Reading has long been an avenue of escapism, whereby we either forget our everyday issues in fiction, or search for ways to cope with them in non-fiction. It has lately seen a rather large spark of social relevance through different social media platforms — from creating trendy tropes and bringing in new blended genres such as “romantasy.” This boom of creativity is celebrated, enticing previous sceptics into reading for enjoyment rather than duty, and resulting in all the benefits reading is known to do.
However, there still are undesired effects to be had. The same “trend” mentality that has propelled book-reading amongst younger generations has also had the undue consequence of commercialising the hobby, potentially transfiguring it into a source of competition. Platforms such as Goodreads are an incredible source for sharing opinions on thrilling reads, determining the quality of books and laughing at the commentary of those who hated the books they reviewed. However, it increasingly places the emphasis not on the pleasure of the literature and its key messages, but on the ability to grow the number of books read.
Ostensibly, this is a fantastic thing. But reading for the sake of reading, or rather to demonstrate one’s intelligence or social relevance through maximising the number of works read in a year, defeats the personal relationship that makes reading so unique. Unlike other kinds of entertaining media, which are usually portrayed visually, such as in film, reading requires a one-on-one balance between the words on the page and the reader. It is the cornerstone of the experience, as it broadens the scope for interpretation, and thereby imagination. No other reader can invade another’s mental space, their point of view on a concept, or situation, in a text.
Recently, reading has become just the opposite; rather than creating a personal haven it is used as a tool to indicate intelligence, or to perform a certain performative role to fulfil an aesthetic, such as reading The Secret History in public to appear to others as more “dark academia.” This is not to say that reading does not conserve a demographic of people who use it intimately, for no purpose other than self-fulfilment and pleasure. However, one cannot help question if the growing “trend” of reading will wipe out the “art” of reading — one that promotes ideas between people, but does not require it to be validated by others to proclaim a book, or a reader, truly great.
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