in the belly of the fish

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Reading is Cool

I am pretty sure, in the coming years, Facebook will add a new Life Event to its Timeline named "Finished a Book." Because that's how much people are reading these days: near zero. Why? Is it because reading isn't cool? Or is it because since you are gonna live only once, you don't want to waste time reading, you want to go jump off a cliff? Or is it because reading isn't adding to your swag?

Well, whatever the reason, and I know there are so many, people aren't reading and it's really upsetting and angering me. Now, what's it to me right? Why should I care if some peasant-minded people just don't want to read, broaden their vocabulary, learn new things, mature, earn common knowledge, and be sophisticated?

Well it affects me, believe me. Here is how:
I spend around 10 hours in school. And I see an average of 130 people per day whom I converse with. Out of these 130 people, only about 10 of them can carry on an intellectual conversation, and out of the 10, only about 3 of them can continue this conversation without getting exhausted, and at the same time enjoy it. 3 out of 130 is approximately 2.31 %. That, if you ask me, is a pretty low percentage. These 3 people and I need to keep our brains active and be challenged all the time. However, if we are only 3 people, and there are no other soul in the huge building to talk to, then of course we nurture each other, and find comfort in each other's company but we can't confront each other because we have only each other.

That, is how this affects me. I need new friends who can make legitimate arguments and oppose my views. I am asking for way too much? Nah, asking for too much would be if I wanted all these people to be good-looking guys. Which I am not, because that would be distracting.

Anyways, the point is to read. Read anything. Fiction, non-fiction, fan-fiction, newspaper, blog, magazine, anything! As long as you are reading, it's fine. Once you start feeling the imponderable joy of reading, you will advance into a group of elite people your age, called the Council of The SuperReaders (#yourbirthyeargoeshere). And then you will start taking pleasure in little things, and lead a pleasant life.

-Lots of dog-eared pages
Belle <3