Is Reading Overrated? Does It Matter If Kids Refuse To Read? Does Society Lose Anything If Less People Enjoy Reading? Did Americans Ever Like Reading In The First Place? Is Reading A Pretentious Act?

The Best Paragraph I've Read: Our bedtimes were filled with stories: “Guess How Much I Love You.” “The Day the Crayons Quit.” “Ramona Quimby, Age 8.” “Madeline.” Now she is 11 and more interested in TikTok than in 12 little girls in two straight lines who lived in a house that was covered in vines. And while she certainly can read, she really doesn’t like to. As someone who comes from a family of educators and writers, this is painful for me. To my regret, reading has become one of our most reliable points of friction. (The other two: sugar consumption and screen time.) “Just read for 20 minutes a day,” I plead. “I don’t want to,” she replies. “You have to,” I say. “Or what?” she asks. What I want to say: “Or you will never make it in school! You will never go to college! You will work a minimum-wage job your whole life!” What I actually say: “Or I will take your iPad away.” “Well, then,” she replies, “how about if I read on my iPad?” Touché. This exchange comes from an editorial in the Los Angeles Times.  The editorial is titled: "Does it really matter if our kids refuse to pick up a book?"  The author is Robin Abcarian.  You can read the full editorial here: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-01-02/kids-who-will-not-read   Zac and Don talk about whether it is important for kids to read.  They reflect upon the reading habits of their children.  They also reflect on how technology has changed their own reading habits.  They wonder if maybe reading for pleasure is overrated?  Or is it just nice to hear someone else say reading is overrated?