Books: Man’s Best Friend
New Delhi: Books have always been considered humanity’s closest companions, which not only make us laugh and cry, but also teach important lessons of life. But in today’s digital age, famous poet Gulzar’s lines, ‘Books peep through the mirrors of closed cupboards…’ have become a bitter truth. When the world is talking about Artificial Intelligence and settling on Mars, a large section of the society is completely away from books. In many countries the situation is so serious that locks are hanging on library doors and mobile screens have replaced the pages of books.
Decline in the habit of reading books
People of these countries cannot read even 3 books in a year
It is not just a matter of text books, but the habit of reading for hobby has also been affected. According to data from the World Population Review, the habit of reading books has fallen to dangerous levels in many countries. Afghanistan tops the list of least book-reading countries, where a person reads only 2.56 books on an average in a year. It is followed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia (average 2.6 books). The surprising thing is that even in rich countries like Qatar and UAE, a person is not able to read even three books on an average in a year. Apart from smartphones, low literacy rate and social unrest are also important reasons behind this.
Situation of India and America
What is the condition of India and America?
India’s approach towards books is a bit different and interesting. India is considered to be on top in the world in terms of time spent reading books, but we are behind America in terms of number of books. An average Indian reads about 16 books a year and spends about 10.7 hours a week (352 hours annually) reading. At the same time, American people read an average of 17 books a year and spend 357 hours reading. This deep connection with books in India comes from our rich literary heritage and the passion for competitive exams among the youth. However, recent surveys show that the number of people reading books as a hobby is gradually decreasing due to increasing screen time in cities. Now Kindle, e-books and audio books have started replacing printed books.
Crisis of deep reading habit
Reels took away the habit of ‘deep reading’, danger looming on society
UNESCO believes that even today, millions of adults being away from basic literacy is not only a crisis of education but of development. Violent conditions and poverty in countries like Chad, Mali and South Sudan have made books inaccessible to people. In countries like Iraq, Kazakhstan and Algeria, libraries have now become mere historical buildings. Experts warn that the growing craze for YouTube and Instagram Reels for entertainment has almost eliminated the habit of ‘deep reading’. People now prefer watching a 30-second video rather than reading a 300-page book. According to the World Economic Forum report, a society that stops reading becomes intellectually impoverished and easily becomes a victim of fake news or propaganda. This is a clear indication that if the connection with books is not reconnected in time, then the coming generations will only learn to move fingers on the screen and not to think and understand.
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