Why are Americans reading less?
By laowai
@laowai (136)
United States
August 22, 2007 4:05am CST
I was watching the news today and also read an article about this. The study claims that 25% of Americans didn't read a single book in the last year. A big excuse for not reading was apparently, "I get tired when I read."
Now, I've noticed over the years that most Americans read a lot of fairly unintelligent novels--or books that require little contemplation. There's a great decline of literary works being read by the general public.
What can be done to change this terrible trend? Is there any cure for the lazy who just can't sit long enough to read more than a page at a time?
3 responses
@Malyck (3425)
• Australia
22 Aug 07
I think that the best option is to target the younger people - those still in primary education.
What better lesson to teach than the art of literature - to read and write and to communicate more thoroughly.
Reading needs to be taught as an enjoyable, rather than arduous past-time and in a positive environment.
Through getting children to read for homework etc, it also gets the parents more involved with literature again - for those who have lost touch or were never interested to begin with.
Personally, not only do I read online every day, but I also read books, newspapers, letters etc each and every day, as well as making sure to write by hand too.
=D
@laowai (136)
• United States
23 Aug 07
That would be a great start. Just hope we have good enough teachers to teach literature properly. I'll even admit I disliked reading almost everything for class, but I used to read other books on the side.
Don't know about writing by hand... that's something I tend to only do when out on assignments or writing letters.
@greatwolf75 (90)
• United States
23 Aug 07
I tend not to believe these polls and studies. The reason why is because of simple math. How many of us were included on this subject, and by included I mean were any of you asked? Were any of the mylot crew asked? How about any of your family or friends? Almost everyone I know enjoys reading and none of them were asked about this. The only way to get an accurate answer is to ask every single person, or you are playing a guessing game.
