Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the appeal of audio books. They make for perfect background noise when you can't find a suitable TV show or the right music to fit your mood. They also are far more practical. Many times I have fallen victim to carrying an actual book in my bag, the crushing weight of it giving me irreversible back pain I'm sure, only to never read it when out and about.
However, nothing - and I cannot stress this enough - nothing will ever beat reading a physical book. The feeling of a whole movie playing out in your head while you skim over the words of your favourite authors. Travelling between imaginary universes without ever having to leave the comfort of your own bedroom. Finding yourself in different characters and living vicariously through their stories. You're telling me you get all that from listening to someone else read out a book to you?
"We know literacy rates are falling. We know that our attention spans are becoming non-existent."
As everything sacred in this world begins to get more and more digitalised, I think physical media could reach a level of lethal power. We know literacy rates are falling. We know that our attention spans are becoming non-existent. We know that the advent of artificial intelligence is slowly turning us into vegetables. And this is why reading is so utterly important.
"You'll quickly realise that humans have felt the same emotions, shared the same thoughts, and repeated the same histories for centuries."
I used to get made fun of for how much I loved reading, which when I look back at now, is baffling to me. There's a stereotype that those who are bookish are boring. That they never go out and live their lives. But reading gives you the ability to live the lives of so many different people. Inevitably, you grow more empathetic. You're more sensitive to the secret burdens people might be carrying, because who knows what goes on behind closed doors? You grow to be smarter. Not because of how much you read, but because of what you read. You'll quickly realise that humans have felt the same emotions, shared the same thoughts, and repeated the same histories for centuries. Not to mention how superior you feel when you can actually say "I read somewhere that...", instead of having to admit you get all your information output from TikTok.
So while audio books will never appeal to me, I still admire those who consume them. They make reading more accessible and there really is no evil in that. Just make sure to keep reading. If you're feeling particularly crazy, you could even support your local library.
I fully agree, there is nothing better than to curl up in your most comfortable chair with the latest book by your favourite author and let your imagination go wild.