11.04.2024. » 13:08

OP - ED Why do young people (not) read and how can we improve that?

According to data from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation from a few years ago, nearly 30% of young people regularly read books in our country.

After an even greater penetration of social media, especially TikTok, in the last three years, I was afraid to check how many young people are reading books today.

But who is to blame for this—or what is to blame for this?

Where do I even begin?

Best to start from the beginning.

Maximizing Stimuli

To read a book, you need a longer span of attention and concentration that won't drop after a few sentences.

According to experts from the University of Californiai, our attention span lasts for a maximum of three minutes. Although this figure specifically refers to the attention span while looking at screens, it's hard to believe that in reality, this attention span is even slightly longer.

To read one page of a book, we need, on average, a minute or two. So, just two pages before our attention wanes and before we seek a new stimulus.

Where do we find that stimulus? Of course, on social media.

There, everything is new, fast, fresh, current.

There are our heroes, our role models, our superstars.

But there is also everything that disappears a few seconds after we see it.

This is not an argument against social media. Social media is shallow and superficial, but they are also great if you know how to use them in moderation because they connect us to the world.

However, social media contribute to further reducing our attention span if we consume them carelessly.

Furthermore, content on social media is also dangerous because social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has proven that the rise of social media has contributed to an increase in anxiety, especially among girls.

But I also use Facebook and (occasionally) Twitter. So, am I a hypocrite then?

Well, yes and no.

I use the Freedom, app, which allows me to limit the time spent on social media—to about twenty minutes a day.

That way, I preserve my attention for things that really matter to me—such as reading books and similar activities.

In the end, what does all this have to do with reading, for heaven's sake?

First, young people need to preserve their attention by limiting the intake of content from social media.

Second, by doing so, they will preserve their attention for things that really matter to them, whether it's sports, reading books, or any other activities that require a significant amount of attention and time.

Third, I would even say that those who cannot preserve their attention today will have trouble finding a job tomorrow, finding a life partner, buying a house, or doing activities that truly require careful observation and a great deal of time.

So, reading books is not just about reading books.

Some experts even argue that reading books deepens your attention, strengthens concentration, and improves memory.

Don't read books just to read books.

Read books to find a better life partner, to find a better job, or to make life decisions on which your life depends.

You certainly won't find that on superficial TikTok.

Stefan Veljković, translator