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Reading, a redundant habit

How many, one wonders, remember the last time one picked up a book ~ no, not to study but for…

Reading, a redundant habit

How many, one wonders, remember the last time one picked up a book ~ no, not to study but for the pleasure of
reading. A colleague, who confesses to "have been once" an avid reader, remarked how in the busy Metro it's common to see young people just whiling away their time playing games on their phones.

Though there's nothing wrong with it, he argued that these people were depriving themselves of the enriching
experience in the world of books. People often think, "Why should I take the time out to read this book if there’s a movie being made on it eventually?" The answer to this question can only be found if one has read the book first.

Chances are one will not enjoy the movie. Books have the power to take one to a whole new world and the best part of
reading a book is how one has to completely rely on the power of one's imagination to process what is being narrated.

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Sadly, today the culture of ignorance has somewhat cemented itself into the minds of the youth. It is "cool" to not know something. "I’m too cool to worry about all this," is an attitude that today's youth have so conveniently adopted.

Apparently, knowledge is not the most sought-after power today. With images being directly spoon-fed, one does not know what the effort of having to use one's imagination feels like anymore.

However, it is unfair to put the whole blame on the younger generation. A recent survey revealed that the reading habits
of the parents significantly influence children’s reading habits as well. Only 50 per cent of kids read their study related books on working days.

So what hope does an "out-of-syllabus" book have of being read? In schools too, teachers now often take up the Library periods to complete their portions. Thus, the onus of cultivating reading habits falls not just on an individual but parents and schools as well.

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