These questions were often used as conversation starters. However, now these questions are rarely asked — just as the practice of reading also wanes across the world. Survey
But what’s behind the death of books? How bad is this situation? And are governments doing anything to rectify it?
The world’s reading crisis
In country after country, reading levels have dipped with children and adults alike replacing books with screen time.
In the US, those reading for pleasure have declined by 40 per cent in the past 20 years. Only 16 per cent of Americans age 15 and over read for leisure every day in 2023,
A 2023 survey revealed that only 16 per cent of Americans age 15 and over read for leisure every day. File image/AFP
The situation is no different in the United Kingdom. The National Literacy Trust revealed that reading for fun among children and young people in the UK has fallen to its lowest level in two decades. Of girls aged eight to 18, 39.1 per cent said they enjoyed reading in their free time, compared
Denmark is the same. A 2021 survey found that reading proficiency among fourth-grade students in Denmark had declined, with almost 25 per cent considered “weak” readers who struggled to, for example, read between the lines or read critically.
In India, only 34.6 per cent of children aged eight to 18 enjoy reading in their free time while in Japan a 2024 survey revealed that 63 per cent of those surveyed don’t read books anymore. A report by the European and International Book Federation found that only 64 per cent of
A homeless girl reads a book next to her brothers in Kolkata. In India, only 34.6 per cent of children aged eight to 18 enjoy reading in their free time. File image/Reuters
Perhaps, the only country to still not experience this reading crisis is China. A survey showed that the overall reading habit among Chinese adults stood at 81.9 per cent in 2023. It showed that 58.9 per cent of Chinese adults were reading. Moreover, among Chinese minors, the overall reading rate was 86.2 per cent, up by two percentage
Factors behind the slow death of reading
But what’s causing this decline in the reading habit? Most authors and child experts suggest that extensive screen time — be it on the mobile phone or binge watching shows and movies — and more time spent at work because of economic pressure are the main factors causing this dip in page turning.
Most experts pointed to the proliferation of digital distractions to be one of the biggest factors in the decline of reading. People, including children,
Mobile phones and tablets have replaced books. Many choose to spend their free time watching reels on social media or consuming information from their smartphones rather than turn the pages of a book. File image/Reuters
The
And as binge-watching increases, book reading is slipping.
Besides the digital distractions available, there’s also the issue of shorter attention spans. The digital age has resulted in reduced attentional capacity making reading intimidating to
Reading levels are also decreasing as result of the changes in the educational system. As students are under pressure to concentrate on particular subjects and skills considered crucial for testing, it frequently leaves little room for nurturing a love of reading.
The decline in reading can also be blamed on our fast lives with hectic schedules. Many people, who used to read, complain that between work commitments, family time, and other
The hustle and bustle of our daily life, work commitments, family obligations are others factors behind the dip in reading. Representational image/AI-generated
Some also note that economic factors could also be driving people from reading. Books can be expensive, and in many developing countries, access to affordable reading material is limited. In fact, in the US, a study found that those with higher incomes were more likely to spend time reading each day.
Fighting the reading slump
Can this trend be reversed though?
Many countries across the world are trying to get children to read. In the US and the UK, schools are restricting the use of phones in schools. Many American
Some governments have also initiated reading challenges to make reading cool again. They are launching viral hashtags to get children and adults to read. There are ‘reading missions’ that seek to inculcate the habit of reading in children.
The United Arab Emirates, in 2016, even instituted a law to make “reading a daily habit”. As per the national law of reading, government staff would be allotted time at work
An employee adjusts books inside a store. In Denmark, there's a proposal to abolish the tax on books in a bid to improve reading levels. File image/Reuters
In Denmark, the government has sought another way to tackle the reading problem. The Danish government has announced it will abolish a25 per cent sales tax on books in an effort to combat a “reading crisis”.
The culture minister, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, was quoted as saying, “This is something that I, as minister of culture, have worked for, because I believe that we must put everything at stake if we are to end the reading crisis that has unfortunately been spreading in recent years.”
The joy of reading
But why all this focus on reading? What benefits does one derive from reading?
While many consider reading as a leisure activity, it is
People read books at a book store in Shenzhen, China's southern Guangdong province. Science has proven that there are many health benefits to reading. File image/AFP
Neuroscience also suggests that reading impacts our minds and rewires its functions for better thinking. It also improves our emotional quotient. As Daisy Fancourt, a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University
“The empathy that we feel for them is actually real, and these connections with characters can be ways that we can feel less alone, that we can feel socially and emotionally validated.”
For all of this, let’s incorporate reading into our daily routine: brush your teeth, eat well, exercise, and read widely.
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