Once upon a time, libraries were our haven of knowledge, a place to seek the pleasure of reading. Need to write a research paper? Need information on any topic? Your local library was the knight of enlightenment you sought. From newspapers to books, we had to indulge in different materials to quench our thirst for learning, a process that required patience and ample time.
But now, long gone are the days when people had to search for the perfect book or article to cater to their needs. People have access to more written material than at any point in history. Not only in the physical sense, but more abundantly in the digital realm, which has helped deliver convenience with a few clicks on our devices. The internet has revolutionised the struggle to find the right resource. Now, the struggle isn’t to search for the material itself but rather to investigate the validity of the information.
The abundance of material has been utilised in various ways. Whether it be Instagram, where there has been a surge of reading and intellectual content in the form of BookTok, or people from various walks of life sharing and showcasing their knowledge through a 30-second reel or a carousel. Or perhaps the established essays and articles on Substack and thousands of online magazines, online newspapers, and podcasts that have bombarded us with a copious amount of information from across the globe.
In this day and age, it might seem that we are intellectually stimulated more than ever. Yet the digital space has essentially compressed information, ultimately diminishing patience for reading books. It is not to say that such content doesn’t help us learn. But in a world built on trends, the act of reading has been commodified. Due to excess stimulation and easy access to dopamine, our attention span and pursuit of curiosity have essentially been fried. We can’t stomach being bored or find long-form reading a desirable pastime.
Furthermore, the combination of social media and AI has been the deadliest force behind the decline in the habit of reading. The use of AI for summarising and extracting information to complete coursework, assignments, and projects has made efforts to scavenge knowledge irrelevant, undermining our ability to think for ourselves. With every passing day, we are introduced to AI tools and bots that are being upgraded by the minute. Our ease has blinded us to the fact that AI is a large language model that essentially recycles sentences, plagiarises other writers’ work, and is inherently incapable of producing original work.
But the greater cost is our not allowing ourselves to explore. To not indulge in ideas that fuel the mind and make us curious, creative, and most importantly, make us alive. For what are humans if we can’t think? Feel? The adventures of knowledge and imagination enable us to see and be in our truest form.
However, to an extent, it would be erroneous to assume that reading, though it has suffered, has been abandoned. People across the globe are using social media more positively, as many have come to the realisation that books are the cure for a rotting brain and declining cognitive abilities. Hence, the real challenge facing readers today is not access but selection.
Our access to books from every corner of the world has made it difficult to choose, especially when you are beginning your journey as a reader. This is further aggravated by the fact that every hobby has been remade with rather bizarre social rules. You can’t have a hobby unless you are perfect at it or are able to monetise it. Above all, reading in public, which has been an essential part of the human race for decades, has been labeled performative. Or perhaps if you read a book that is not philosophical or from a genre that is not popular, then you are not considered to be trendy or cool enough.
From my own journey as a reader, I learned that just because a book is trending or promoted by an influencer doesn’t mean I have to like it. Nor does it mean that it is inherently bad (except for Colleen Hoover and every author who romanticises toxic behaviour). You have to find the genre, the book that speaks to you. It is crucial for a nourished mind and soul. Allow yourself to engage with a variety of books or articles and discover what you like and what you don’t. Allow it to be a messy escapade. And only then can we actually read and find joy in it in this age of infinite content.