Because we are well-educated,
we believe in fair and balanced arguments
(just like some news stations) -
so here are some arguments for and against reading
Below are links to articles and other resources urging you to read and helping you to understand how dumb, insensitive, and unsuccessful you will be if you don't. So read these or practice saying, "I used to have dreams, but I texted and twittered them away and now I only have Facebook."
"Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming" - One of the most popular fiction writers of our time makes his plea for reading (especially fiction) and respecting our libraries. "Read, Kids, Read" - In this NY Times Editorial, Frank Bruni makes some interesting points about how reading helps us . . . and so do some of the people who respond in the comments section, so check those out as well. "How Books Can Open Your Mind" - For you non-readers, this is a TED talk video by Lisa Bu on how book scan help you to find new dreams when your old ones just don't quite work out. "6 Science-Backed Reasons to Read" - This article in The Huffington Post by Laura Schocker outlines a few reasons even your English teacher may not have given you for reading books (and what kinds.) "Why To Read: 10 Reasons Why Reading Books Will Save Your Life" - Another list . . . because who doesn't love lists . . . of reasons to read. "Why Read 20 Minutes?" - If you can't be bothered to read, and even videos are too taxing for your tired little brain, then here's a visual to help you understand the value of reading. "A Good Mystery: Why We Read" - Another NY times article because most of the really smart people I know read the NY Times. In this one, Motoko Rich explores why we read and the future of reading. "Reading Literature Makes Us Smarter and Nicer" - Here's an article from Time by Annie Murphy Paul that offers a bit of what the scientific community says about reading . . . and you know she's smart because how else could she afford three names. "Why Read the Classics?" - Here's an article you shouldn't read because . . . what the heck is he saying? Italo Calvino writes the kind of essay that only the well-read could appreciate . . . and even they might doze off mid-paragraph. But if you have a taste for academic, philosophical exposition -- and a hefty appetite -- then this piece might offer you some savory morsels of insight. |
Now here are some links to articles and other resources that discourage reading . . . most of them are written in crayon or marker, are covered in drool stains and bits of food that fell out of the "author's" gaping mouth, and demonstrate what happens when you let an incontinent monkey edit the writing of a brain-damaged three year old. Enjoy.
"Why Boogers Are the Only Thing My Brain Produces" - This report exposes the fraud in recent scientific studies that suggest the process of reading causes the brain to produce bio-chemical compounds that transform nasal waste materials into profound insights. "I Ate a lot of Paint Chips as a Kid" - They're colorful and plentiful, who wouldn't want to eat them? "Reading Won't Get You Noticed" - This essay explores the unlikelihood that reading a book will ever make you appear more attractive to strangers. What's worse, with your nose buried in a book it is unlikely you will notice if someone does find you attractive and is checking you out. Now if you have your nose buried in a cellphone . . . well, that's an entirely different story, isn't it? One written in 140 characters or less. "Duh!" - Even after the last three, you still expect this to be a real article, don't you? And this is what becomes of people who don't read . . . they'll believe anything no matter what the evidence to the contrary. So here's a news site you might enjoy . . . or be terribly confused by. Okay, here are some semi-serious links: "An Argument Against Reading Fiction" - In this piece, T.L. Cobern makes a futile and facetious attempt to dissuade others from reading. If you don't read, you probably don't know what "facetious" means, but you are probably being distracted by a Twitter post or a Facebook update or some such drivel so it doesn't really matter anyway . . . you certainly won't be reading this essay. Remember, in most humor there is an element of truth. "The Case Against Reading" - While this is not really an attack on reading, James Warner does offer arguments other people have made against being left alone with books. "The Death of Reading" - For those of you who like to be part of the popular crowd . . . or who sadly just wish to be normal, this article by Mitchell Stephens offers a bunch of statistics and survey results on the sorry state of reading in our current culture. It also references a book (Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman) about the ill-effects of other forms of entertainment that you may want to check out . . . or just wait for the movie version. Read this article and know that illiterate is clearly the cool thing to be in this day and age. |