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The Importance of Reading
Reading has always been one of the most important, most common, and most enjoyable hobbies over centuries (Kunst, 2020). At specific periods reading was considered a privilege reserved for either the males or the elites; however, we tend to forget those times and underestimate the importance of reading in our lives (Kwong, 2012). Thereby, this paper will discuss the importance of reading in our daily lives and how it might affect our lives positively.
In the modern, globalized world we live in nowadays, reading is not just a hobby anymore. It is the most basic crucial skill one needs to have to maintain their basic life needs. As of 2015, 86% of the world's population knows how to read and write (Roser, 2016). Reading is not just a hobby because we learn everything through reading. Reading at a very early age helps children's minds develop faster, and it helps them with their speaking skills since it enhances their vocabulary (Taylor and Francis, 2019). A recent study has also shown that reading has shown promising results in preventing Alzheimer's disease as it works as a form of exercise for the mind to keep it healthy and sharp (Henry, 2021). Not only that, but reading also expands your thoughts resulting in more creative thinking and a vivid imagination (Henry, 2021). Another study was conducted to compare reading a book to watching a movie. It proved that reading stimulates your brain more than watching a movie as while reading the story, you will use your imagination more coupled with a storyline that the writer wants you to follow, resulting in a very creative scene in your head, unlike watching a movie where you watch the creativity of someone else without challenging your mind and creative thinking (Henry, 2021). In addition to that, reading can help you concentrate more as it works as a mental exercise where you have to stay focused for a while, and later you become more focused and concentrated in your different life aspects (Miller, 2017).
On top of that, reading can also be quite beneficial for your mental health as it can help you destress. It is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety and stress by almost 70 %, which is a considerably high percentage (Miller, 2017). Moreover, books can manage and organize your thoughts and feelings. As you read through a book, you experience different emotions and feelings that help you experience and let out all the buried emotions you have, enhancing your mental health (Miller, 2017). Reading also works as a condensed experience capsule in which you can read and gain the main character's experience without actually going through the experience in real life. Thereby people who read are usually more socially intelligent and can handle crises ( Miller, 2017). Reading is not limited to books and novels. Reading is also the essential skill kids learn at schools, and luckily The United Nations made it mandatory for all countries to offer a form of free primary education to all its citizens (The United Nations). Reading can also help you find friends with similar interests by asking about their favorite genres or authors or by even joining book clubs. In addition to that, reading is the most commonly used method in gaining any information in any field possible; there are other alternatives for sure such as documentaries; however, reading is the most common, fastest, and most precise method to use if you want to learn about basically anything (Statista, 2019).
In conclusion, we are now lucky enough that reading is a mandatory right you have to take after years of oppression where people tried to get their fundamental right of education. We tend to forget and overlook this privilege we have, and we should focus more on appreciating our right to read and read more since reading is super beneficial for individuals socially, academically, and on their mental health status. Reading is more than just a hobby; it is the primary means of knowledge in the world.
Works Cited
Henry. "The Importance Of Reading.†University of the People, 27 May 2021.
Kunst, Alexander. "Hobbies & Interests in the United States 2020.†Statista, 19 Nov. 2020.
Miller, Jason M. "U.S. History State Assessments, Discourse Demands, and English Learners' Achievement: Evidence for the Importance of Reading and Writing Instruction in U.S. History for English Learners.†The Journal of Social Studies Research, Elsevier, 16 Dec. 2017.
Roser, Max, and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina. "Literacy.†Our World in Data, 13 Aug. 2016.
