“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art’. I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. But I could not do the work of writing a book, or even a long magazine article, if it were not also an aesthetic experience.” - George Orwell, ‘Why I Write’ (1946)
Over the years, I've noticed a shift in my learning habits. My preference for reading books has been gradually replaced by consuming short-form internet reads and online videos. As time has passed, my attention span has grown shorter, and I find myself seeking even more condensed forms of information. While this may suffice for practical activities like finding a recipe or learning a new skill that relies on muscle memory, it falls short for deeper, reflective learning.
Although summaries can provide an overview of a book's content and serve as a helpful reminder of its key chapters, they fail to capture the subtleties and nuances that authors have spent hours carefully poring over to convey. Each word is meticulously chosen to convey a specific meaning, much like the intricate details that skilled artists incorporate into their work.
Books offer a unique opportunity to transcend our limited experiences and tap into a vast repository of knowledge and wisdom from some of the world's greatest thinkers across all disciplines. They offer more than just instructions on how to perform tasks; they provide insights into the philosophy behind each action and the meaning of a life well-lived.
Conscious of my shift away from reading, I am making a disciplined effort to return to it. I seek not only the pleasure of immersing myself in great works of fiction but also the valuable insights from the wisest writers of history. By writing this, I hope to inspire others to join me on this journey of deeper, reflective learning.