Is reading a lost art?

[Hyorinmaru]

Yesterday while I was covering a door greeters break (for those who don't know I work at the local Walmart) a couple came in with their 6 year old daughter and in her hands was an animorphs book. I started talking to the mother. As soon as I mentioned that I read animorphs when i was younger the little girl chimed in and started talking about how Animorphs and the magic treehouse series were her favorite books ever and she read for an hour a night after she was done with her homework and before she went to bed. I saw them walking through the store and the girl was sitting in the cart with her nose in her book and i have to be honest it made me smile.

Honestly I was very surpirsed that she was into reading as much as she was. With TV and video games kids don't read for fun anymore because they just don't want to. And the parents don't seem to care as long as there kids don't bother them when they come home. As some one who loves to read and to this day takes an hour or more before bed to relax and read a book this saddens me.


do you think reading for fun is becomg a lost art?

 

[lenguy]

Yes and No, All is not quite lost yet. Sure reading may not be as popular as it once was, may have other hobbies now a days like watch T.V or playing video games as you pointed out. Back in the day there wasn't much else you could do besides read,go play outside(that to seems to be fading away and closer to becoming a thing of the past) Or even listening to the radio or watching the few channels you had to your television.

Today while like I said it many not be popular to much of todays youth but its still deemed rather important to most of the general public. For instance, the internet, there's a fair amount of reading done on the internet just as much as there is videos. There's apps on available for your Ipads/Iphones where you can download entire books digitally. I still see people like to read the papers even though much of the news can also be found on their official websites and all over the web, some people still prefer to get their news the old fashion way.

In future generations..reading might become more and more obsolete. As many schools still use the text book method to teach students, as technology evolves it might just be easier and more convenient to just say, download the information to your brains instead of going through that trivial task of actually trying to learn it. Of course, this is still a long ways away but as we grow more and more into the future I think people will find less and less of a need to read but I still think the concept of reading will be around for maybe forever. I can only guess.

 

[Disturbed]

I think kids read more than you think. Video games have a lot of reading involved. I am not saying they get a lot of reading from video games but you do have to read some. With movies a popular hit, why read when you can watch a movie that tells a story within itself. It's not that kids don't like reading, it's the fact that reading is stressed way to much. I love reading but I love reading what I want. Teachers make kids do book reports on shit that they don't like and that they don't enjoy reading. So, what's the point of reading when you just aren't enjoying it. I remember back when I used to have to read in Elementary school, I hated it. Why did I hate it? Because I was forced. Now that I am not forced I enjoy reading. However I only like reading books that appeal to me. For example, I mainly just read wrestling books. Also, I read a lot of RPs in WZCW and posts on WZ so isn't that considered reading. It expands my knowledge (excluding some). I think reading would be more enjoyable for kids if they weren't forced.

 

[Ultra Awesome]

First, I'd like to say that what I am going to post about is reading in terms of reading a book, not necissarily reading in general. Because obviously, reading is still very existant in the form of texting, emails, facebook, twitter, etc.

Anyways, amongst the youth, I would have to say "yes" reading a book is a dying activity to do. Not many children will want to read a book seeing as they have "better" ways to spend their time. The general idealism that is spread amongst them is that it’s uncool to read – if they read, they are nerds – and no one wants to be a nerd. More importantly, reading – for a child – is not viewed as something that is "fun" – it's something that more closely relates to "punishment."

As far as the general public goes, I think it's not so much that it's "boring" to read a book; it's more as in the focus it takes to read is too much for people in general. If you take a survey, I can guarantee that 6 out of 10 people will tell you that when reading a book, they tend to procrastinate and pause to do something else only to return a while later and still be on the same paragraph that they were on an hour ago.

When one is reading a book, they are in a state of contemplation in which they are observing/examining the thoughts that inhabit another's mind. We learn about their opinions, feelings, their imagination, and what point they want to come across. We enter their reality by letting our own mind create images and thoughts as we read the long lines of text. However, such a feat [in the form of reading a book] is hard to do without a certain type of peace in which there is a void of distraction.

In the world that we live in today, every-day activities distract one from being in a state of long, deep thought and focus for reading a book. Whether it be something trivial such as looking at what's on facebook or turning on the television to see if anything good is on, or simply thinking about something that happened earlier in the day, distraction overcomes the mind leading one to procrastinate from reading a book. It's as if ''knowing what else is going on'' becomes more important than ''long, deep thought and focus.''

That's the main problem when it comes to reading a book for "fun" nowadays. Not many have the focus to pick up a book and see it through to the end. Of course, not everyone is like this. There are a considerable number of people that still enjoy reading and do it plenty.

However, with the day-to-day activities that the world faces, one just doesn’t have the focus it takes to read anymore. Back in the day, there were a lot less things to do and less "distractions" so reading a book became a major part of passing the time. But with the technology (etc) that infests today’s world, reading a book is but one of thousands of things to do in order to pass the time - not to mention the number of "distractions" that can occur as a result.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

Firstly, I'd like to mention that I don't think reading is an "art," as much as looking at a painting isn't "art."

That being said, no. Sure, reading a book may be a dying tradition, but I absolutely believe reading is becoming more and more relevant, as information becomes increasingly available on the internet. And because of that, I believe people are more educated now than they were back before the internet was a common household tool.

Also, when you're talking about series like Animorphs and Magic Tree House, I don't think there's too much of a difference from reading that, than watching a somewhat intellectually stimulating TV show or movie, or playing a video game.

 

[Calderownz]

To an extent, yes. The sales of books are down, for example. Libraries are virtually extinct. However, I think kids read a bit more than we give them credit for.

A child online can take advantage of the very invention we are all communicating with for this forum. The internet gives a child a chance to read on a daily basis, without it feeling like reading. A lot can learned and explored online in a very positive way.

However, if all they're reading is scandalous, frivolous material, then it's a wasted opportunity. Still, myself personally, I try to read a book or two every month. I read at a slower pace in hopes of really feeling the book out. Still, it's not something that I'd assume people at my age or especially younger would generally partake in.

 

[LitasRevenge79]

I think it kind of has. Everyone is wanting their entertainment, NOW NOW NOW!! Its to the point that video stores are closing, and people can read their books on their PDA's, or little laptops. I still believe in going to the library and checking out books to this day. I recently finished up a lengthy novel of Marquis DeSade, and a hilarious book by Greg Gutfeld host of Fox's RED EYE, called the Bible of Unspeakable Truths, basically his ranting on anything and everything about current culture. I still check out other books, and will even buy some books if I deem it necessary from the local book boutique.

I think with the attitude of people on the go, we seem to have lost the appreciation for taking some quiet time to curl up on the couch with a nice cup of hot tea, and no distractions, and a good book to read. I remember when I was in 2nd grade, I got 4 of VC Andrews' books for Christmas Eve early gift, and read one whole book that night. I had to be forced to go out to do something. I remember my grade school had this program called "Book It" where for every book you read, you got a star, and after 5 stars, you took your pin or card to Pizza Hut for a free personal pizza and stickers. That even encouraged me to keep doing what I was doing. Hell, even when I was younger than that, my mom and dad would take turns one read to me before bed, and the other to my sister and it would be a regular routine every night. It was something I looked forward to every week in the mail to see what books my parents had ordered for my sister and I from the Weekly Reader club. Granted, I still do like my Sports and Women's magazines, but I do often like to go back to the books when I need to get away, and its something that I remember fondly. I still like to take the time to read to my 7 year old nefew and 4 year old niece, its something that I fear could become a lost form with our more and more e-friendly society.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

While kids everywhere are reading every day, such as the Internet, texting etc, I do believe that reading books in a lost art.

Even on peoples profiles on Facebook, they regularly list "I don't read" when given the opportunity to list their favourite books. I love reading, I used to read constantly as a kid and have all the Enid Blyton adventure books, which are still great reads.

However, now I just tend to read the daily newspaper and sports autiobiographies, due to other commitments in my life. I still read everyday, be it at breakfast, or in the bathroom or just chilling out in bed or on the sofa, just not as much as I used to.

 

[Sparky]

Fucking Animorphs. Awesome.

Anyway, back to the topic, Of course reading books are a lost art. Why buy or loan a book from the library when you have the internet to fulfill time, You have the Audio books you can listen to on your ipod ect... People now a days are constantly doing something, Why read a book when you could have your phone in your hand or the laptop on your.... Lap

Me personally, I love to read I have read at least six books this year, (not as much as normal mind you) And when I have a kid, I will be reading to it every night hoping my kid will do the same when it's older.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Fucking Animorphs. Awesome. /QUOTE]

I remember buying one of those books through the school book club when I was about 8 and fucking hating it. People that change into animals wasnt it? Shite lol

And when I have a kid, I will be reading to it every night hoping my kid will do the same when it's older.

Damm right, I will do the same. It will be great to see your child getting interested in the magical worlds that books can take you do. I will be getting out all the classic adventure stories I have in the attic, and will probably enjoying reading them to my child as much as they enjoy hearing them!

Any exposure to reading is great for a young child, and will benefit them in later life. Plus it is a great way for a parent to bond with their child rather than just leaving them watching TV alone in their room and not showing enough attention.

 

[ABMorales787]

You know, unless people just buy this stuff and drop it in their desks, I fail to understand how these books generate enough attention to have movies made after them. Just how is reading a lost art? It's the new age of movie scriptwriting. If you wanna be a big shot movie writer, write a best selling book that people get sucked into. The book comes before the movie now and unless I fail to catch the equation, you have to read the book before it gets made into a major motion picture. Is reading a lost art? Ask Hollywood. At the least, they'll laugh in your face.