For most of the older people in our generation, the answer to that question would be "Yes." Unfortunately, for the younger generation, the answer is "No." Although we endeavor to teach kids in school that reading is just as important as writing and mathematics, I don't believe our message is getting across.
These days, I see teenagers on the streets paying more attention to their I-pods and smart-phones. They don't seem to have the patience or desire to pick up a good novel and read through an enticing storyline. Then again, who can blame them? With all of the technology available at our disposal - television, the internet, cell phones - books are, to the average person, old-fashioned.
Many people consider books to be boring. And why read a book when you can watch a movie about it? They say an image is worth a thousand words. Well, a thousand words takes a while to read, whereas one image in a movie takes about 5 seconds to show, and it fulfills the same role as 1,000 words do.
That's not to say I hate technology - I don't. Personally, I think it's the best thing that has ever introduced to our civilization. But I'm just concerned that one day in the future, libraries might no longer carry books. All of the information will be stored electronically, or available in documentary movies.
So if life continues on its present course, will books soon become obsolete and a part of our history, just like tape cassettes and record players? I'll leave you to answer that question.
