Why We No Longer Read Books
As Written By:
Mr. Ben
Preface
Over the years, it has been thought that the black man is a described race whose attitude towards book reading has experienced a decline from the turmoil of the slavery age to our era. As a matter of fact, it said that one of the ways of denying a typical black man of quality information is to write it in a book. However, as the years progress, it is factual that other races have shown not-encouraging interests towards reading books , perhaps, owing to changing times of world’s demands. The question, arising from this development:’ what factors are responsible’? comes to focus.
No doubt, book-reading culture is the bedrock of all man’s witty inventions, etiquettes, fundamentals of socio-political norms, solutions to imminent socio-political and economic challenges and so on. Yet, it has, it is and if not properly looked into, will be extinct in a not-too-distant future.
It has come to the unequivocal notice that people have prioritize other interests ahead of the fundamentally important book-reading but failed to realize it constitutes the essence of their priorities, Consequently, the preference given to these interests (materialism, for instance) will lead to information deficiency amongst individuals, especially the leaders of tomorrow’s world, the today’s growing youths.
As we approach the information and knowledge age proper, the essentiality of book-reading undoubtedly positions itself as the pivot to surmount challenges, associated with these ages. People’s complacent attitude towards the culture of book reading will mentally, spiritually, socially and physically stagnate their ability to commensurate the demands of these ages.
At this juncture, a question needs to be asked: ‘do you really read quality books; books that are of positive influence in your life?’ If yes, congratulations! If not, then we have to identify the factors responsible for your not reading books.
Mr. Ben
Dedication
To the interested and uninterested reader
Acknowledgement
To God almighty, the Orchestrator and brain behind this classic
To friends, family members and well-wishers who have given their ‘go-ahead’ encouragement
I would say a big ‘Thank-you’
You are more than the costliest demands that can ever be purchased.
Introduction
Why We No Longer Read Books is a material that sheds light on reasons people no longer read books as they used to. Precisely, it is a three-chapter write-up that unveils three major reasons book-reading culture has experienced a near-extinction over the years. Therefore, its asserts the need for its resuscitation or thorough existence but maintains a stance that the attitude of book reading is choice-based.
The three-chapter material which gives three major reasons for the decline in book reading is arranged in the following formats:
Chapter One-Reason One-Parental Incompetence
Chapter Two-Reason Two-Quest for wealth, Riches, money or material gains
Chapter Three-Reason Three-Pressure on youths to prioritize academic pursuits over book reading.
In summary, Reason One, Two and Three are to be detailed with insight-based fats and instances (examples and stories)
In a nutshell, the second-to-none work piece gives a crystal-clear reason on the need for complete attention towards book reading; the bedrock of all man’s inventions, answers to questions, way of life and more importantly, basis of existence.
It is a must-read and most-have material, cutting across all races of different ages. Students, teachers, parents, libraries, schools and other information-interested outfits and ministries will find this piece of writing handy. Welcome on board!
Chapter One
Reason One
Parental Incompetence
The saying: ‘charity begins at home’ is unequivocally correct. Precisely, the saying can simply be put this way: ‘book-reading culture starts from the home-front’. Therefore, the chief residents of the home, that is, parents, play pivotal roles in properly nurturing their children or wards in the light of book reading. In other words, inculcating the attitude of book reading in children is a demanding task parents meet.
However, it has been observed that modern-day parents have somewhat forgotten the importance of inculcating the book reading culture in the growing years of their children. Rather, they either subjugate them to doing other things like carrying out house chores; typical of parents in third-world countries or by liberal standards, allow their children go beyond the limits of watching T.Vs during the nights, surfing the internet without stern supervision or attending parties regularly. These dispositions by parents towards their children do not favour the thriving of the essentially important and should-be-appreciated book reading culture.
The inability of parents to properly nurture their children in the recognition of the culture of book reading is vividly a factor responsible for intellectual deficiency in children’s ability to comprehend what they are taught in and off the classroom. A situation where a parent cannot inculcate the habit of book reading in the growing years of his or her children or wards will automatically anticipate intellectually and information-deficient adults who will pose liabilities to the societies they find themselves.
As a parent, imagine a situation where your children are fond of watching T.V programmes, depicting obscene and uneducative messages instead of paying rapt attention to their books. Without strict supervision, what do you expect of your children when they become adults?
The Holy Bible warns parents to train their children the way they ought to go. In other words, the wisest book admonishes parents to diligently impose values essential to their proper physical, mental, social and spiritual development. These values can verily be found in books because the bible is a divinely written and inspiration-based book Thus, equipping children with the right social, physical and spiritual values entails the involvement of parents to diligently inculcate inevitable values to their children by habituating them to edifying books e.g. the Holy bible, Quran and so on. Sincerely, how many parents have come to the cognizance of this truth?
A factor that encourages parental incompetence, paving the way for the decline of book reading in children is the imbalance of the home. A home where parents whose visions are diverted will experience division which brings about complacency in the attitude of their children towards reading. Also, a home where there is a single parent (single mother or father) as the chief resident will without a doubt not be able to properly enforce the culture of book reading on its children, perhaps, owing to pressing socio-economic demands. No wonder children whose remarkable performances are accountable to the mutual and painstaking efforts of their parents to discipline them in the light of reading quality books, instrumental for their academic excellence. On the other hand, the reverse becomes the case to children with low academic performances.
Therefore, the home, a nucleus or foundational block of any society, should recognize the vital role of its chief residents, the parents (precisely, the man and wife or better yet, mother and father) in the proper nurturing of their children physically, socially and spiritually towards raising responsible and productive individual for the society. This feat can be achieved by primarily identifying with the lifestyle or culture of book reading.
Interestingly, children learn fast from things they easily gain access to knowing this fact; it is disheartening why many parents directly or indirectly allow their wards to have access to certain materials or technologies whose messages portray decadence without strictly ‘sieving’ what they access. Instead of watching uneducative and negatively entertainment programmes on air, why can’t parents take their time to monitor and shape the thinking towards positively entertaining and edifying programmes? Remember, the joy of parents is to see their children excel in their endeavours. The possibility is a reality only if they can place them during their growing years the diet of book reading.
To this moment, you, as an adult, are a product of your past experiences. More importantly, you are a reflection of values acquired through the growing years of human development (infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood), primarily through the books you read and company you keep. The quality of thoughts and actions you possess is therefore a result of the culmination of past experiences, predominately a function of childhood experiences spelt out in the kind of books you read in relation to the interaction with your peers and people around you.
I could remember a friend of mine in primary school whose parents were always busy that they rarely give him attention. Rather, they diligently sought for monetary and material possession. He was left alone at the mercy of a spoilt housemaid who pampered him with excess obscene materials; magazines, nude pictures of herself and X-rated videos. At a tender age of six, he was exposed to different immoral acts.
In school, it was precisely a fateful Friday morning when our class teacher asked each pupil the question: ‘what is the capital of Norway’? Luckily for me, i have at the time mastered most countries’ capitals in Europe. When it got to my turn, i replied ‘Oslo!’ Funny enough, he replied, ‘eroticity!’, when asked the same question.
At the end of the class, after being asked a series of questions by our head teacher who was told about the development, it was discovered he watched porn movies ardently and what he writes in his books and communicate to his peers are words associated with pornography, a reflection of the information acquired watching the movies. Also, our head teacher discovered his complacent attitude towards reading quality books given to him.
Later, our head teacher summoned his parents to explain reasons behind the not-good character of their child. After all said and done, he had to go through intense rehabilitation and subsequent efforts such as habituating him in the light of book reading and subsequent efforts were geared by his parents and our teachers to ensure behavioural change.
Today, he is grateful for the effort made by his parents. As i write this work piece, he is a responsible married man, humanitarian and successful business man.
Chapter Two
Reason Two
Thirst or craze for material, financial, riches or wealth acquisition
I was on my way to visiting a friend when i overheard a fully grown adult say to himself; ‘money is all there is to life. In fact, the Holy bible asserts that money answers all things and is a defence. Therefore, i must go and make money at all cost, by crook or by hook’. Indeed, these assertions point to another reason the craze or thirst for material, financial or wealth acquisition has been at its height over the years, perturbing the essentially important book reading.
A good of friend of mine, name withheld, decided to ‘drop out’ of high school to take the profession of a police recruit. For almost a decade he had been in the force, he still encounters difficulties in actually writing a complete sentence! Then, he believed he could scale through the ranks of the force through cut-corner means and in the process, part away with fortunes. Although he was successful at getting what was aimed at, the deficit of illiteracy still lingers. In future, if he fails to inculcate the habit of book reading, he stands a chance of being out-smarted by clever and educated individuals.
Generally, the thirst for materialism has unequivocally being registered in the psyche of people, irrespective of age, race or background. In other words, the craze for money, riches or wealth has made many individuals belief in the essentiality of these trivialities over their emanation. Simply, many peoples of the world have shown parochial and myopic viewpoints into believing that money is all there is to living a fulfilled life.
To this effect, men and women go extra miles at the expense of their lives and the lives of others to ensure they attain financial opulence. Without a doubt, we hear of cases of respected men and women of rectitude dragging their originally written-in-gold names to the mud, all in the name of wealth or riches by fraudulent means.
Of course, what they fail to identify is the source behind the potency or power of monetary or wealth acquisition. Simply put, many money-hungry people cannot in concrete terms pinpoint the source of money or how money came to existence. They do not know what should rather be prioritized money or its source.
If you were to use the question ‘what is money?’ to X-ray many people (within your sphere contact, at least), you will be surprised at the responses you would get. Some would respond, saying something like: ‘money is life’, ‘money is the world in my control’, ‘money is the substance used for the purchase 0f my need’, ‘money is a respect-earner, power-giver and influence-seeker’ and so on. Arguably, they are right in their opinion and entitled to their viewpoints. However, do these expressions really assert the concept or meaning of money?
Interestingly, the concept behind the genuinty of the term ‘money’ is embedded in books! Only those who are boo-reading-conscious can unravel the concept and origin of the world’s most acceptable medium of exchange. How?
At this juncture, the question that should be asked is: ‘what is the purpose of money’? The right response asked will certainly go a long way in questioning the viewpoint of men and women who have stagnated their minds to believing the mirage ‘money is everything’.
In history, there were various forms of exchange for goods and services, ranging form the medieval period to the late 1800s, in different locations of the world. In some parts, cowries were used and precious substances such as gold, silver, platinum were used in other parts of the world. In one sentence, the trade-by-barter approach to business was generally accepted exchange meant at those times.
However, realizing the disadvantages, inconveniencies and other imbalances, pundits, scholars erudite and other history’s respected intellectuals sat together over the years to brainstorm and unanimously agree on a much-less inconveniencing, nearly no-disadvantageous medium of exchange which would become a universally phenomenon.
It was not until 1919 that the use of paper money was birth into the world with the intent of serving as the means of exchange for goods and services, its most outstanding quality. In fact, many economists agree with this assertion! By deduction, goods and services are a product of witty inventions and ideas of people that are being exchanged via the use of the tool called money.
Where can one get access to these facts? Books! Ideas, commercially translated as goods and services in the form of witty inventions and strategic definitions, have made the existence of man worth living are embedded in books. The advantage of book reading in terms of thorough study is the enablement to generate world-changing ideas that will engender not only desired changes but also huge fortunes and opportunities. Really, if you claim you have an idea about something, you can only be sure of its authenticity by consulting a guiding and corresponding written material (book).
A good way of elucidating the economist’s most outstanding quality of money can be creatively analyzed as MONEY, that is;
M-Means (Medium)
O-Of
N-(inter)National
E-Exchange (for)
Y-Yields
Money, in the light of its most outstanding quality, can be defined as the means or medium of local and/or foreign exchange for yields (goods, services a statement of profitably translated ideas).
In other words, money is a tool or servant (in a way) to ideas. And world-changing ideas are an appreciation of book reading via study. In itself, money can best be rightly used by knowing its emanation (which has its chronology written in books). Always remember this: ideas rule the world.
Chapter Three
Reason Three
Pressure on youths to prioritize academic pursuits over book reading
Not bad the pursuit of academic accomplishment, the pressure on youths especially at tertiary levels to place priorities over the essentially important book reading leaves much to be desired. Tertiary institutions such as the universities, monotechnics, and polytechnics and so on have made cumbersome and stereotyped academic workloads on students that they rarely have time for themselves, let alone reading edifying books. However, is this way to attain academic goals?
During our growing years, we were made to believe hook, line and sinker that a thorough academic education; primary, secondary and tertiary education will enable us attain job security, huge salaries, create a high standard of living, reduce social and economic vices, help us find solutions to impending challenges, make us rich in future and enable us properly take good care of our families and contribute our quota towards the development of our countries. Good reasons behind having a thorough education. But there is a missing factor... ‘What’s that?’ A good question!
As observed, the world is changing. Therefore, the for need for social, cultural and political faces of the world are experiencing change; economic turmoil is rocking many nations, there is a drastic fall in educational standards in many countries (particularly third-world countries), unemployment of tertiary graduates and incessant retrenchment of workers by private outfits and public parastatals and prestigious multi-national companies, increasing moral decadence and delinquencies amongst youths (especially the literates), looming poverty existing in developing nations whose citizens are academically literates, unforetold and unchecked slash in workers’ salary scale, high divorce rates and spousal abuse, divided or broken homes and little or no contribution to societal development. Yet, youths are unnecessary pressured over academic accomplishments over book reading.
Let us zero in our case study on tertiary institutions in Africa, precisely Nigeria. It has been observed that students who instead of studying their books, read and learn on a superficial basis; the psyche of cramming with the intention of writing verbatim what their lecturers have taught them during the course of the semester, only to forget after the examination period is over. The repeated superficial learning during the duration of the studied course (sometimes, four, five, six academic years excluding strike and internal problems) have produced an army of information-stagnant graduates who lag behind the fast-rising gradient of world development . Obviously, they cannot compete with their foreign counterparts. Rather, instead of being nurtured as job creators, they become eventual job seekers, unnecessarily ‘polluting’ the labour market; a crowd of job seekers vying for limited job spaces available. In all, the few lucky or successfully employed ones are left at the mercy of their employers who seem to hold the key to their fortunes in future. What about the majority? Unemployed, of course! Breathing decadence, insecurity and total liability to the society, the jobless but academically certified youth among others are arguably headed toward these directions.
On second thought, would you really blame students who have imbibed the superficial learning habit when there is little or no time to read life-building books, ‘loaded’ with apparently insurmountable and take-your-time assignments, projects and other commitments that seem not to have changed? Given a number of courses that carry huge units and other borrowed courses which are made compulsory but really unnecessary pertaining to the course of study, if you were in this situation, how do you want to read life-changing books?
The earlier we realize that academic education ends in the fore-walls of the classroom and pose little or no practical consequences to typical life issues, the better. Nowadays, academic education can only create a meaningful impact to the lives of learning youths if those in charge of the system can lift a ban of stereotypic and cliché-based learning by seeking for interests focused on improving the existence of humanity by continually modifying or making better already-used-to endeavours. The straight-to-life applications of modified or improved academic teachings can only be found in life-edifying books, an appreciation of (quality) book reading, tantamount to qualitative education. ‘Qualitative education?’ How do you mean?
Qualitative education is basically a do-it-yourself mindset approach. The ability of an individual to develop his or her potentials through the years of academic study will ascertain how accomplished such an individual would be. Loosely speaking, qualitative education is a life-long education which involves a continued development of unearthed potentials for the purpose of rightly serving God and Humanity.
Therefore, an individual developing certain potentialities is without a doubt investing in his or her personality. This is primarily as a result of the quality of books read, a showcase of qualitative education in association with the company kept.
I do not know what you see to this view but i believe in the efficacy of this assertion: the school should be seen as a platform or threshold where students can decide what is best for them. Here, ‘the school’ refers to the institution of higher learning. ‘How can i decide what’s best for me when my academic workload is much’? A question you may ask.
The following give an overview of the milestone achievements of individuals who have exercised the essence of qualitative education. Remember, success comes with a prize (an eventuality of quality education) and you can only discover this by reading books.
Bill Gates, CEO, Microsoft Inc. had to leave the prestigious Harvard University to pursue his life-long dream. Now, he is one of the recognized richest entrepreneurs in the world. The products of his company; various Microsoft packages are presently cannot-do-without educational tools used in classrooms.
Thomas Edison only had three months of formal education but he is the greatest inventive person ever. To his credit, he has precisely 1, 093 patents. Amongst his inventions is the popular electric bulb that took over nine hundred failed attempts. The advancement of the electric bulb has made classroom lectures arguably worth enjoying
Ted Turner, CEO of one of the world’s most recognized Cable National Network, CNN, was a school drop-out but through personal development demonstrated as elf-investment, he was able to carve a niche for himself in the world of broadcasting.
The Wright Brothers had no formal education. Interestingly, personal development in terms of experiences gathered enabled them successfully invent the first locomotive, air-friendly object, the Aeroplane, in 1903
Although a right attitude towards academics is very important, it is unequivocally vital and obvious the importance of habitual book reading to properly cope with life issues should be implemented in schools to bring about productive and world-changing individuals.
As the great William Shakespear remarked;’ if you are not informed, you are deformed’. It follows that the difference between you, as of present and in future will primarily be determined by the quality of books you read and the company you keep. Although it is a matter of choice, embracing the culture of book reading will be great deal.