Reading In The Twenty-First Century

Reading and the way that literature and books in general are valued has changed immensely since the printed word was first developed and continues to evolve at a lightening quick pace each and every year. Times have changed and the literary world has to evolve to keep up with them or risk becoming obsolete - quickly replaced with blogs, news-feeds, and social networking sites. The time for spending hours reading favorite books in front of the fire has come and gone but it’s also been replaced with a reader that demands more from their novels, their how-to books, and even their magazines. No longer satisfied with the modernist take on novels which tasks readers with complex themes and difficult language - todays readers have embraced the new american novel which is full of exciting plot elements, everyday language, colloquial dialogue, and dramatic stories. These are the kind of novels that readers are snatching up and because many of them haven’t been available in adult fiction for so long, as many authors are still trying to be complex as the predecessors were, a lot of adult readers have turned to juvenile or young adult fiction to find their reading material. It’s a common theme, seen with books geared toward a younger crowd like the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, and the Hunger Games books that do well across every demographic - bar none. Some of these examples are simply because of great writing and well designed plots but others are simply because in the midst of chaotic, busy lives people aren’t looking to sit down with a book that forces them to do much in-depth reading, if any at all - instead they’re looking for an escape from their crazy world into a simple, guilty pleasure. It’s the same reason that soap operas and reality tv shows continue to do well - they provide entertainment that doesn’t require intellectual effort on the part of the viewer. This may be seen as convenient but it’s also a reflection of the value in our society and where it’s placed. Trashy sitcoms and poorly written, lust filled, teenage novels have become the standard for television and literature in this day and age and it’s hard not to cringe when thinking of what literary masters of times past would think upon seeing what makes a bestseller in this era.

Still, acknowledgment must be given towards some of these books as they seem to be the only way to tear the youth of this generation away from the computer and the video games that make up their social activities. For that alone they deserve some recognition but it’s a small triumph in the overall battle of culture and appreciate that has been lost as we transfer to newer technologies and ways of living. Our world is faster and more efficient than ever but at what cost? What price do we pay for our ever increasing amount of connectivity, productivity, and general loss of interactivity. Reading used to consist of text and paper but now the large majority of it is done online, or through a reading device like a “kindle” or a “nook” and many publishers fear the the end of printed text is looming ever closer. These devices may allow for easier and more accessible reading, what with the ability to download millions of different books at the click of a button, but they also distinctly change the way that people read. By combining such technology and efficiency with our books we may find it easy to forget that reading was once a source of knowledge, inspiration, and above all - pleasure. Reading was meant to be an enjoyable activity and a pursuit of the educated and well-informed. Now it quickly loses out to tv shows, social media sites, blogs, rss feeds, and our constant use of text messaging and various other distractions. None of this technology is inherently bad nor should it be abolished - just put in perspective. A lot of our time is wasted on useless activities that take up huge chunks of time and provide minimal results whereas reading, a forgotten art at this point, is saved for last and squished in between appointments, meetings, errands, email, and so forth. Those that do read (unless it’s a real passion, in which case time has to be specifically dedicated to it) often get only small bits and pieces here and there any many don’t even manage to read a single book in a year. It’s a shame because it is a very accurate reflection on the overall health of our society. People are less informed than ever, regardless of the increasing costs of education, and the overall caliber of any average citizen in our country has been lowered significantly. The value that was once placed on being well-read has been take over by having the latest iphone and the most prompt twitter updates.

Reading has changed dramatically in our world and book publishers are struggling to keep up with their shifting business model. It’s important, now more than ever, that we continue to persevere and demonstrate the value of reading to young children as well as grown adults and stress the importance of decent literature as a part of our society by taking the time to read more than just the latest supermarket paperback thus showing publishers and agents that the art of reading hasn’t been lost and never will be as long as the people continue to see the value in the written word. By continuing to seek out books of excellence and merit, taking the necessary preparations to set time aside to read, and encouraging such acts in those around you we can preserve what may soon become a lost pastime and ensure that future generations are able to not only enjoy the works of authors long gone but that new classics are continuing to be written even in this age of fast moving technology and ever growing consumerism.

Reading may be changing drastically but it certainly doesn’t have to be shelved, so to speak.