Why Read?
For centuries, people have told stories.
To communicate, to teach, to pass down wisdom, and to entertain.
In the past, stories were viewed as the vessel through which generations could hand down wisdom, information could be gathered, and one could connect with the world. Similar to TikTok and YouTube today, books and short stories were the means of keeping up with the culture. Instead of watching TV shows, people would eagerly await the next installment of their favorite story, which would appear chapter by chapter in a literary magazine. In fact, giants of the literary world, such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, were first introduced to audiences in this way.
Up until recently, books and short stories were the primary, if not the only, avenue through which one could connect with the world. However, in our modern age, culture is moving more and more towards digital means of storytelling. People write blogs and readers follow their lifestyle. Movies - good, bad, and everything in between - become the means through which people escape into another world. Instead of running to the local library to pick up an encyclopedia for a research paper, you can just open another tab and Google it. No longer do people gather their news from local newspapers - instead, social media is the quick, efficient way of staying connected and up to date. The big screen replaces the classics, YouTube replaces short stories. Books are no longer necessary for staying relevant. For better or for worse, technology is quickly replacing the written word as the most important mode of communication and entertainment.
However, this cultural shift begs the question: do written stories still have a role to play in our society? Is there any point in reading now that we have all we need online?
I would answer both these questions with a firm yes. In fact, not only does reading still have a place in our culture, but it is more important now than ever before.
So why should you spend time reading in a digital world?
There are numerous answers to this question, but the three I find most convincing are as follows:
Reading Grows Us As People
Reading is a great way to become a more well-rounded person. Through reading, you can be exposed to every kind of person, place, and situation, all through the book in your hands. You can experience life as it was like in the past and life as it might be like in the future. You can connect more fully with the world around you. In a world moving at the speed of light, reading forces you to slow down, to see and appreciate detail. Books are a window into another world, in which people notice the pearl-like drops of water on a flower petal, feel the sun warming the earth on a summer day, and hear the conversation between the wind and the trees. If our world is an ocean, books are a lens through which we can see drops of water. Can Instagram do that?
Not only does reading widen your world, but it grows you intellectually. Richard Steele, a sixteenth century writer and politician from Britain said it this way: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Everyone wants to be more fit, right? According to Steele, picking up a book is the mental equivalent of weightlifting - a way to keep your brain in shape. One of the best ways to improve at writing is by reading and exposing yourself to good, quality literature. In a book, you’ll get a little bit of psychology, writing, literature, history, and art, packed between two covers.
As well as keeping your brain fit, reading is a great way to inspire creativity. When I was younger, as soon as I finished a book series, I found ways to immerse myself even more completely in its world. This led to blanket castles and forts in our living room, Magic Treehouse-esque adventures out on the trampoline, and my wizarding education at Hogwarts (which was conveniently located in our basement). Some of my favorite memories with my siblings took place as a result of a book I had just read, which inspired some complicated game of imagination that I forced them into. Even now, when I write stories, a lot of my inspiration comes from stories I’ve read - their woven words, boundless creativity, and complex universes spurring me on to write a world of my own.
But this doesn’t just apply to me. Whether its introducing you to a whole new world, growing your mind, or sparking creativity, the benefits of reading to you, as a person, are endless.
Reading Connects Us To Others
Too often, people view reading as a solitary activity. What they don’t realize is that reading gives unique insight into human nature by transporting you into the thoughts and feelings of another, allowing you to view the world through different eyes. As humans, it is very easy to become caught up in ourselves, our own opinions and problems and questions. We spend endless hours in our own heads, analyzing ourselves and analyzing others in comparison. Reading is a great way to escape this cycle - it gets you out of your head and presents you with problems outside of your own. It makes you think about others.
C.S. Lewis once said “we read to know we are not alone.” Lewis stated something that is well-known to any reader - there is something immensely comforting in picking up a book and seeing yourself. How else would we become so deeply immersed in a character that we feel their emotions and experience their struggles? Imperfect, flawed characters like Anne Shirley, Elizabeth Bennet, Tom Sawyer, and Bilbo Baggins are beloved because they are relatable. Have you ever lost your temper and broke a chalkboard over someone’s head? Maybe not the chalkboard part, but I’m assuming the answer is yes. Well, so has Anne Shirley and so has everyone else. Ever made snap judgements about people which you later found out to be wrong? Sounds like Elizabeth Bennet. Find yourself in trouble over and over because of your own “brilliant” plans? Or craving complacency when faced with an adventure? That’s Tom Sawyer and Bilbo Baggins for you. Often, when we find ourselves looking inward at our own faults and flaws, we can become discouraged and self-centered. Connecting with characters as deeply flawed as you gets you out of this rut and allows you to laugh at yourself.
Reading is also a great way to make friends. There is a certain connection between book-lovers that is hard to foster in other circles. Even if they barely know each other, if they have read and loved the same books, it is almost as if they share a mutual friend. They will never lack for conversation amongst each other. Last summer, while my siblings were away at summer camp, I went to the pool with my mom. While she sat out tanning, I kind of awkwardly hung around the shallow end, not in the mood to swim, but definitely needing to cool off. A couple of other kids - around eight or nine - were playing some sort of game near me. Before I knew it, the younger sister presented me with an invitation to play. I accepted, introductions were made, and somehow we got onto the topic of books. Suddenly, I found myself deep in conversation with this girl I barely knew, only half my age, talking about our favorite characters, that one twist ending, and the like. As it turned out, most of our favorite books were the same. If neither of us had been readers, I guarantee we wouldn’t have been able to relate so easily.
Whether replacing your mirror with a window, reminding you you’re not alone, or giving you a conversation starter, reading is an avenue to connect with others.
Reading Impacts Our Faith
I saved the most important reason for last. This is the reason for this entire blog.
Reading is a way to honor God. As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus’s example in everything we do. God often uses stories to further His message. In the Gospels, Jesus tells approximately thirty parables - short stories told to explain an important idea. You might of heard of a few of them - the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and the Faithful Servant are just a few examples. These stories are well-known, even among non-believers. These are the stories that you learn early on in Sunday school and continue learning into adulthood. There is something poignant about the parables. For example, think of the parable of the Good Shepherd. Jesus could have just said, “God loves and saves sinners.” It’s the same message. It’s still true and it’s still life-changing. But there’s something about the image of the Shepherd, gently picking up the one lost sheep, laying it over His shoulders, and joyfully bringing it home that hits deep. It stirs your emotion in a way that simple, stated fact could not and paints a beautiful image of God’s grace.
Not only that, but reading (and writing) is a way to honor God because we are mirroring Him. My brother idolizes my dad. He copies everything he does because he wants to be just like him. He recently declared Jersey Mike’s his favorite restaurant, even though he’s never eaten there before in his life, simply because my dad likes it. In the same way, we were created to idolize God - to want to be like Him and to reflect Him. It’s the whole reason we were created.
God is creative. Don’t believe me? Walk outside. Observe the blue sky. Watch a sunset. Admire a flower. Eat a good meal. Watch an animal documentary. God came up with all of this. With zero inspiration because nothing was created yet. He came up with all this out of nothing. Could you dream up a duck-billed platypus? Probably not. But God did. Although we don’t have the power to speak things out of nothing, we were created to create in turn. To paint, to make music, to build statues and buildings. When God finished the earth He sat back and enjoyed His handiwork. When we sit down, read a book, and call it “good,” we are reflecting and honoring our Creator, simply because we are being like Him. Not only is God a good painter or builder - God is a good writer. The Bible is a beautifully written work. There is poetry, imagery, symbolism, complex characters, thrilling action scenes, and an incredible Main Character. There’s a nail-biting climax and the best, unexpected plot twist. Spoiler alert: it has a happy ending. And guess what? You’re living in this story - the greatest story of all time. Reading is a way of living out our call to create and remembering the amazing story we’re in right now.
So why read? Why spend your limited time on books when so much more vies for your attention?
Because no matter how advanced society gets, nothing can replace the benefits of a written story. Stories have lasted centuries, and they will last centuries more. So put down your phone. Turn off the TV. Pick up a book and discover the treasure that lies hidden in ink and paper.
I promise, it will be worth your time.