Why Has Society Stopped Reading?

           There are many reasons that people stop reading including time, age, work, school, and so much more. Reading tends to be easier at a younger age because we have more free time and the reading material is typically easier. Additionally, the freedom to read anything you want without the burden of having to read the book for an assignment or essay makes reading more enjoyable. 

           Now that I am in high school I hardly ever read unless I have to for school or if I have a lot of free time such as in the summer. Throughout my life, I have gone through multiple reading phases and I previously had a phase over this summer. Partially because my tutor suggested that I try reading more to improve my SAT reading section score, and partially because I enjoy reading when it is a book I enjoy. I like going to my local bookstore or Barnes and Noble and walking around looking at all the shelves of books and reading the summaries to pick a new adventure. However, I tend to have a hard time focusing when I am reading and often zone out or end up going on my phone but when I find a book that is intriguing then I can read the whole book in a day. To help me discover what genres I prefer I have a list of the books I have read recently in my notes app and they have ratings to help me narrow down my favorites for the next time I decide to buy a book. Some of the books I have read that have a rating of 8 or more out of 10 include "The Summer I Turned Pretty", "The Song of Achilles", "They Both Die at the End", "We Were Liars" and "Normal People". Although these books are popular and many people know them from various social media sites, I believe that they are popular for a reason and would recommend them all. The summer was the last time I truly read a book that was insightful and was during one of my many book phases. 

 

    Reading is extremely beneficial but becomes a time and energy strain as we get older. I believe that it is healthy to be an avid book reader and can help increase your intelligence and focus. I hope that I get more into reading in the future and that the next time I have a book phase it lasts much longer and becomes a hobby that I enjoy rather than a chore.