It is a pity that this article will reach only a handful of people who have liked the latest outfit of one of popular Instagram influencers. Well… We had pictures instead of words, now we have photos and hashtags instead of pictures. What’s next?
More and more often, reading is not associated with intellect but naiveté. It is easier to give a thumbs up than opt for a longer form of expression, take, for example, an essay, not to mention novels. Following dressed up influencers will do you more good than spending time on a book or a magazine. You will have something to talk about when hanging out with friends, signing it with #friday, #fridaynight, #fridayvibes. Nowadays, even philology students are reluctant to read texts longer than several pages. It might seem they should represent the enthusiasts of the written word. Unfortunately, it is not very common… It is a pity that self-proclaimed influencers are more often invited to breakfast TV shows – and even news shows – than people who actually have something to say. After all, demand drives supply, but if you are reading these words, if you have opened this magazine instead of switching on your smartphone, it means it is not that bad yet. Libraries still exist and are visited by thousands of satisfied readers. The sales of magazines, although coming down year by year, give us hope that some people read more than special offer brochures for the following week. Bookstores are doing fine, and publishing houses can find a real pearl from time to time, which sells in a couple dozen thousand copies.
We still commune with the written word although its competition is greater decade by decade – it is easier to watch a TV show or refresh a channel on the social media. Perhaps there is less room for long forms in the human brain? Perhaps we are so overloaded with information that we can assimilate a limited amount of words – some of us more, some less, and there is nothing wrong with it? I believe in you; I believe in us!
