The need for literature is becoming incredibly high, and it is much more than the ability to read words on a page. Despite the importance of reading, it is evident that literacy rates are drastically declining across the United States, with a number of students struggling to meet basic reading benchmarks more than usual in recent years. 

While it’s easy to put the blame on COVID-19, chalking it up to a singular source is harmful and inaccurate. Poverty and lack of national funding since the pandemic play a huge role in this sudden drop. Another conflict is shortened attention spans due to social media and an increased use of technology. 

There are an absurd amount of media platforms, whether those be for social purposes or 

entertainment, the number is overwhelming. A major reason why many turn to video games, social media, and film is because it gives them an escape from the real world, and the opportunity to experience. However, this release can be achieved by simply reading a few chapters of a sci-fi novel, or perusing a comic book. Literature immerses a person in diverse, otherworldly affairs, while simultaneously encouraging academic growth and empathy. Social media has been proven to increase anxiety and depression, while reading acts as a sort of antidote. 

Despite this evidence, these low literacy rates are not self-inflicted. The increase in low literacy rates is a problem with society, not the individual. Literature used to be at the center of academics, but as technology continues to advance books are being replaced by quicker and more “efficient” methods of learning. 

Literature is more than just a pastime, it’s a necessity. As the modern world becomes more and more data driven and mathematical, understanding human nature through language and books introduces people, specifically the newer generation of children, to new ideas, perspectives, and stories, which helps assist in growing a more empathetic generation of people. Literature builds the foundations for personal empowerment, empathy and the ability to form new, original ideas.