Weekend Talk: Why do we read?
In the days before mobile phones and the social media, people went about with interesting books to read on the go.
Books were our immediate, portable source of entertainment, and we read them for fun, enjoyment and delight.
Even with the influx of social media, those who make time for reading books (printed or electronic) find them a great source of enlightenment.
Curiosity
Humans are curious beings, and we long for information and knowledge. We read to satisfy this curiosity, to verify truth in order to be certain about what we believe. Don’t forget that books are a primary source of knowledge.
Because we grapple with information overload today, there is the need to read selectively in the area of our choice.
The Berean believers, mentioned in Acts 17:11, used to do that.
The Bereans would not swallow hook, line and sinker the wild doctrines thrown at them by false teachers—as some people do today. Rather, they searched the scriptures to ascertain the truth.
Understanding, power
We read for understanding. Misinformation leads to misleading, and there is nothing as dangerous as an action that is based on wrong information.
Imagine believing that there is no God, based on the wrong teaching of atheists.
Living your life grounded on such untruth will make you an enemy of God with dire consequences.
So we read good books with sound biblical teaching to refute such falsehood.
Just as physical exercise helps with body work and organ function, so reading enables us to exercise our brain for better mental performance.
Failure to read has prevented many students from exercising their brains.
The result is failing to make the appropriate grades at school, thus hampering their education.
One way to avoid worry and excessive sorrow and depression is to delve into an interesting book.
Reading is therapeutic and an adventure to faraway places where you can take a break from troubles.
Clarity of expression, development
The West African Examination Council constantly advises candidates to exercise “clarity of expression” when answering written questions.
The reason is obvious: clarity of expression, which comes with copious reading, enhances effective communication.
Whatever language you read, the more you read in that language, the better you get to know how to read, mastering grammatical functions and spelling.
We read for personal development.
When I began to read profusely in that small library in Tamale as a youth, I had no idea I was pursuing personal development.
Those who learn to read develop mentally, academically, socially, professionally and even culturally.
Courtesy, humility, hard work and such life-skill virtues come with extensive reading.
I believe that proud utterances, disrespect, insults, anger and bitterness come from people who do not read.
Books give us examples of good behaviour to learn from.
Appreciate nature, tourism
We read to appreciate nature. What interests you in the world God created? Plants?
Animals? Birds? Stars? Planets? Rainfall? Humanity? The sea?
Reading enables us to know about nature and appreciate and honour God as Creator.
The earth is an interesting place, and failing to read about it impoverishes us.
Whether you know a place or not, reading about that place can augment your tourism inclination.
When I read Douglas Anane-Frimpong’s two-part article on Bawku in the Daily Graphic, I got a lot of culturally relevant information about Bawku that I didn’t know before.
While you are waiting to visit your dreamland as a tourist, read about it in the meantime to like the place.
If you wish to travel abroad without moving an inch, read a book!
Persuasion, solutions
We read to be persuaded to get into action.
Writing’s purposes include persuasion.
For example, if you feel low on prayer, read around the subject to be persuaded to pray.
Read E. M. Bounds books on prayer and you will get on your knees!
The writings of African writers moved pan-Africanists to fight for the independence of their countries. In those days, people read the writings of political leaders to be persuaded to agitate against colonial rule.
We read for solutions to issues and problems we are wrestling with.
Physicians encourage us to read about the ailments we are battling with and the medication we are taking.
Sometimes the solution to a dilemma or our problem may be just a book away right on our bookshelf.
Instead of reading to find the solution, we wallow in ignorance and deprive ourselves of the help we could obtain from a well-written book on our problem or dilemma.
Avoid deception
Ultimately, we read to avoid deception.
We are often deceived for failing to acquire knowledge; hence, for the lack of knowledge, people perish.
For example, read about the activities of false prophets in our midst to avoid being led astray.
Those who know how to read but fail to read practically become illiterates by and by!
The writer is a publisher, author, writer-trainer and CEO of Step Publishers.
E-mail: lawrence.darmani@gmail.com
