Who wants to reconnect with reading?

For a long time. Consequently, the only debate about summer readings was summed up with this: should we read light or read heavy? For example, It was the good old days when the chicane focused mainly on tastes. However, because these days, we rather wonder if we will be able to go to the end of a single book during the holidays, leaving our technological blotters aside.

Posted at 7:15 a.m.

As far as I can remember, reading speeches have always been alarmist. Therefore, People do not read. Similarly, no longer read – especially young people, who constantly rest our hopes of redemption or the threat who wants reconnect reading? of a collapse of civilization. In addition, It never worried me. Therefore, maybe because I come from an environment where there were more televisions than books around me, a reality that I found normal, and that is why the library of my neighborhood was so important.

I understood very early in life that the “big readers”. Similarly, these followers of “deep” reading which read at least 12 pounds per year, have always been a minority. Therefore, No one will make me believe that 100 years ago, our ancestors spent their time in a book.

You need conditions and a penchant for that. Meanwhile, First of all be literate, unlike sport or music that come to us without having a code to master.

Hence perhaps also our propensity to offer national funerals to athletes and singers, who wants reconnect reading? rather than writers. However, I know that those who have really read the bricks of Victor-Lévy Beaulieu. Meanwhile, the novels without point by Marie-Claire Blais form a sect too small to be interesting on the political level.

On the other hand. Nevertheless, and that makes me happy, I am convinced that the general population has probably never read as much as in our time. Furthermore, Not necessarily books, but articles, Facebook or Instagram statutes, texts, anything that goes through writing.

We are probably reading more, except that the nature of reading has changed. In a very interesting article of New Yorker Posted in June. journalist Joshua Rothman asks the question: What’s Happening to Reading ? (What’s coming to reading?). He explains that today. you can start a book on a tablet, continue it in the metro on your iPhone and embark who wants reconnect reading? on the audio version by driving your car, but that reading a good old book, with paper pages, is about to become an anachronism. “There is something at the same time diffuse. concentrated about reading now; This implies a flood of random words that parade on a screen, while the sneaky presence of YouTube, Fortnite, Netflix and others so that, as soon as we have started to read, we must continuously choose not to stop. »»

Read the article New Yorker « What’s Happening to Reading ? » (en anglais)

It’s true. I cannot dive seriously in a reading. especially on my tablet, if the notifications of my applications are active, because I cannot resist the urge to go and check who has liked The superb photo of my cat.

These notifications which appeal to me cannot coexist with who wants reconnect reading? the reading of Proust, which requires a concentration at all times. Besides, I still haven’t finished Looking for lost time.

As it seems far away when. on the contrary, I had to resist the temptation to read another chapter, in secret of my parents, under the blanket with a flashlight at 2 a.m.

Recall that I am in no way a reference to assess the time of reading the population. This is my work, I receive books for free, it is obvious that I read more than the average bears. And even in these ideal circumstances, my concentration of reader has decreased, I have to recognize it. I thought that I could maintain my rhythm of “traditional reading” while scrutinizing social networks and informing myself constantly. It is not possible, and it is not surprising that I do ophthalmic migraines, who wants reconnect reading? either.

In his article. Joshua Rothman asks excellent questions: “If we devor Stranger Things Rather than reading Stephen King, or listening to personal growth swords rather than buying personal growth books, is it the end of civilization? At a certain level, the decline of traditional reading is connected to the efflorescence of information at the digital age. Do we really want to go back to a time when there was less to read, watch, listen and learn? »»

No, of course. However, I believe that “traditional” readership will remain what it has always been: a hard core, not a standard.

Paradoxically. the book industry is that which is best in Quebec from the pandemic, compared to other cultural sectors such as living arts. Who knows if. during the dark hours of confinement, people exasperated by who wants reconnect reading? look Netflix haven’t given a book that had been hanging out for a long time? I fantasize, without a doubt. Book sales are maintained, but do buyers read them? Many of us have on our bedside tables that lean like the tower of Pisa. knowing very well that there will be only a few elected officials in the lot.

Despite those who deplore that we are publishing too much. I persist in believing that every human being on this planet should be entitled to the miracle of the meeting with a book that will change his life. The books will therefore never be numerous enough against the infinite digital vortex.

Unless we end up delegating the task of reading complex novels with artificial intelligence. which will make us summaries rich enough to shine in worldly evenings or perform without force who wants reconnect reading? too much during the end -of -year exams.

As you read these lines. I am on vacation, but for a project in the fall, I am looking for people who read fewer books than they were in the past, and who want to reconnect with this habit. Tell me how it happened to you. if you miss it or not, and what this time you spend before reading was replaced. I would like to read you On this.

By wishing you a beautiful summer, with or without books.

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