Why Fewer People Are Picking Up Books | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G - video Dailymotion

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Reading is good for the brain, the heart and even for living longer. But around the world, people are reading less and less for pleasure. A new wave of research shows a dramatic decline in reading habits, especially among children and teens. From the U.S. to India, Australia to the UK, reading is in trouble and it’s a crisis with serious consequences. Can we bring back the joy of reading before it’s too late? What’s causing the global reading slump?  ---  Unites States | India | United Kingdom | Reading | Books | Firstpost | World News | News Live | Vantage | Palki Sharma | News  #usa #india #unitedkingdom #reading #books #firstpost #vantageonfirstpost #palkisharma #worldnews   Vantage is a ground-breaking news, opinions, and current affairs show from Firstpost. Catering to a global audience, Vantage covers the biggest news stories from a 360-degree perspective, giving viewers a chance to assess the impact of world events through a uniquely Indian lens.  The show is anchored by Palki Sharma, Managing Editor, Firstpost.  By breaking stereotypes, Vantage aims to challenge conventional wisdom and present an alternative view on global affairs, defying the norm and opening the door to new perspectives. The show goes beyond the headlines to uncover the hidden stories – making Vantage a destination for thought-provoking ideas.  Vantage airs Monday to Friday at 9 PM IST on Firstpost across all leading platforms.  ​ Subscribe to Firstpost channel and press the bell icon to get notified when we go live. https://www.youtube.com/@Firstpost  Follow Firstpost on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpost/  Follow Firstpost on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstpostin/  Follow Firstpost on Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstpost  Follow Firstpost on WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va6zOIrEQIamseyg762V  # news #breaking #24x7

Transcript

00:00It doesn't matter what you like to read, a thick history book, a cozy romance novel,

00:07a heavy business read, or classic literature.

00:11Whatever you read is good for you.

00:13Yet a crisis of reading is brewing, and it is happening globally.

00:17Fewer people are reading for pleasure.

00:19Take the U.S., for instance.

00:20A new report is out there.

00:21It says that over the past two decades, reading for pleasure has plummeted by 40%.

00:26It has declined by about 3% each year, year after year.

00:33And this is based on a study by the University College London and the University of Florida.

00:38But this is not an isolated case.

00:40Look at the U.K.

00:42Reading levels among children are at their lowest in two decades.

00:45Fewer than one in three read regularly.

00:48In Australia, 76% children aged between 5 and 8 read for pleasure.

00:53This is a good number, but it drops dramatically as they grow older.

00:58Meanwhile, here in India, only about 37% children read for pleasure.

01:01And in Denmark, reading has fallen to such lows that the government is panicking.

01:07They want to remove the sales tax on books.

01:10And these are just some of the many cases, many examples.

01:13Reading levels are painfully low the world over.

01:17And this is thanks to a perfect storm of problems.

01:20Broadly, two of them.

01:22Shrinking attention spans and falling literacy levels.

01:25In this digital age, we are all well acquainted with the first problem.

01:30AI has arrived.

01:31It is churning out summaries, analyzing entire books and writing essays.

01:35So even compulsory reading has gone for a toss.

01:38Need to read a novel for class?

01:40Why bother?

01:40Just skim through the AI-generated summary.

01:42And then there's social media, with its easy clicks, gripping sounds, trends, endless videos and instant gratification.

01:50Doom scrolling is taking over and in most cases, winning the fight to hold our attention.

01:57The second big problem is disparity.

01:59Reading for pleasure, whether we realize or not, is a privilege.

02:03A lot of factors play into it, like economic pressures or caregiving duties.

02:07For instance, in the US, high-income people read one and a half times more than low-income people.

02:13And even if people want to read, many struggle to do it.

02:17Primary school enrollment is at a high level globally.

02:20Yet, about 60% students in middle and low-income countries are unable to read a simple story.

02:26According to the United Nations, if this persists by 2030, 37% children will not have basic reading skills.

02:34So, a lot of factors are fueling the reading crisis.

02:39Some in our hands, and some not.

02:43But escaping the reading slump is a fight worth fighting.

02:47The justifications are endless.

02:49Good reading ability gets you good grades.

02:53Better employment, more opportunities.

02:55And it's easy to see why.

02:57Stacks of research show that reading is like a workout for the brain.

03:00It improves reasoning, comprehension skills, imagination, concentration, critical thinking.

03:06It even makes you more empathetic, more patient.

03:10It slows cognitive decline.

03:12It makes you happier.

03:13And it can even make you live longer, believe it or not.

03:17And this is exactly why things must change.

03:19We need governments to do better.

03:21We need structural changes that boost the education system,

03:24that address teacher shortages,

03:26and make reading more accessible.

03:28In some countries, this could mean more libraries or online resources.

03:33In others, it could mean making reading cool again with literary festivals or workshops.

03:38And we have to do better as individuals.

03:41We have to get back in the groove,

03:43whether that means reading alone, reading aloud, reading with friends,

03:46finding a community or starting with audiobooks, whatever works for you.

03:49But whatever we do, we have to read with intention,

03:54almost as if we are trying to forge a new friendship,

03:57to find our way back to an old one.

04:01After all, what are books, if not our companions,

04:06offering us both solace and a deep connection?

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Why Fewer People Are Picking Up Books | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G

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