THOSE who read too much end up making a mess of their mental health. This is the myth our society has been propagating for years. Usually spoken in jest or whispered as a warning, this statement betrays a deeper societal unease with intellectualism.
In a country whose socio-political landscape is already wrestling against low literacy and an underfunded educational system, such detrimental myths are much more harmful than we can imagine.
It depicts critical thinking as something unnatural, and discourages young people from reading literature beyond their school curriculum. The result of this state of affairsis a nation thatis reluctant to question, reflect or examine concepts critically.
Anti-intellectualism has traditionally thrived in authoritarian and colonial systems, where critical thinking has tendedtobe suppressed.Inruralareas, where oral cultures had previously prevailed, reading alone came to be suspected as too introspective an activity that made people uneasy.
Scientifically speaking, reading enhances cognitive health, emotional intelligence and empathy. It aids in trauma recoveryand promotes mental resilience. These are the very qualities that our society sorely lacks. This myth must be challenged.
Readers are not mad they are vital.
Unfortunately, a nation that continues to discourage thoughtcannothopefor meaningful reforms. Pakistan needs more readers who are bold enough to question, imagine and build a much better future.
