The Lost Passion for Reading

  •   Wed, Aug 13 2025
  •   By Ankith S Kumar

August 13, 2025

There was a time when the rustle of pages, the smell of old books, and the joy of getting lost in a world of words were unmatched. Books were our windows to other worlds, companions in solitude, and the most powerful tools of imagination. But somewhere along the way, in our race toward screens, scrolls, and short-form content, we began losing our passion for reading.

A Culture Once Built on Stories

Our childhoods were steeped in stories—grandparents’ tales, comic books under the pillow, library hours in school, and the excitement of holding a new book. Reading wasn’t just a pastime; it was a culture, a way of learning, dreaming, and connecting.

But today, the landscape looks very different. E-books are often downloaded but rarely finished. Bookshelves are more decorative than functional. And deep reading has taken a backseat to dopamine-fueled distractions from reels, tweets, and endless notifications.

What Have We Traded Reading For?

Let’s be honest. Most of us read more “content” today than ever before—headlines, captions, memes, WhatsApp forwards. But content is not the same as reading. True reading demands attention, patience, and immersion. It nourishes the soul, builds empathy, sharpens thought, and expands the imagination.

In contrast, modern digital consumption often leaves us scattered, anxious, and overstimulated. We trade the richness of pages for the rush of pixels—and in doing so, we trade depth for speed, stories for snippets.

The Consequences Are Real

The decline in reading isn’t just an aesthetic concern. It has real consequences.

  • Attention spans are shrinking. The ability to focus on long-form content is waning.
  • Vocabulary and comprehension levels, especially among young people, are dropping.
  • Critical thinking and imagination, both nurtured by deep reading, are being replaced by reactive scrolling.

And perhaps the most alarming of all—we’re losing our collective patience. Reading teaches us to slow down, to stay with something even when it's complex or unfamiliar. Without it, we risk becoming a society that consumes but doesn't contemplate.

Reclaiming the Lost Passion

But it’s not too late.

Reclaiming our love for reading doesn’t mean throwing away our gadgets. It means making conscious choices. Here’s how:

  • Start small. A few pages a day is enough. Consistency builds habit.
  • Create a reading ritual. Bedtime, early mornings, or a Sunday hour with no distractions.
  • Make it social. Join or start a book club. Share what you're reading.
  • Curate your shelf. Pick books that truly interest you—fiction, memoirs, poetry, or graphic novels.
  • Be a model. For parents and educators, reading visibly and joyfully is the best way to inspire children.

The Final Word

Reading is not just about information. It’s about transformation. It’s the quiet fire that fuels thought, empathy, and the human spirit. In a world that’s constantly rushing, reading invites us to pause—and in that pause, rediscover ourselves.

So let’s not let books gather dust. Let’s bring back the joy of reading—not as a task, but as a treasure. The stories are still waiting. The pages are still calling. Are we ready to listen again?

 

 
By Ankith S Kumar
Ankith S Kumar is a counsellor at Abhyuday- Department of Counselling, Welfare, Training & Placement, NMAM Institute of Technology, Nitte (DU) Off-Campus Centre, Nitte, Udupi District.
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Comment on this article

  • Dr. Ankitha K, Mangalore

    Wed, Aug 13 2025

    I have read many articles by Mr. Ankith S Kumar, and they are always clear and full of useful ideas. This one is a lovely reminder of how reading used to be such a joyful part of life. It shows how screens have slowly replaced books and how this is affecting our focus and creativity. The simple tips to bring back reading are very helpful. Thank you for sharing this thoughtful piece.

  • Rita, Germany

    Wed, Aug 13 2025

    Very nice article.Todays world there are lots of people who have no time to read a book as you said ,instead they use new technical books .Might be they arent heavier to carry around.I was a book wurm to say .Some years back ,as I was at home ,had a book from my elder brother kept back -Named Undir Rai from late fr Bothello(Exactly dont remember the author) ,I started to read and found very interesting after all these years and read it again again.So sometimes one finds the book is more interesting after so many years.Hope many of our readers too have the experience like me.Thank you for writing and bringing back our memory.

  • Ivan Saldanha, Mangalore

    Wed, Aug 13 2025

    Dear Mr.Kumar, Appreciate your articulated write up on the importance and vitality of reading, rapidly loosing it's holiness. It is a habit that needs good awareness and encouragement specially at the student level. Please do let us see your articles more often. Thanks Daiji for facilitating.


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