Plunge into reading – The Hindu

Reading helps learn about many things in a multi-dimensional way.
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In the age of visual entertainment, general reading habit has taken a back seat.

When I was younger, my father used to advise me to read books. He believed general reading habit is a virtue that we all should strive to inculcate. I did not pay heed to his consistent efforts to make me read. I used to hate reading as it was boring while other activities such as music, sports, and computers were fun. He tried to experiment with different genres to create a spark in me for reading, but he could not achieve the desired result. I did not read any novel that he brought. Sstill, out of courtesy I used to read some books that felt interesting. Books on space sciences and stories of Akbar-Birbal were my favourites.

Recently, I came across the “streetlight effect”, which is a sort of bias in our perspective that makes us search for something where it is easier to search. The moment I read the joke behind it, I recognised I have read this joke in an Akbar-Birbal story presented in a different setting. Even before studying the actual concept, I used to refer to and apply this in my life as I was influenced by that comic. That was the moment I felt, we can learn so much by general reading as a child.

As my interest kindled, I started reading books that I used to ignore. I read the Panchatantra, Hitopadesh, and others as I discovered they were written to impart life lessons to a lay person in a lucid manner. I felt sorry for not listening to dad and losing out so much in the journey. We have a collection of wisdom compiled in books since ages that we choose to ignore. But it is our own loss!

Reading helps learn about many things in a multi-dimensional way. It enriches our perspective. These days, hard skills are not enough and we require soft skills to succeed in any profession. However, good literature can help us brush up our soft skills such as interpersonal, communication, adaptability skills. It is concerning to see people learning programming languages but getting weaker at natural languages these days. Thus, literature could be a good active entertainment that helps us develop skills that have monetary value as well apart from the non-monetary benefits they carry.

Sometimes, we need the eyes of others to gain an insight into our own persona. Good literature provides a plethora of perspectives to see the self and the world in a different light. It may enable us to take diverse perspectives without contaminating our own. It may curb ethnocentric behaviour and provides opportunities to learn with an open mind. Today, I realise that dad was so right and that I have learnt so much with that passive reading I did because of him. Hence, we must strive to read better literature to get better at everything that life has to offer.

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