The Allure of Reading Good Books
Life is a journey where people first experienced reading through books before they started progressing to magazines, television, and then to phones and then social media. We have come full circle and are returning to the simple joy of getting immersed getting our imaginations fired up with nothing more than just the words written on a page. Less is more and with age, the appreciation for less increases. We are too overstimulated with fast quick visuals. It is no wonder that the allure of reading, to sit back and enjoy a good read is like a trip to the oasis
5/29/20242 min read
Returning to Reading from TikTok
After spending hours trawling through short videos on TikTok, we may feel somewhat accomplished because we have somehow learned something new. However, the opposite actually happens. Soon enough, boredom sets in when we start seeing the same videos with increasing frequency. Questions of purpose then arise: are we actually doing anything meaningful?
The Allure of Reading Good Books
This is where we start to see the allure of the old and gold standard of reading good books. Books fill our appetites differently. There is space for us to stop and think about what we read. While TikTok encourages mass consumption without real processing, reading is self-paced in-depth learning.
Engaging in Self-Paced In-Depth Learning
When we read a book, we have the luxury of diving deep into a topic. We can take our time to absorb the information, reflect on it, and make connections to our own lives. Reading allows us to engage in self-paced in-depth learning.
Unlike TikTok, where we are bombarded with short, fleeting videos, reading provides us with the opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in a subject. We can explore different perspectives, challenge our own beliefs, and expand our knowledge.
Additionally, reading allows us to develop critical thinking skills. As we encounter different ideas and arguments in a book, we are prompted to analyze and evaluate them. This process of critical thinking helps us to become more discerning consumers of information.
Furthermore, reading stimulates our imagination and creativity. When we read a well-written book, we are transported to different worlds, meet fascinating characters, and experience thrilling adventures. Our minds are engaged in a way that TikTok simply cannot replicate.
Moreover, reading helps to improve our vocabulary and language skills. As we encounter new words and phrases in a book, we can look them up, learn their meanings, and incorporate them into our own writing and speech. This constant exposure to well-crafted language enhances our communication abilities.
Lastly, reading provides a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. When we finish a book, we feel a sense of achievement. We can reflect on what we have learned and how it has impacted us. This feeling of personal growth and development is something that TikTok cannot provide.
While TikTok may offer a quick and entertaining way to consume content, reading good books provides a more meaningful and enriching experience. Through reading, we engage in self-paced in-depth learning, develop critical thinking skills, stimulate our imagination, improve our language abilities, and experience a sense of fulfillment. So, let's put down our phones and pick up a book to truly satisfy our intellectual appetites.
