Value of Reading
I’ve been thinking lately about the value of reading. A great deal of the information that I am dealt in life comes because I have the ability to read. Reading can enlarge our imagination and awaken our mind to new ideas, people, and places. We have access to history’s most brilliant thinkers in the form of books and other written works. Take a look at these three facts that clearly illustrate the power of reading:
- 75% of unemployed adults have reading or writing difficulties.
- 60% of America’s inmates are illterate, and 85% of all juvenile offenders have problems with illiteracy.
- The per capita income in countries with a literacy rate less than 55 percent averages about $600.
Being able to read opens the doors to countless opportunities where anything is possible. If someone can read they can teach themselves, in essence, what the world has already discovered. They can become an expert on any field that interests them. Reading can empower people like no other activity.
June 24th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
I totally agree. Honestly, when I was in my early school years, I used to say “Reading???, ugh!” Getting through a book’s every page is a dreadful task for me! Why do teachers and parents insist that I spend my precious time with my nose in a book, anyway? But as I start hanging out in the children’s book section of our library and got my chance to share what I’ve read to my classmates who were so delighted with what I’m saying, I felt the joy of sharing it. I then began to appreciate reading. Definitely, it is the key to all knowledge. Almost anything you want to learn can be found in a book, magazine, web site, or newspaper or whatever. Without reading the signs everywhere, you won’t know where to go or where you are. Computer games require you to read to solve the next puzzle – the list is definitely endless.