Book readership has declined significantly in recent years. This essay will examine how social media and streaming services have contributed to this trend, and will suggest that schools and families could help address this issue by promoting reading habits.
The primary cause is that social media consumes people’s free time. Binge watching and doom scrolling, however, take up half of the day without people realizing it, leading to mental fatigue. Another contributing factor is availability of streaming services, which provides irresistible entertainment. For instance, Netflix and youtube presents stories in a more realistic and engaging way that people prefer visual entertainment to imagining stories in their minds. After long day at work, most people choose the easier option.
One solution is to encourage reading in schools by making it a part of the course curriculum in the form of story books, novels and dramas that attract children and teenagers. To create a habit, it should be done on a daily basis so, they get a better perspective of this and they can associate it with pleasure rather than just homework. Another approach is to make it a part of a family fun, children should enjoy this activity as a hobby. For example, some families turn off their devices at night and read for twenty minutes so, children think about it as a calm and relaxing activity to sleep better.
In conclusion, the decline in reading books can be attributed to digital distractions like social media and streaming services. However, schools and families can motivate children to read it by making it an enjoyable and regular part of a daily life.