Words of Wisdom: Technology and What That Means For the Future of Reading (books)

Writer: Rachael Zhou
Editor: Elise Su

Walt Disney once said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” George R.R. Martin, author of the series that was an inspiration for the TV series A Game of Thrones, stated that “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.” Victor Hugo, the author of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, declared that “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” Numerous big names have acknowledged the benefits of reading, the inspiration it gives them, and the influence of books on their lives. 

But reading doesn’t seem to have the same effect it once did. In 2012, 27% of students reported that they read almost every day. In 2023, 11 years later, that number had dropped to a mere 14%, according to the Nation’s Report Card. In the UK, there was a 26% decrease in the number of children reading daily during their free time. So what is causing this drastic decline in reading? And what can we do to fix it?

Before that, however, we have to address the main problem: why should you read at all?

The answer to this question is actually very clear. Multiple studies have shown that increased reading is associated with not only more reading comprehension and reading ability, but also heightened abstract thinking skills, emotional intelligence, and memory function. In addition,  reading is linked to greater academic success. And if that’s not enough to convince you, reading also has long-term benefits. Reading on a regular basis engages your brain, and participating in activities that engage your brain can make you 2.5 times less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease. Reading can also slow the effects of age on memory loss and brain function, and may be able to lower mental decline by a whopping 32%. Yet, given all these benefits, why aren’t people reading anymore?

There are several reasons for this decline, but the most obvious and prominent one is the rise of technology and short-form media. Reading often requires sustained focus and long-term attention, which can be especially challenging for younger generations with shorter attention-spans.  This causes the reader to lose interest very quickly in the book, which is remedied by short-form content on apps such as TikTok and Instagram. In these apps, your feed is constantly replaced by algorithms that are designed to keep you glued to the screen. When doom scrolling, you only need to focus your attention on one thing for a very short period of time, around 1 minute, but it takes hours and hours to read a good book. This encourages impatience and short attention span, as well as the need for instant gratification. Why should you read a book that might not be interesting in some parts when you can just open TikTok or Instagram and get a constant stream of refreshed content that keeps you satisfied? 

The connection between the decline in reading and the rise of social media is rooted within a shift in Western society. As we enter the information age, our screens have become the predominant source of information and entertainment, and 90% of teens have used social media. And why shouldn’t it? At the click of a button, you can see what’s happening around the world and access your friends even if they’re halfway across the world. Digital devices can provide users with something that books cannot: they provide users with visual and auditory content, while books leave much up to the imagination of the reader. Society is becoming fast paced, and  the need for efficiency reduces the possibility of leisurely, time-consuming activities such as reading; mounting workloads in the hustle and bustle of daily life make it almost impossible. 

Additionally, some people believe that physical books are outdated – not only do they consume so much paper (resulting in them being not very environmentally friendly), but what you can find in a book can inevitably be found even in the darkest corners of the Internet. And this, to some extent, is very true. How can books, with their endless indexes, table of contents, and tiring page flipping trying to find page 562, compare with computers, which can find you what you want in seconds with a simple Google search? The Internet can expose you to the greater world and ignite a thirst for knowledge, as well as providing entertainment that books once did. 

However, this does not merit the total dismissal of books as a source of entertainment and information. While the Internet has a wide variety of sources and can give you multiple different perspectives, a book gives you a more concentrated, in-depth understanding of the topic you are researching. Books also allow your imagination to run free – instead of being provided with visuals, your brain makes these visuals for you and your interpretation is unique to yourself. Also, it gives you a reprieve from the relentless bombardment of information that screen time often presents, freeing you from the distractions that being online often presents. The Internet can be useful for many things, but books also have good sides too. The key is to diversify your approach, by balancing your screen time and reading time. 

Finally: how do we fix it? Well, the first step to freeing yourself of an unproductive doom scrolling-dominated lifestyle is just to step off and take a break when you feel that need tugging at you. Maybe this means reading a book, but maybe this means hanging out with family. But because this article is focused on reading, we recommend that you pick up a book. 

References

Federal data on reading for pleasure: All signs show a slump. (2024, October 3). https://www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2024/federal-data-reading-pleasure-all-signs-show-slump

Naep long-term trend assessment results: Reading and mathematics. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2024, from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/highlights/ltt/2023/

Ritchie, S. J., Bates, T. C., & Plomin, R. (2015). Does learning to read improve intelligence? A longitudinal multivariate analysis in identical twins from age 7 to 16. Child Development, 86(1), 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12272

Social media and teens. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2024, from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Social-Media-and-Teens-100.aspx#:~:text=Surveys%20show%20that%20ninety%20percent,mobile%20devices%20with%20internet%20capabilities.

Staff, T. (2015, January 14). 8 science-backed reasons to read a (Real) book. TIME. https://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/benefits-of-reading-real-books/

Why people stopped reading: Unraveling the decline of a book-loving culture - the geeky leader. (2024, March 24). https://thegeekyleader.com/2024/03/24/why-people-stopped-reading-unraveling-the-decline-of-a-book-loving-culture/