02. Why Read?

To say that one reads for information or for knowledge is minimising the importance of reading to an absurd extent. There are numerous other ways of learning facts. Men did live and learn long before reading and learning formed a part of their life. Primitive and tribal societies in many parts of the world still learn without any formal education. In the developed countries, television and films have edged out the habit of reading and have replaced it to a very large extent as the media of spreading knowledge. Yet the world of reading must be having something else to offer that a large number of people still prefer to read—something that the more modern techniques of spreading information do not have.

It is difficult to stay away from Bacon while talking of reading. Reading, he wrote, makes a full man; it helps him to converse better and to argue better; he is never at a loss when wanting to make a point or support an issue. Bacon, as way back as the sixteenth century, was able to discriminate between various kinds of reading—reading to be done for pleasure, reading to be glanced through and reading which is to lead to a slow assimilation of facts.

It is not possible to respond fully to a film being screened or a scene on the television. Though the reactions are quick, they are also short-lived. One does not have time to reflect because there is something else which follows it immediately. Visual media have a very big advantage in that they call into play a sensual response. However the disadvantage is also a big one—the quick response which is demanded by them leaves no scope for reflection, for understanding or for questioning. These audio-visual media do not aid the cultivation of gentler and more permanent qualities. Reading, on the other hand, is not subject to any of these limitations. A man who has cultivated the habit of reading is a man who will never feel bored. He has long ceased to live merely on the surface. He has learnt to occupy himself; he has added another dimension to his character, for reading develops the brain and not the senses alone. Reading makes it possible to think, to reflect, to probe, to understand, to differ and to agree and to accept and to tolerate. It makes a man examine his own thoughts and feelings; it helps him see his own faults; it also helps him accept criticism. These are good, desirable qualities, but these are by no means the only qualities. Reading also stimulates the mind; it helps one to think; it helps the innovation of ideas. Thus it has a positive, dynamic side also. Those who neglect reading are less likely to think about their own inner nature and it is quite possible that their personalities may be twisted and one-sided. It is through the process of wide reading that one discovers one's own self, learns, adapts, experiences and becomes something new. Self-discovery is a prelude to coming to terms with oneself.

The variety and independence which reading can provide cannot be matched by any other medium. History, biography, nature study, travelogues, fiction and various other subjects are there to choose from. Research in any area of specialisation involves reading. Research betters the self as well as the world. In fact, the habit of reading should be deliberately cultivated in today's world. It would provide much needed protection against the stress and strain of modern life. Apart from preventing boredom and loneliness, it provides a rich inner reservoir and satisfaction. A person who enjoys reading can always draw forth comfort from his own thoughts and ideas. It fosters an independent attitude of mind. Those who enjoy reading are not ordinarily dependent on the mechanical world to provide them enjoyment or relaxation. They need not necessarily be group-minded; they need not stick to urban areas in search of modem amenities. Whether staying on a lonely island or at a research centre or in a remote village, they can fend for themselves. Their habit of reading would still link them with the world and also cater to their need for knowledge and relaxation.

A philosopher once said of knowledge that it is not something to be packed away in some corner of our brain, but what enters into our being, colours our emotion, haunts our soul, and is as close to us as life itself. The same is applicable to reading. Reading is a part of life in more ways than one and is far-reaching in its effect. Reading, if used intelligently, should lead to a better kind of human being. And though wisdom cannot be categorised, by and large, people who read are good and tolerant companions.