It’s disappointing that I even have to write an article about the importance of reading, this should be common knowledge, but apparently it’s not.
When I look on my Facebook timeline I see people talking about the latest show on Netflix, the game last night, what new video came out, how they plan on spending their tax return and anything other than what they are reading or plan to read. Sure I see infographic memes with heavy claims but no sources to double check the information. Very few people talk about books anymore.
Has technology replaced reading books?
I get it, we can go on google now to find out pretty much anything we want to know. So why read books?
Here’s why, even though you can find an answer from some online search engine, it’s normally just information not quite knowledge. Once you digest the information, process it, perhaps double-check a few things then it becomes knowledge. It takes even longer to turn that knowledge, into wisdom, then understanding. You won’t get all that the from google, just raw information.
Books have a lot information and effort put into them, unlike most articles on the internet. For example, if you google “consciousness”, you’ll get a basic answer without much information to support the definition given. However if you get a book on “consciousness”, you’ll have a lot more information and perceptions to ponder upon. More than likely that one book will have their sources cited, which will give you a whole list of books you could get to continue your personal study of “consciousness”.
The reality is though, most people don’t need the google search engine or a library because they don’t care. Knowledge to them is not power or important. As long as they can still watch Netflix, maintain some kind of job that keeps them just over broke, and have a place to come home to and do nothing, then they are ok.
Ironically, people in that circumstance often make things appear like they’re just doing what they got to do, like they don’t have options. It never occurs to them that their options are limited not because of the outside world but because they don’t have enough information to make a way. The opportunities are all around them, but they’re too busy watching TV and playing video games to see it.
The lack of knowledge in non-readers has left them powerless and full of excuses.
My granny used to say, “if you want to hide something from a n*gga put in a book.” Unfortunately, my experience has shown me that granny was right.
Reading is important. Knowledge is POWER.
