Reading books is no different than consuming any other type of media. Many people believe that reading is a hobby to be prouder of than watching television, for example. Why is television any different though? You receive language and picture on a TV, whereas reading a book only gives you the language. This often makes it more difficult to understand concepts from text than it would be from a screen. One may argue that you will learn far more from reading than from television because reading offers infinite knowledge from nonfiction literature. Sure, learning from nonfiction may be more beneficial than watching shows like, “SpongeBob.” But there are countless documentaries and other informational films to watch that will allow to you learn just as much. Another reason why reading is no better than any other form of media is that it does nothing to improve your long-term health. There is a growing problem of adults staying sedentary for too long. A study by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) concluded that an average of 60% of adults’ waking hours are spent sedentary (Matthews). This is detrimental to our health because without an active lifestyle, your whole body slows down. In his manuscript, “Too Much sitting: The Population-Health Science of Sedentary Behavior,” Neville Owens suggests, “Canadians who reported spending the majority of their day sitting had significantly poorer long-term mortality outcomes than did those who reported that they spent less time sitting.” While you may think you are benefiting yourself by sitting down and reading a book all day, it may be a healthier idea to go for a walk or participate in a more active hobby.
Works Cited
Rowan Counterintuitive 