In the Western world, books can be found in any shape or form. One may encounter hardback books, paperbacks or indulge in digital editions by using an Orwellian e-reader (e-book reader). Moreover, in terms of content, there are big, philosophical tomes and short stories for children, the two being diametrically opposed. In spite of all this variety, in modern times, books have been neglected, disregarded and abandoned by the younger generation. We seldom see teenagers immerse themselves in pulp fiction. Suffice it to say that millenials are still the most voracious readers in human history; they do not read books, but are obsessed with titbits and snippets on their smartphones. So, why have books been abandoned?
A great deal of distractions exist in today’s postindustrial, postmodern, post—Wagnerian and postwar society. In addition, these distraction inhibit us; they give us the impression that we do not need to read in order to acquire intelligence. One such distraction is the smartphone. So engrossed is today’s generation in instant gratification (courtesy of the smarthphone), that when stumbling upon a …show more content…
This essay also resonates with what sociologist George Ritzer called the ‘McDonaldization of society.’ Ritzer saw that modern Western society is akin to fast-food restaurants, in which this society is an Orwellian nightmare or a Huxleyan circus. People rationalise excuses not to read books. However, such excuses are to be blamed on two factors: frontal teaching and the smartphone. Thus, the distractions which repress reading books on a socio-cultural level stem from modern academia and the rise of technology. While the former fills up people’s heads with delusions of grandeur, the latter hammers the final nail in the coffin by leeching off their time. It’s no wonder no one bothers to read
A great deal of distractions exist in today’s postindustrial, postmodern, post—Wagnerian and postwar society. In addition, these distraction inhibit us; they give us the impression that we do not need to read in order to acquire intelligence. One such distraction is the smartphone. So engrossed is today’s generation in instant gratification (courtesy of the smarthphone), that when stumbling upon a …show more content…
This essay also resonates with what sociologist George Ritzer called the ‘McDonaldization of society.’ Ritzer saw that modern Western society is akin to fast-food restaurants, in which this society is an Orwellian nightmare or a Huxleyan circus. People rationalise excuses not to read books. However, such excuses are to be blamed on two factors: frontal teaching and the smartphone. Thus, the distractions which repress reading books on a socio-cultural level stem from modern academia and the rise of technology. While the former fills up people’s heads with delusions of grandeur, the latter hammers the final nail in the coffin by leeching off their time. It’s no wonder no one bothers to read