Locked In Literacy: Why Reading Isn T Always Good For You

In his article “Locked in literacy: why reading isn’t always good for you,” Leo Robson explains how reading can in fact do more harm than good. He provides detailed descriptions on the side effects, quoting other authors, of how reading causes damage to: the influence of readers and their authors, a person’s mentality, and a person’s time.

The world is full of people who are able to write. However, while there are numerous books, the ability to write what one desires instead of writing what other’s desire has began to dissipate. Authors tend to be more worried about pleasing their audiences that they loose sight of why and what they want to write about. The writer no longer controls the market, but instead the reader does. As such, authors are more tempted to write fiction novels, instead of nonfiction literature. This means that there is too much of fantasy, and not enough of reality. People should be learning of things that pertain to them, things that exist in their own world, things that they can see and touch with their own senses, rather than daydream of a non-existent land and period.

In essence, Robson explains how escaping into fiction isn’t healthy. It prevents one from interacting and engaging with those around them. People become so intertwined with fantasy and imagination that they forget to focus on their own personal lives. This affects their mentality. It causes them to loose focus and interest in what matters most. Consequently, readers begin to develop attachments to nonexistent beings. This causes a declination in social interactions. As people become more focused on what is unreal, they eventually become so distorted that they can’t function in what is real. And reality and fiction blend into one, until the reader is unaware of what is real and what is