Reading - what can be said? Every activity mankind undertakes has to have an upside as well as downside. Reading is no different!
THE UPSIDE as experienced my myself
1) Reading is a positive activity, and leads to knowledge enhancement. Fact is, it is a very bad book that does not add any value. For example, any book will add to your vocabulary. How do you think people clear their Vocab section in MBA entrance? By mugging words? Nope, mate. They just go and do a extempore! How? Most words were familiar to them! Secondly, Linguistic development is a direct result. Today, they can speak in English fluently, and can use even complex sentences and words. That came about automatically. How? Through Reading. That is the only activity people have undertaken. The brain absorbs words and phrases - and the more you read, the more easily the brain translates the written words into spoken words! This is from personal experience.
1a) Reading develops your analytical powers. (Placing as point 1a since this is highly subjective, depending upon what books you read)
2) Reading improves writing ability. For example, idioms, words and phrases flow easily in Englsh for me: same is not there in Hindi or Oriya. The only difference is I read a lot of English - and none in the other 2! No amount of TV watching in Oriya has been able to influence my writing, and to a lesser extent, my vocabulary. In fact. I wonder why this is so? Does any reader have any ideas as to why this happens? Why is it that the written word has a deeper impact on your personality and skills than the spoken word? I would love to know the precise reason!
3) It is a great mood enhancer. You can CHOOSE what you want to read at will. The choice is your own! With any other recreation, you are dependent on someone else - in the case of TV, you depend on the channel. In the case of friends- you are dependent on their being free and in the right mood. And so on and so forth!
4) You can put it down in the middle - and continue at an opportune moment. Try it with a TV programme! Even in DVD and CD, if you do that - it lessens enjoyment, as you lose the link.
5) Reading takes you into another world, where you are free to roam within the books and paint a picture in your minds eye... you can let your brain take over, and relax and enjoy the sensation
THE DOWNSIDE as experienced by me
1) It is a solitary activity. Too much of it can lead to a one-sided personality, a limited friend circle and limited social skills
2) It can often lead to missing some of the other good things in life - that good movie, that moving mini series you might have wanted to see, etc etc
THE CONCLUSION
I wouldn't have it any other way. My mom and dad love to read too - and they were never lonely. It is your best friend for life - and much better than alcohol! A book is always there for you - always. You just have to reach out and grab it. There is one for every mood, every occasion!
Yes, some moderation would be recommended - BUT not too much. I like it the way it is!
THE UPSIDE as experienced my myself
1) Reading is a positive activity, and leads to knowledge enhancement. Fact is, it is a very bad book that does not add any value. For example, any book will add to your vocabulary. How do you think people clear their Vocab section in MBA entrance? By mugging words? Nope, mate. They just go and do a extempore! How? Most words were familiar to them! Secondly, Linguistic development is a direct result. Today, they can speak in English fluently, and can use even complex sentences and words. That came about automatically. How? Through Reading. That is the only activity people have undertaken. The brain absorbs words and phrases - and the more you read, the more easily the brain translates the written words into spoken words! This is from personal experience.
1a) Reading develops your analytical powers. (Placing as point 1a since this is highly subjective, depending upon what books you read)
2) Reading improves writing ability. For example, idioms, words and phrases flow easily in Englsh for me: same is not there in Hindi or Oriya. The only difference is I read a lot of English - and none in the other 2! No amount of TV watching in Oriya has been able to influence my writing, and to a lesser extent, my vocabulary. In fact. I wonder why this is so? Does any reader have any ideas as to why this happens? Why is it that the written word has a deeper impact on your personality and skills than the spoken word? I would love to know the precise reason!
3) It is a great mood enhancer. You can CHOOSE what you want to read at will. The choice is your own! With any other recreation, you are dependent on someone else - in the case of TV, you depend on the channel. In the case of friends- you are dependent on their being free and in the right mood. And so on and so forth!
4) You can put it down in the middle - and continue at an opportune moment. Try it with a TV programme! Even in DVD and CD, if you do that - it lessens enjoyment, as you lose the link.
5) Reading takes you into another world, where you are free to roam within the books and paint a picture in your minds eye... you can let your brain take over, and relax and enjoy the sensation
THE DOWNSIDE as experienced by me
1) It is a solitary activity. Too much of it can lead to a one-sided personality, a limited friend circle and limited social skills
2) It can often lead to missing some of the other good things in life - that good movie, that moving mini series you might have wanted to see, etc etc
THE CONCLUSION
I wouldn't have it any other way. My mom and dad love to read too - and they were never lonely. It is your best friend for life - and much better than alcohol! A book is always there for you - always. You just have to reach out and grab it. There is one for every mood, every occasion!
Yes, some moderation would be recommended - BUT not too much. I like it the way it is!
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