Most electronic media, including interactive media, foster shorter attention spans and accelerated gratification. Passive participation from media is preferred over actively engaging oneself in a good literary read.
It goes without saying that I love my technology….electronics that is. But, I have noticed some significant differences in my behavior and my way of thinking. I’ve become very impatient and often find myself struggling to find the words to accurately express myself. I avidly use the thesaurus, why? Because my vocabulary isn’t up to par. I don’t read as often as I should and found that the only books I managed to complete were assigned. I haven’t willingly read a book since….probably sophomore year. I chose to either Facebook for hours, watch an interesting episode or two, or several, and pretty much absorb myself in some kind of electronic media. I chose passive participation over active.
NEA’s report Reading at Risk brought to my attention how magnetic and hoggish media and electronics are. The results are horrific but it is a visualization of the journey we’re being taken on by responding so avidly to the splendid attributes it’s made up of. The response fuels creators and manufacturers to not only produce and distribute better (enhanced) versions of an original, but to also invent something avant-garde. But, fabricating more adaptations will only exacerbate the issue. Not to mention the persuasive advertising that comes along with it. It calls for much of the violence and prudent behavior that has undoubtedly become apparent and, according to the report, it is associated with the lack of participation in cultural and social activities.
Don’t get me wrong, I do think the report is subjective, but there is some truth to it. I see it constantly and am a spectacle of it myself. It’s amazing how many stories I hear of children being told to go watch television as opposed to picking up a book, taking a trip to Gamestop® rather than to a public library. It’s apparent that literary reading comprise of valuable attributes that shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s about time to restore the faith in good ol’ reading.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"I don’t read as often as I should and found that the only books I managed to complete were assigned. I haven’t willingly read a book since….probably sophomore year."
ReplyDeleteThis is the most miserable thing about school ever. I never finish a book outside of a class during a semester. I don't write short stories or letters. I have been an on off student for 6 years now. I find my reading and learning always slows down when I am in school. If I were on my own I would voraciously cover the same material in a few weeks. It is possible that your falling back into electronic media isn't your normal tendency, but the result of a creatively stifling and demeaning system surrounding you.