My most favorite hobby is reading. Even as a child, I was looking into (picture) books when I was about 1,5 years old. Growing up, I discovered more and more books and authors. When I was sent outside to play, I smuggled along a book and then climbed into a high tree where I stayed reading until it was time for supper.
I can truly admit that most of my knowledge originates in books. As a child in elementary school, I wrote about sampans and travel abroad, while the other kids in the class hadn't even been to the North Sea coast.
When I reached adulthood I began to read in other languages as well. During a trip to London with our parents in 1972 (I was sixteen then) I picked up a pocket book by Victoria Holt in the railway station's bookstall and began to read it. Of course I did not understand every word, but I got the general meaning. Later on, I did the same with French and German.
Nowadays, I read mostly in English. That's like my own language to me. I often think in English, as well. And every time I read a new book, I find out more about one or other subject I knew nothing about. It doesn't matter what kind of book you read, you can learn any time.
Alas, nowadays I notice that less and less kids are reading books. They are playing on their tablets or smart phones but never take a book in hand. Their general knowledge is close to nihil. Even ten years back, when I was still teaching, I noticed how little my students knew about the world in which they live. They don't know anything anymore about states and capitals (the capital of France is Cairo), have no idea about the big streams and oceans (Ireland borders the Pacific Ocean), not to mention they know zilch about history. When when the battle of Waterloo? Big eyes, and no answer
Our youth is getting dumber and dumber - and it's them that will rule the word in some decades God help us!
No comments:
Post a Comment