Give Your Stupid Phone Some Rest and Grab A Book
Reading books makes you smarter than others
A lovely idea pops up in your mind; you feel the urge to share it or express your own thoughts — then you start to bleed on the keyboard.
In my case, I’ve seen that reading — more than anything else — inspires the writer in me to share my thoughts or views with others.
But hasn’t reading become so difficult in this age of distraction?
According to the BLS American Time Use Survey, people aged 15 to 44 in the US read an average of just 10 minutes or less per day.
Don’t you think it’s alarming?
I grew up reading books, mostly novels.
My first love was Tolstoy, who unveiled an entire life before me while I was merely a teen. His incredible storytelling abilities showed me how life changes its direction and meaning with age. This Russian genius made me aware of a thousand things a man must confront in life.
Not only Tolstoy but also Rabindranath Tagore, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne, Dostoyvosky, Maxim Gorky, and others slowly built me bit by bit.
I think the man I am today is the result of what types of books I devoured in my teens and 20s. And I am forever grateful to those writers who made my life so colorful and adventurous, expanding my horizon of understanding.
For many of you, the story is more or less the same.
Sad but true that — the habit of reading books has now been replaced by watching videos. More specifically, by wasting time on YouTube and TikTok. And, of course, there are thousands of multiplayer online games to suck young people’s attention.
I often see that this PubG/Fortnite generation has little respect for reading. They consider reading books outside of their syllabus as a waste of time.
A few months ago, when I asked a friend about what he does after returning home from the office, he answered, “I watch YouTube or TikTok videos for fun. Because after a long day at work, I need some light entertainment.”
Some light entertainment!
These craps in the form of TikTok videos, Instagram reels, or YouTube shorts occupy a man’s mind and put him in a myriad of dumbness.
What a shame!
No amount of videos can do what reading does to you.
Reading is a workout for your brain muscles. It makes you a better decision-maker, reduces your daily stress, and helps you relax.
Not to mention — this excellent habit makes you a better person by making you more knowledgeable, intelligent, and creative.
And for writers, reading different books is a must.
No matter how busy you are, you should always keep some time for reading. Even Bill Gates reads fifty books a year.
So why not limit your screen time and spend at least one hour a day reading books?
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If you want to read more of my writings, do check out the following articles.