsey Peterson.
Curated reading spaces are crucial to invite people in to read a good book or to find a book. Reading nooks, cozy corners, and aesthetically pleasing environments give a welcoming atmosphere that is alluring to individuals to grab a book and escape into the pages.
Luckily book lovers never give up when it comes to trying to get more individuals into reading. Now there are more engaging book clubs, many are created by favorite celebrities who are also very eager to share and engage with fans on a shared interest. Icelandic-Chinese singer/songwriter Laufey has introduced a book club called, the Laufey Book Club, where she reads a new book and discusses it with fans after finishing to hear thoughts along with sharing her thoughts as well.
This book club can carry on due to the help of digital platforms such as Instagram Live, where she can openly speak about what impressed her or disappointed her regarding the book she read. This also leaves open commentary for the fans to share their thoughts.
Reading can be an activity that isn’t just for one person but can be shared among communities of people. With the help of passionate bookworms, the world of reading can be brought back to life if there is a love for literature. Many authors and readers could call themselves advocates for the written word and that there is a pivotal role in sharing the knowledge and emotion gained from picking up a book.
At its core, reading should be joyful and not just about reading each line to try to comprehend and learn. There should be sheer pleasure in discovering a new world like picking up a Harry Potter book, reading a magical story like the Percy Jackson series and even looking into the trials and triumphs in the Hunger Games. All these popular books have introduced each of us to a fun and liberating escape where imagination can be its strongest.
While reading a book, emotions of excitement, sadness, envy, and anticipation are what make reading and movies relatable. Not all our favorite books will get that live-action adaptation, but it’s already enjoyable to hold those images we come up with in our head while reading close to us. Reading is a source of solace and a guide to personal growth where we can expand our vocabulary, build attention span, and comprehend better.
It’s not just educational, there are benefits daily to reading, and once you find yourself immersed deeply into a good book those daily habits will come out in ways you never noticed. So before grabbing your phone, try to take 3 seconds to consider picking up a book. Maybe even attempting to try new genres to find what fits your personality and reading style the best.
What are you reading now? comment below.