The Reading Obsession
In school, we are drilled into thinking reading is an unqualified good thing. Reading programmes exist to boost the amount of reading children do. Parents chastise their kids for watching TV instead of reading a book.<p>Against this background, we forget that reading is ultimately a form of consumption. It doesn’t <i>inherently</i> make the world a better place. It doesn’t, by itself, <i>produce</i> anything.<p>It matters a lot <i>what</i> you read. Reading can be a gateway to learning and fulfilment, but it can also be an addictive time-sink that leads nowhere. It’s a particular trap for those with an intellectual or introverted bent.<p>I fear that the good intentions of teachers trying to get kids to read more at all costs risks only doing half the job, and leaving a population without the media literacy to choose wisely which books to consume, or without the restraint to know when it’s time to stop reading and start acting.