Look around your home, your office, or your classroom. Genius innovators have given us the Internet, smart phones, cars that park themselves – the list is endless.
But what if you found out you were part of the 40 percent of Americans that miss out on the single most impactful piece of technology the world has ever seen? Further, what if you realized this technology has been under your nose your whole life? In fact, this technology has survived over 5,000 years with virtually no changes.
Books. Physical books.
They are the perfect technology: cheap, convenient, and potentially life-changing.
Despite advances with phones, computers and (insert frivolous app here), books have remained the default resource for information and entertainment; as well they should be.
Sadly, however, a Pew Research survey concluded that nearly 40% of American adults didn’t pick up a book last year.
As someone who happily devours books, this saddens me. Admittedly, I hated reading until I graduated high school (where I was forced to read). But I soon understood that the greatest obstacle to self-improvement is adopting the attitude that you don’t need help – that you have everything figured out. This is the single most destructive lie you can tell yourself.
As Ryan Holiday, who himself has authored four books that have shaped my life’s path, adeptly reminds us, “Whatever problem you’re struggling with is probably addressed in some book somewhere written by someone a lot smarter than you.”
And he’s right.
Though simple, books are revolutionary. They provide solutions to complex problems that modern technologies can only provide temporary relief for. A couple hundred pages can help you find happiness, become a better person, embrace obstacles, or just enjoy a good story depending on your taste.
If time is your excuse of choice not to take advantage of books, it’s an invalid one. I’m often asked by friends and colleagues how I have time to read every day, to which I respond by asking how they have time to watch their favorite show or exercise or eat. When something becomes important – when something becomes essential – you make time for it. It’s part of my job. It’s non-negotiable.
Sure, books aren’t free. But ten bucks is pocket change compared to the money we shell out for phones, shoes, and watches that tell us when someone Snapchats us. This is not to say any of those things are inherently evil or useless, but if we look at reading as an investment rather than a chore, our perspective changes. The potential ROI (return on investment) for a book is far greater than the ROI for those things in life that we deem as necessities.
In the moment you post that Facebook status or watch another sped-up cooking video, you could read something that completely alters your life’s path.
Will that happen with every book you read?
No.
And if you’re not a habitual reader, it will be slow and difficult at first, just like it is learning to use any other new high-tech software or device.
But once you incorporate reading into the mix of technologies in your life, a change occurs. The more you read, the more aware you become of the world around you and the better sense you can make of it. Books offer us the rare opportunity to detach ourselves from the mundanity of a dramatic, tech-filled life.
There’s no app for that.
If I baited you into reading this because you thought I knew about some secret gadget, I offer you my deepest apologies.
Now close your browser and pick up a book.
Dominic Vaiana studies writing and media strategy at Xavier University. He founded a campus newspaper and later went on to advise, ghostwrite, and edit for colleagues and startups. His biweekly newsletter with his personal articles, essays, interviews, and book recommendations, can be found here. For any questions or comments, email dominicvaiana@gmail.com.