That's right. The Malaysian Reader is not merely some magical creature akin to a unicorn. We exist. We are a very sparse species but generally, you will find us lurking in the book shops and flea markets.
Yesterday, I was a speaker at Buku Jalanan Melbourne and although there was a bit of a run in with mother nature, we sat down for post event drinks and just had a flowing conversation around random things like romantic comedies as well as important things like the state of reading in Malaysia.
It's exciting enough meeting someone else who reads but meeting another Malaysian who reads? It's like unlocking the bonus level in a video game.
Finding someone young who reads and enjoys it is also another achievement that gets unlocked.
So the question is... Why do more people not read?
For some, it is the time. True, reading does require a certain amount of concentration and effort but isn't it worth it for a wider perspective? For whatever reason, work, school and just the general drama that is Life takes priority. An understandable thing. Still, even if you nourish other parts of yourself, there becomes a very apparent lack of a nourishment of the soul and mind.
For others, it is a question of money. Books in Malaysia especially cost quite a bit and if you want to read the more popular ones, it's even worse. Second hand book stores are an option but they might not always have the titles that you want.
I can't really say why more people do not read. Truth of the matter is it is not my place to say.
Still, one cannot deny the joy and delight that the act of reading is capable of sparking in the core of our existence. Reading is not for everyone but an endless imagination is.
No comments:
Post a Comment