Donald Miller of Blue Like Jazz fame makes the argument that reading promotes empathy and drives innovation. I am assuming that this news will not surprise readers of The Way of Improvement Leads Home, but it does not seem to be a concept that large numbers of Americans have grasped. Here is a taste of Miller's post:
Check out the stats:
33% of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42% of college graduates never read another book after college.
80% of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70% of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
57% of new books are not read to completion.
While these statistics are obviously troubling, I don’t think any of us can honestly say we’re that surprised.
But what I’m intrigued by is not the people who neglect to read books, but rather, the ones who continue to do so.
I’ve noticed a unique trend among my friends who’ve thrived in their 20’s and 30’s. These special people have continued to seek out challenging books and ideas, allowing their beliefs and opinions to grow and evolve. They’ve stretched their worldviews by traveling beyond the borders of their hometowns, many of them abroad for substantial periods of time. They took risks, flourished in foreign places, taken jobs outside of their original field of study, and shared late night meals with people different than them.
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