The Dumbest Generation

I was looking through the Dumbest Generation book again and I am continually taken by how true the thoughts are in the second chapter entitled "Biliophobes." In this chapter the author speaks about how many of our current culture in the 15-25 year old range hate to read books. Especially books with actual pages instead of information found on the Internet. I can see this in myself, as I am only 31 years old, and I would not consider myself a good reader. I have never really embraced reading in a scholarly way and often give up on reading, preferring the ease and entertainment of a movie. But I am beginning to see that it is my heart that is too easily entertained and my mind remains at lower levels of mental processing because it is unexercised.

I am not sure what leads us to disdain the reading of books, but I do know the benefit. As you can see from my blog, I have read all the summer reading books that were assigned to our 7th through 9th graders this summer. In the midst of doing this reading there a few times were I did not enjoy it, but now that I have completed the task, I see the benefit of it. The more I read the quicker I become at it, and the more enjoyable it becomes. It is much like lifting weights. I always hate the first day of working out, and I hate the second day even more. But when I have been consistently working out my muscles for two to three weeks, I find that I somehow look forward to the pain and soreness of a good workout because I know it benefits me in the long run. I sacrifice short-term happiness for a long-term healthiness.

It is same way with reading. Reading is that turn-key subject that allows you to access all others levels of education. If we read well, beyond the elementary levels of reading, then we have the benefit of a sharper mind, a quicker analytical skill, and enjoyment of seeking the deeper meaning in life. These are things that the entertainment of a movie simply do not supply. I say do not supply because movies could do this if they wanted to. But unfortunately, the movies sell what the consumer desires. Our hearts to do not desire to be pushed or prodded to think. We simply want to remain where we are at and be entertained. But our hearts are dazzled by inferior things, rather than what is true, good, and beautiful. The irony, as Os Guinness puts it, is that we have fit bodies and fat minds. We consume mental junk food, without thought, in the movies and television that we watch. But we need to get up off the couch and exercise our mind. That is the true benefit of reading.