Losing touch with art and reading fosters loneliness and isolation.
People aren’t reading enough in the 21st century. This decline in reading is likely influenced by the erosion of attention spans among youth, courtesy of TikTok and Instagram reels. Reading encourages human connection, broadens one’s perspective, and is ultimately crucial in combating the alienation commonly felt by today’s youth.
It seems our generation—growing up in late-stage capitalism and steeped in individualism and consumerism—have been perfectly primed to feel alienated in the world. As discussed in Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, the rise of smartphones and social media usage has led to a more anxious and isolated generation. As well, the global pandemic, COVID-19, arrived at a time that encouraged isolation and online life amongst teens and children.
To combat alienation and loneliness, it’s important to not feel alone. When we read, we’re accepting an invitation to be immersed within a new perspective, to experience another person’s happiness and loneliness. If we’re with another character and their etchings on a page, we’re not truly alone.
“It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive,” James Baldwin, an influential American author and activist said. This sentiment is the reason why books and reading are important—to teach us our emotions aren’t completely unique and untamable creatures, but part of a broader world of human experiences.
Whenever people tell me they don’t read because they read too much for their degree, I wonder if watching a documentary in class means they don’t watch television once they get home. Reading is a form of entertainment like any other. I guarantee anybody could find a book they’d enjoy.
I study English literature because, given how often I read, it seemed a natural path for me. However, I feel discouraged while chopping up a book, its rhythm, and its word choice in class, as it feels like a sterile practice. I often love a piece of literature because of the feeling and emotion it evokes while I read—and these aren’t emotions I can articulate easily in class. If I were to explain why a character deeply moves me, it’d most likely be for personal reasons that don’t have an explicit place within the classroom.
Storytelling is an ancient practice built on interconnectedness and relatability. It’s a practice I fear is becoming endangered, yet a world without books would be bleak and lonely. Learning how to read for pleasure, outside of academia, is a source of entertainment and on a deeper level, representation. When you feel alone, read and learn that your experiences and feelings have been reflected throughout history, space, and time.
Reading is a peaceful and solitary meditation that’s educational, but it’s an education that arrives to nourish the soul, not solely the mind.
Eva is a third-year English & History Student and The Journal’s Assistant Arts & Culture Editor.
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