"Reading is good for you."
I agree.
But then there's also
"What?! You haven't read
that novel?
Oh, my..."
But wait a minute.
I think I read a lot.
To create this video,
I read all sorts of materials.
But I didn't read
the latest must-read novel...
Does that mean I didn't
really read?
What counts as reading?
Stick around and
let's think about this...
[snap]
Hello. Welcome to Snap Language.
I'm Marc Franco.
If you search the Internet for
"what should I read?"
you'll get millions of hits.
Strangely, most of the websites
will recommend books
-- you know, like...
literature
or literary texts.
Buzzfeed even matches
your favorite TV show with
books you should read.
And they actually do a good job.
There are some exceptions, of course,
like LOCUS Online, which
includes non-fiction books.
YouTube has many great videos
on what to read...
Maybe YouTubers are
on the right track
because they recommend
a wider variety of materials.
Still, as a generalization,
it's as if "reading"
is synonymous with
"reading books"
and books are synonymous with
literary books.
How about non-literary texts?
Does it count if you read
a magazine?
Does it count if you read
newspapers?
How about reading about
your favorite hobby?
A cookbook?
Even when people talk about
the benefits of reading...
well, they talk about
the benefits of reading books.
Scientific studies have shown that
reading is beneficial to
the health of your brain.
In general, these studies
either compare avid readers
and light- or non-readers,
or they test people who are reading
to see what's happening
in the brain.
An "avid reader"...
what exactly does that mean?
You read many novels
and short stories?
If you read both literary
and non-literary materials,
are you only half-avid?
When you read a novel,
you "live" what's happening
in the story.
Non-fictional texts
are different but,
you still process information, so
they also activate the brain.
Like... when you're reading
some cool scientific... Whoa!
The New York Public Library website
offers a variety of information:
many literary books,
blog articles,
and even a podcast with
excellent information that
you can read and listen to.
I say, "good for you,
you awesome librarians!"
for providing all these
awesome materials
and resources for our pleasure!
So, what's the message here?
I believe the purpose of reading
is to understand the content or
the message that writers
want to communicate to us.
And ideas can be communicated
through a novel,
a letter,
a newspaper article,
a poem,
a thank you note,
a recipe,
a comic strip,
a blog,
a pamphlet,
an editorial,
a want ad,
a book review, a short story,
a speech, ...
Phew!
You get the point.
If you only read one type of texts,
could you be missing out
on something?
That's why libraries have
all sorts of materials.
We communicate knowledge
in many ways,
so you must read
different types of texts.
That's what makes humans so
special.
We also read for different reasons.
You can read to learn
or study,
or you can read simply because
it's enjoyable
-- not because it's required of you.
In fact, some research suggests
that differences in children's
reading habits are reduced
when children choose
materials on their own.
We've also known for a long time
that avid readers
choose the materials
they want to read.
What if you don't enjoy reading?
Well, try reading about things that
interests you first.
And it doesn't matter what it is.
Before committing to it,
skim the material first
to make sure it's really
something you want to read.
Be consistent -- maybe 15,
20 minutes every day.
If you choose your own materials,
you may even come to realize
that reading can actually
be enjoyable.
As a result, you may find yourself
reading more than
just 15, 20 minutes a day
and choosing materials that
you didn't use to
find enjoyable before.
So, do you agree?
What counts as reading?
I'd love to hear what you think!
So, leave a comment below
so you and other people
in our community
can start having a conversation
about this.
And if you liked this video,
have you hit that "like" button yet?
This one. Not... not this one.
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And thanks for stopping by
and watching this video.