Get off the internet, and go read!
In today’s day and age, it is hard to not stare at a computer, (including smartphones) all day, especially with school and work often being remote. It is difficult to not fall into this pattern even when you are aware that you’re spending so much time scrolling through your phone or watching a show on your laptop. As technology has become more and more of a necessity, it is constantly overstimulating us as human beings, and like our favorite Emma Chamberlain was expressing in one of her YouTube video (which inspired people to take the leap and start reading, but if it did not inspire you personally, I have more pointers to convince you), she talks about always being on her phone, waking up to mindlessly scroll, and repeating this pattern before bed. Emma has been replacing scrolling the internet with reading before bed, and has found this to help make her more present, and noticed a positive increase in her mental health.
We have all been in a situation where you're in a group setting and someone has to answer a text. Then someone else starts playing on their phone, and all of a sudden everyone is aimlessly scrolling on their smartphones. So what do you do? Well, usually in these situations I would just pull out my phone as well, and while we would all be technically hanging out together, in all actuality we are now just being simulated by whatever the internet algorithms know we are most interested in. This can not just be a Generation Z phenomenon. I’ve run into this predicament too many times to count, even in situations where I am with just one other person, so I understand the temptation. While we all need a temporary break from reality, being on your phone can take away from being in the moment. Scrolling is a time killer that is easy to get consumed by, so I started doing this thing: bringing the book I am currently reading with me to social events, (or anywhere for that matter). When I started bringing my book with me, my friends laughed, looking at me like I was silly in a way, and I found that It felt a bit odd at first. But every time my friends pulled out their phones to Snapchat someone back, or watch a Timothee Chalamet spotting on tik-tok, I would pull out my book. I found that in a way, it makes others want to get off their phones sooner. Subconsciously, I think my friends realized we were disconnecting by not engaging with each other. After a few minutes of me reading my book, I often find myself scribbling down words I don’t recognize to look up later. Often someone else will engage with me to ask what my book is about. This ends up being a great conversation starter, especially if you’re like me and not only can talk to a wall but can ramble about book plots for hours.
Both a Timothee Chalamet spotting on tik-tok, and a fictional character in a novel won’t necessarily get you far in life, but the main difference between the two is being present in the moment. I find that not only am I more present but I am being mentally stimulated in a creative and challenging way, while others aren’t necessarily experiencing that. Obviously, this all depends on the type of situation you are in.
While I know the difference between me reading a novel and my friends being on Snapchat might not seem significant to a digital world, I find myself more present and engaged during these moments. Of course, life is about more than having your nose constantly in a book, but for me reading really is a healthy habit that I have developed.
We all have 24 hours in a day, and during my leisure time, reading is how I’ve been trying to spend more of my time.
I also feel that when I’m reading I’m still being productive, and though I might not be doing homework, or feel that I am accomplishing anything particularly important, I am growing my vocabulary, learning a character’s thought process, and opening my mind. We can grow so much empathy and understanding of others by reading. You might envision yourself in a character’s shoes, or how you might feel if you were in their circumstances. The fact that you can visualize what the character is saying and doing in your head, or even when reading a self-help book both display insight into your personal psychology. Gaining insight and awareness to others around you helps get you out of our often self-centered heads. Reading does not just shape the way you look at others but also creates insight into the bigger picture of humanity as a whole. On a micro-scale, this translates to personal morals and what type of a person you wish to be in this world. One common philosophical idea is the questioning of life itself, and I find reading is a gateway to exploring many of these big life questions.
I think everyone can benefit and therefore should pick up a good book or two. From personal experience, you have to try a lot of different genres and types of books to figure out what resonates with you. I don’t necessarily think after two different genres of books you will magically find your favorite author, let alone one with over five novels published. While some people are lucky and do not have to search far and wide for their reading niche, the majority of people have to go through a longer process. But, this is what the library was created for. You can easily rent a book from a local library, read the first 20 or so pages, and if you find this book is not your personal jam, you can always return it early, and explore new and different options. Mark Manson said it best in this youtube video (This video also has some tips on how to become a faster reader, and how to retain what you read.)
Anyhow, I feel this post rambled a bit, but nonetheless, I encourage reading for anyone and everyone. Sometimes I feel like there is a big gap in my generation of people who do not read for pleasure, and that was the main inspiration for this blog post.
