There are many ways to acquire knowledge. We are constantly in the process of learning in one way or another. From friends, from family, from society, from an incident and maybe sometimes by making a mistake, I am learning from that mistake. All these seem to be unconscious to us in informal processes. Which usually continues from mother’s womb till death.
However, this learning process does not greatly expand our mental world. No innovation is born out of us. The multifaceted characteristics within us are not revealed.
New knowledge is created through the practice of old knowledge. And that old knowledge in the book. Our thinking expands when something is learned by stressing the brain. When we read books we do so somewhat against our instincts. Because when reading a book, our brain releases less dopamine than other exciting activities. And our instincts drive us more toward those activities that increase dopamine release.
According to a study, a person currently studies for an average of 16 minutes. And those who read a lot read an average of 48 minutes.
This research report may disappoint you. The number of people reading books in the society is decreasing. And it will not be wrong to say that in fact this is also the cause of chaos in a society. This matter will be more clear if we know the benefits of reading books.
In today’s context, one can raise the question that we are technologically advanced now. Thanks to the current government, everyone has a smartphone. You don’t have to spend money to buy books. You can learn anything you need to know at any time. So why bother reading the book again?
Yes, of course, is the answer. That’s why you have to read up to the front.
What are the benefits of reading books?
Research shows that reading books has many benefits. The first of them is:
1) Reading increases intelligence.
2) Vocabulary increases. Studies have also found that the richer the vocabulary, the higher the IQ.
3) Ability to focus on something increases. Can be more focused than others in any task.
4) Books keep our mental health good. Helps us to stay free from negative thoughts. Reduces stress.
5) Books increase our endurance. binds us. Because, when we read a book, we end up reading it sequentially.
6) Reading books increases creativity. Improves problem solving skills. The ability to think increases. The brain is always active.
7) Reading books increases kindness or sympathy towards others. Because those who read books try to see the world through other people’s eyes. Considers the viewpoint of others. Which increases the empathy within someone and thereby increases social interaction.
8) Also those who read paper books have a higher comprehension power to explain the book better than e-book readers after reading it.
Moreover, the modern concept of reading books says that we should read books to learn how the world works. That is, to understand how the world’s socio-economic, economic, political, cultural, religious etc. work.
Those who are known to us as great heroes in history did not ignore ‘reading books’ but they were pioneers in reading books.
Napoleon used to say, ‘Life is in vain without at least sixty thousand books’.
Mao Zedong used to say, ‘Read, read and read.
Pramath Chowdhury wrote in his book reading essay, the registry of the death of the body is kept, the death of the soul is not.
Our soul is satisfied by reading books. It is his demand. When these needs of the soul are not met, it dies. Perhaps that is why Spinoza said,
‘Good food fills the stomach but good books
Satisfies the human soul.’
Fratz Kafka said, ‘Books are the ax to break the frozen sea between our souls.’
Our country’s famous linguist Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah said, ‘Three things are necessary in life—books, books and books.’
Sad but true, there is a well-known idea about ‘reading books’ in our country that reading books is for job. And the reality is the same, the child grows up hearing from childhood that he has to grow up to be a doctor, pilot, engineer, so he has to read books. You should get good marks in the exam book.
This instills the idea in the child that he has to read books for good marks. After a while he digested one book after another like a machine, but it did not purify his intellect and mind. Book learning does not show in his behavior. And there is no interest in studying literature outside the academic curriculum.
Because of which maybe today our young society is apathetic about reading books. Their attention span is decreasing day by day. They lag behind in creative thinking. The sympathy between them is decreasing. Those who are dreaming of building the golden Bangladesh of the future may be the ignorant and ignorant generation.
Many external factors can be blamed for this. One of which is addiction to perverted social media. Today, the youth, forgetting their responsibilities towards the nation, have entered into a blind competition.
There is no alternative to encourage the youth to read books to deal with this adverse situation. Therefore multi-pronged action plan can be taken. Weekly, monthly plans can be taken to teach other books (may be fiction or non-fiction) besides reducing the pressure of reading academic books on students at primary, secondary and higher secondary levels. Also, by creating a library in each village-mahalla, interest in reading books can be created among them. Area based organizations can be created which will develop the intellectual thinking of youth and youth. It will help in gaining skills.
Finally it can be said that to fulfill the dream we see of building the Bangladesh of the future, we definitely need a group of young people with knowledge and skills who will be moral, determined and committed in their intellect and mind. Therefore, their moral thinking can be developed only through reading books. By whose race they may bring benefits to the nation in the coming days.
