Reading is vital to education on any topic.
Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
~ Malcolm S. Forbes
These are sad statistics. Fiction, non-fiction, read something. Open your mind.
Book Facts that Explain Stupidity
Published
S.K. Nicholls 
Those are just sad.
I cannot imagine not reading…there are just never enough hours for all the reading I want to do! And just how do bookcases get filled so fast???
I feel the same way, but knowing these facts explains so much about the people I seem to come into contact with on a regular basis. Not surprisingly, many of them just don’t read at all.
I could not count the number of people I have asked, “Do you read?” and they say no…no time for that.
There is always time to read… never enough… but always some, somewhere in the day…
But I know what you mean, many people no longer read, TV takes up a lot of time and attention for many and lifestyles are busy.
I don’t think you can beat curling up with a good book and a couple of armfuls of small children and reading aloud to them. There is a magic in that which can cast a lifelong spell.
It is like sharing magic. 🙂
Yes, that’s exactly what it is 🙂
All of those are depressing stats indeed. But I’m consistently—and happily—surprised by the increasing numbers of kids who are reading, esp on Kindles, etc. And even more impressive are the numbers who are writing. It’s completely possible that I’m seeing a skewed sample. But I do continue to see it in unexpected places. For example, last year I visited the inner city Los Angeles middle school where my sister teaches. Those kids were happy to tell me about a number of books they had read, and how those books might point them to chosen careers. I was charmed, enchanted, and came away feeling so hopeful. Personally, I have seven sisters. We are a doctor, lawyer, teacher, urban planner, banker, VP of HR, and two engineers. About half of them read everything they can get their hands on, and the other half… don’t. Maybe that means we beat the odds, but I keep sending books to the nonreaders.
Good for you!!! Hopefully, even those non-readers will have opportunity to pick something up and start. The kids are like sponges and many love to read. That IS a joy. It is the ones who stop after school is over that cease to continue to grow.
I can’t imagine not reading. Cannot! This is so sad.If this many people aren’t reading, who is? Who’s buying all the books?
Imagine what books would sell if more people made the time to read!
That’s exactly what crossed my mind when I read your post. 🙂
The only thing that isn’t a good statistic is the bookstore in the last 5 years. Going to a book store is no longer a requirement to getting a book and certainly not how I get my books. That college statistic I find concerning, however there is a good chance that many of the graduates are not reading books, but are reading journals related to their field and keeping up to date on relevant information. Going by books alone really isn’t a good qualifier for reading now.
I read tons of medical journals in nursing, but my mind was not truly broadened by them…kept sharp, but not broadened. That came from reading books. The critical thinking that so many adults lack , in its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.
Right, but once again… that doesn’t have to come from books. It can come from Newspaper, blogs or even email Newsletters. Looking at it strictly from a book only perspective isn’t the best, because the nature of reading has changed.
Reading anything is the point. Doesn’t have to be a bound book to improve on knowledge. But books do offer an in-depth analysis that you won’t find in an article.
I think part of it has to do with not making reading fun. I remember being forced to read a lot of books in school that took up so much time that I rarely had time for fun reading. Not until the summer anyway.
That’s what my grown children say. Though they were read to even into their teens, and seemed to enjoy it. None of them read much anymore. They say reading is work. They are all too busy with the activities of daily living.
It’s a common mentality and hard to disagree with considering how school works. Guess it’s becoming a lost art.
I think the way the world works in general results in more ignorance. When I worked some jobs, I was up before dawn, slammed all day 8-12 hours,, had paperwork to process all evening getting ready for the next workday, in addition to family and household responsibilities, then crashed after midnight knowing I would be up before dawn again. It is like that for so many nowadays.
Yikes! It’s sad. When I used to live in Charlotte, NC, there were many people that said to me that they did not read. Such a shame. I don’t read as often as I should, but I still read.
Yikes is exactly what I said. No wonder so many young people are coming into the workforce without critical thinking skills.
I never thought about that, but it’s true.
Reblogged this on Patrick W. O'Bryon and commented:
This says it all…
Holy cow. I knew I was abnormal, but not THAT abnormal. Five years without visiting a bookstore? A year without buying a new book? Good grief, I’m lucky if I go a week!
And you are most likely the sort of critical thinker that is sought after by human resource professionals! It is not simply problem solving but understanding with depth the construct of a situation.
This is why I won’t criticize JK Rowling very much. She opened the world of reading to a whole generation of kids, many of whom may have never cracked open a book unless they had to. Sadly, though, many of them are now in the categories of high school graduates and college graduates who don’t read. My son is one of them. He read voraciously for years. He doesn’t read any more. Far more enjoyable to play XBox and stupid games on his phone. Breaks my heart to see him lose total interest in reading.
I was long an adult before I renewed my own interest. Life got so busy for a while. Reading just wasn’t a priority. Once the kids were grown, I started reading daily again, but I feel so far behind.
Yes, there’s still hope for him, but given his current desire to go as far away from anything I do or that is important to me, the light at the tunnel seems pretty far away.
He needs you more than he knows but 17 to 30 is that age when they don’t know that they do.
If it really is going to last until he’s 30, than our relationship won’t survive. I simply will not do this for another 11 years.
“You are the enlightened sapient whom everyone trusts for guidance in their lives.” That doesn’t become an acceptable fact until they have kids of their own.
By then, so much damage will have been done that I will be far away and won’t care. I know that people tell me things will change but I can only take so much of this before I completely wash my hands of him.
One more reason I give away plenty of print books every year… and then cross my fingers that some of those get read.
Smart move. A win win 🙂
I saw this graphic on FB, and it made me sad. I can’t imagine not reading! I always have a book to read for “fun” reading, as opposed to the stacks of books I have around me for “work” reading. Even if I only manage to read a page or two before drifting off to sleep, I always have a novel I’m reading. I always have stacks of books for “backup” and a bunch of books on my Kindle that I haven’t read yet. 🙂 My daughters have always loved books, too, and my parents were always avid readers, as well. Unfortunately, my mother can’t see well enough now to read now, which is so sad.
My husband reads feverishly. two to three novels a week. I don’t keep up nearly that pace, but do read. I’m glad that your daughters are reading too. Have you tried audio books for your mom?
Yes–she’s not really interested in audio books. 😦
Reblogged this on Kentucky Mountain Girl News and commented:
KMGN: This is really frightening. I, for one, am an avid reader. My entire family reads, including my husband. I don’t understand how anyone can not enjoy a good book or a good story. What do you think about this? Is it true?
Gosh, I’m quite depressed by those numbers…are they for real?!
Should we just go and make burgers and milk shakes instead..? At least we know those are being consumed… 😦
We need a reading campaign. A literacy campaign. Something.
I am with those who commented that they simply cannot fathom people who don’t enjoy reading. I love books! I always have. Reading is a passion of mine, and so is talking about the books I’ve read. I grew up in a non-reading household. Surprisingly, my sister and I turned out to be readers.
I told a co-worker that I’d read 20 books of my 40 books challenge for this year; her remark was she’s not read 20 books in her lifetime.
She’s in her fifties.
Now THAT is depressing.
Ooo! that is! I like it all and I try to read a variety rather than stick with one genre. Most of my favorites are classics that were written back before there was such a thing as genre…there was simply literature.
I finished your wonderful book, Red Clay and Roses, last night. I liked your characters very much. They were well drawn, very realistic and one could empathize with their situations. I look forward to reading more from you.
Thank you Kate. What lovely things to say. I have learned so very much this past year. I look forward to writing more.
I teach an age group that’s very much in love with books…during the school year at least. There’s a lot of brain drain over the summer, and much of that has to do with parents’ lack of interest in books. On the other side of the spectrum, parents who take an interest in what their kids are reading (continuing past elementary school–crucial!) have a wonderfully positive impact on their kids.
The kids are wonderful. It’s the mature adults that worry me. So many don’t make time to read. Look how many are missing out. Thanks for stopping by, Michelle!