21 - 27 February 2002
Issue No.574
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 21 - 27 February 2002 Issue No.574 |
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Plain talk
I have just finished reading an interesting report on reader behaviour in Germany, a joint project between the Reading Foundation, the German Book Trade, the Federal Ministry of Science, Der Spiegel and others. The number of institutions involved reflects the depth of interest in what people read and -- for that matter -- do not read.
The investigation produced some interesting facts: the reader of popular fiction is typically female, uninterested in computers, over 50 and often unmarried.
A question the investigators tried to answer was: why do people read? Some read in search of further education; these are typically male, under 30 and are usually adept with computers. Others simply seek information. Their age range is between 40 and 60. Fantasy worlds are more likely to attract youngsters between 14 and 19, while self-help books are mainly the domain of women. What I found particularly interesting was that television actually encourages reading, especially of books which form the bases of TV programmes.
The report then goes on to discuss what it terms "selective reading" -- a habit observed in all age groups. Some readers zapp through books while listening to music or even -- though this I find difficulty -- watching television. Skimming is becoming more prevalent than concentrated reading, and the habit of skipping ahead to he final outcome is spreading.
Some of the report's findings are, in its own words, "both alarming and welcome." The number of people who take up a book daily has declined from 16 per cent in 1992 to 6 per cent, while the number of non- readers has risen from 20 per cent to 28 per cent. Family influence on reading habits is crucial. Most readers come from families for which reading is a common pastime. The worst prospects face people from homes where books were of no importance.
Another issue investigated by the report was the time given to reading by different categories of readers. The decline in reading is not due to lack of time. Free time on work days has increased from four hours and 20 minutes to four hours and 40 minutes. On Sundays the average German has over eight hours of free time.
Researchers have discovered that reading habits have changed, as a result of computers, the Internet and television. Around 96 per cent of people in Germany have access to cable or satellite TV; the book now has to compete with other media.
The report discloses that only seven per cent of readers complete a book from cover to cover. What seems paradoxical is the fact that more books are actually read today than in 1992. This means that people who like reading have increased their consumption of books.
One unfortunate fact emerges. Today's reading is more superficial than in the past. Many tend to put a book aside after reading a few pages. Over 60 per cent are of the opinion that a book must be exciting, enthralling and fascinating to be worth reading, 47 per cent want reading to help them forget their everyday lives, while 45 per cent demand books be realistic and rich in facts. Forty-five per cent expect something thought- provoking and 44 per cent want to profit from their reading. People read for entertainment, information and education.
These statistics show that reading is more widespread than buying books. This is due to the existence of other sources of reading matter.
The report concludes on a cheering note: "Classical education will continue to grow in importance because of -- rather than despite -- the mounting significance of computers, the Internet and other electronic media." They also add that "only people with a good general education are in a position to convert an abundance of information into personal knowledge." And for that the reading of books remains an essential condition.
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