The Reader's Creed
The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read. —Mark Twain
Myths and creeds are heroic struggles to comprehend the truth in the world. —Ansel Adams
Above: Read old books for new ideas.
If knowledge is a river, books serve as its wellspring: they nourish, quench, and provide refuge.
Time spent at this oasis allows ideas to take root and insights to sprout. More, mighty things often come in tiny packages like an acorn or mustard seed. Compounding works in mysterious ways: gradually, then all at once.
As with nature, so too wisdom.
Great readers become good writers.
Good writers become clear thinkers.
Clear thinkers become movers and shakers.
Movers and shakers wield real power.
However, as is said, power tends to corrupt.
If knowledge is power, books are knowledge’s conduit, and power tends to corrupt, books ought to be handled carefully.
After all, they are indispensable in the war on ignorance—robust defensive ramparts holding fast in an increasingly offensive, hostile world.
Put simply, reading shelters us from society’s rancor. Henry Oliver said it well in his recent “Here's a simple solution to the pessimism culture. Read a book.”
I want to suggest that many people will feel better if they move away from ideological politics, turn off the television, put down their phone, and read a good book. If you want to break the doom loop, take the Jane Austen cure.
According to the Pew Centre, back in the 1970s, when news coverage wasn’t so pessimistic, only 8% of Americans reported not having read a book in the last year. That figure now stands at 23%. A new survey from the Reading Agency shows that only 50% of UK adults are regular readers. 35% are “lapsed”. And 15% have never been regular readers. In 2015, 58% of adults were regular readers. And only 8% of adults were non-readers back then. The figures for the 16-24 bracket suggest these figures will continue to decline.
Many reasons are given for this decline: distraction of social media, lack of ability to focus, and feeling bored or uninterested by the reading material. Those who did read reported better mental health, improved sleep and concentration, and better understanding of other people’s feelings. Readers have better life satisfaction.
The reason, I think, is that reading is a solitary activity. Reading requires us to leave the world of arguments, ideologies, news coverage, and TikTok feeds and to exist inside our imaginations for a while. Many solutions are sought to the wide-spread mood of dissatisfaction, not least the prevalence of therapy. But this keeps us focussed on what is making us miserable: our own lives, our own problems, the people around us.
There was a time not so long ago when reading was sacred and books were treated with respect. We must win the Battle for Attention in order to return to this reverential attitude.
Every battle needs soldiers and every soldier needs a rifle.
What the rifle is the infantryman, the book is to the reader: part and parcel.
And so, inspired by the Rifleman’s Creed, I present the Reader’s Creed:
This is my book. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My book is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my mind.
My book, without me, is useless. Without my book, I am useless. I must read my book regularly. I must read faster than ignorance can creep. I must defeat ignorance before it defeats me.
My book and myself know that what counts in this world is not the words I read, the pages I turn, nor the details I retain. We know that it is the comprehension that counts.
My book is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its themes, its lessons, its chapters, and its pages. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my book clean and ready. We will become part of each other.
Before God, I swear this creed. My book and myself are the defenders of my knowledge. We are the seekers of truth. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until enlightenment is mine and there is no ignorance, but wisdom!
I leave you with the running, often-updated tab of books that have changed my life for the better.
I hope they do yours as well.