• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Login/ Register
  • Editorial Team
  • Get Involved

Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

Exeposé Online
  • Home
  • News
      • Local
      • COVID-19
      • University News
  • Comment
  • Features
      • National
      • Worldwide
      • Politics
      • Interviews
  • Science
      • News
      • Lite Science
      • Common Misconceptions
      • Environment
      • Health
      • Technology
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
      • Fashion and Beauty
      • Features
      • Food
      • Wellbeing
      • Sustainability
  • Music
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Single Reviews
  • Screen
      • Reviews
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Festivals and Awards
  • Arts + Lit
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Reviews
      • Creative Writing
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
  • News
  • Comment
  • Features
  • Science
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • Screen
  • Arts + Lit
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
Home / Arts & Lit

Is Reading a Cultural Addiction?

Bibliophilia. Bibliomania. Obsessive compulsive reading. Book readers anonymous.

Reading is known by most as a relaxing past time; a chance to de-stress and unwind, a chance to rediscover old favourites or enter a new sanctuary of literary escape. But for some people, this is not a choice, it is an impulse. Zadie Smith recently spoke about the practice of reading, not as a lifestyle choice, but as a habit that she cannot live without.

Much like smoking or biting your nails, for some people the pleasure of reading a book does not come only once a year during the summer holidays but is a year-round activity that they cannot live without. I use the pronoun ‘they’ tentatively because I have recently come to a self-realisation that I suffer from this bibliomania. Unlike others who tend to encourage themselves to read more, perhaps a book a week, or a month; I tend to have to limit myself, otherwise my ‘pleasure’ reading will trump my university reading, meaning I would never get any work done.

I tend to have to limit myself, otherwise my ‘pleasure’ reading will trump my university reading

Smith calls herself a pathological reader and I think, although quite an extreme title, I would probably put myself into this category as well. I hasten to add that I am not writing this as a humble brag, or to make anyone feel guilty about not reading, but merely as an insight into the brain of someone who cannot sleep without reading at least a chapter from my latest Waterstones purchase. My bedside table is straining from the mile-high mountain of books that I am currently working through. For me, committing a whole Sunday to working on an essay in the library is a near to impossible feat, whereas sitting on the sofa and ploughing through a book is easy, probably to the detriment of my degree.

In a recent episode of the High Low podcast, host Pandora Sykes recalls how she used reading as an escape when she was younger, delving into the worlds of Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl, and I can relate to this completely. Even now, reading is used by many as an escape, much like we use social media. It is a way of inhabiting other worlds and the lives of other people, sometimes as a way to avoid your own mundane existence. As oppose to scrolling through Instagram, reading is considered a cultural activity, and therefore not ever considered a sanctioned vocation, and although it is, of course, a good thing to encourage, is there ever a time when reading becomes excessive? We champion children who read instead of playing on their iPads or watching television, but could it be the case that reading is also a method of avoiding other important tasks, and causes us to become overly insular?

reading is used by many as an escape, much like we use social media

When I was younger, my sister and I were competitive about reading. We would race through books and see who could read the most, so much so, that on a visit to the opticians a few years ago, he mentioned that a recent study claimed that children who read a lot would develop sight issues much earlier than their less-literary counterparts. To me this makes complete sense, as both my sister and I have worn glasses since a very young age and both of our eye sights have deteriorated as we have grown older. I would never wish that my parents had discouraged reading as the Wormwoods did in Matilda, but perhaps it was to the detriment of other more essential things!

As it goes, I do not believe that reading will ever be or should be considered a serious addiction and I don’t think that I will attend a literary rehab any time soon, but I think that it is something to ponder when you next cancel an appointment to finish the latest Times bestseller.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Mar 19, 2019 By Tori Sharp Filed Under: Arts & Lit Tagged With: Exeter, culture, Social Media, Reading, Addiction, instagram, Arts and Lit

Primary Sidebar

exepose_arts_lit

Arts and literature section of the University of Exeter's student newspaper 🎨📚 artsandlit@exepose.com

Read about the benefit of diary writing in Rhian H Read about the benefit of diary writing in Rhian Hutching’s latest article exploring how diaries have come to embody feminist practice #virginiawoolf #sashaswire #annefrank
We’re getting meta here on the arts+lit Instagra We’re getting meta here on the arts+lit Instagram page..

Check out Sardelli Constanza and Megan Frost’s definitive guide on the art accounts of Instagram!

Find the full guide on the Arts + Lit website.
“Visual art alongside literature has historicall “Visual art alongside literature has historically been used as both a political tool and an emotional outlet...”

Before the US election result is announced on 3rd November, check out what Rhian Hutchings has to say about the role of art in voting.
Imogen Williams shares her autumn short story abou Imogen Williams shares her autumn short story about the beauty of seasonal change.

Read more on Exeposé’s Arts+Lit website.
Max Ingleby delves into the subtle art of the illu Max Ingleby delves into the subtle art of the illustration, and reflects on the impacts they can have on our imaginations as children.

“The illustrated books that most commanded my attention were not those that shied away from the dark, scary aspects of childhood, but those that explored them…”

Read the full article on Exeposé’s Arts+Lit webpage.
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga rises from the g Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga rises from the grave with the latest addition to the series, Midnight Sun.

Paige Insalaco sinks her teeth into this new read, and tells us the secret to the book series’s eternal life...

Read the article on Exeposé’s Arts+Lit webpage.
Tori Sharp briefs us on her top summer reads of 20 Tori Sharp briefs us on her top summer reads of 2020, from neapolitan novels to the best biographies 

https://exepose.com/2020/09/07/what-i-read-this-summer/
The sensational musical, Hamilton, is now availabl The sensational musical, Hamilton, is now available to stream online, featuring its original broadway cast.

Music Editor, Bridie Adams, reviews the hit musical and the experience of viewing it from the comfort of your own home.

Read the full article on Exeposé’s Arts+Lit webpage.
Deputy Editor, Richard Ainslie, reveals his creati Deputy Editor, Richard Ainslie, reveals his creative outlet during lockdown: basket weaving.
⠀
“Bakset weaving is a practice far older than writing, or pottery, or any of our creative endeavours besides finger-painting on cave walls...”
⠀
Read the full article on Exeposé’s Arts+Lit webpage.
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Tweets by Arts + Lit

Contact Us: editors@exepose.com

Since 1987, Exeposé has given a voice to Exeter students. Over the years, the determination and political fervour exhibited by students through Exeposé have helped shape the University we study at today. We have received national recognition for our award-winning campaigns, investigations and surveys, and always strive to provide students with high-quality news, comment and features.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in articles and comments do not reflect the views of Exeposé Online or the University of Exeter Student's Guild.

        


© 2021
Website design: Harry Caton and Ellie Cook
Webdesign & development: Harry Caton