We live in a great day and age. Information is readily available at all times. We have cable TV, radio, computer applications, and the internet. We’re experiencing information overloads most of the time. Unfortunately, some people are not able (or do not want) to take advantage of the benefits of the information age.The reasons may range from lack of access to this technology to an inability to use information literacy tools. Also, some people are not interested in the benefits of technology and information. However, there is only one real barrier to taking advantage of the information age, and the irony is most people impose the barrier on themselves.
There is one fundamental skill needed to take advantage of all the information around us, and everyone has the skill in varying degrees. That skill is reading. Yes, reading is the only absolute skill needed to take advantage of the information age. How else can one assimilate all the knowledge available to us?
Now, let us consider the reason people don’t realize reading is their barrier to the information age. The simple answer would be the reason that people read. There are two main reasons why people read, and they are for pleasure and work.
Today people have more spare time than ever before in history. That gives them time to read for pleasure and leisure. There are thousands of books published every year on a multitude of topics; the bookstores are full of books and magazines. You can read fiction and or non-fiction; both are in plentiful supply. The thing about doing anything for pleasure and leisure is you get to it when you can, and there is nothing wrong with that.
On a practical level, people read work related material. There are email, reports, and paperwork of all kinds to be read, and much of this reading can be tedious and boring. Work related reading can cause fatigue, it can be boring, and thus negatively impact reading for any other reason. In addition to the regular reading material for work there are trade journals and magazines to be read. This kind of reading can be enjoyable but your employer may not allot time for it on the clock.
There is another kind of reading you should know about. This kind of reading allows you to take advantage of the information age. With that kind of reading you are looking for expert knowledge, and that is not quite the same as reading for leisure or for the job. Reading for expert knowledge has a different end result, which is to become an authority on a topic. With this reading, you are reading to gain skills, insights, tips, hints, tricks of the trade, and an insider’s working knowledge of a topic.
When you read for expert knowledge, you systematically read magazines and trade journals, articles, and books, for a specific period of time. You might read about one topic for a year and then move on to a related topic. Or you might read several books on one topic over a long weekend. Here you might read several authors with opposing views to get a sound overview of any subject or topic. In addition, you might find other media and opportunities to supplement your quest for expert knowledge. And in no time at all, you will discover that you know more about your topic than the average Joe.
And how else can you benefit from reading? Reading will give you ideals; it will challenge your views, and expose your biases and prejudices; it will introduce you to new people and places; it will inspire you, tickle you, make you change your ways, tug on your heartstrings, ignite your imagination, and give you many hours of enjoyment. And by the way, it will make you smart.
... Reading - Why it is Important ...