C.S. Lewis on Why We Read

"Those of us who have been true readers all our life seldom fully realize the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors. We realize it best when we talk with an unliterary friend. He may be full of goodness and good sense but he inhabits a tiny world. In it, we should be suffocated. The man who is contented to be only himself, and therefore less a self, is in prison. My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through those of others. Reality, even seen through the eyes of many, is not enough."

Today, I love reading books, however, unlike C.S. Lewis, I did not grow up as a reader. Today I still would not classify myself as a "reader." C.S. Lewis confesses that a large reason why he reads is to gain a sort of new set of eyes to view the world with. This line resonated with me, but I cannot say that it was due to the books I have read. The idea that I might live my entire life with only my own set of eyes or live inside a "tiny world" terrifies me. However, I believe that reading is only one of many ways to widen your perspective. I like to draw comparisons about the world of books and the world of internet videos. To me, it seems that reading works of many authors is similar to watching the videos from a variety of channels on youtube. Each author and Youtuber has many stories to tell, and the quality of the creator's substance varies. There are Youtubers who create in order to entertain,  share news, document their daily lives, make political statements, teach, brag, inspire, make money, and a myriad of other reasons. There is not one type of person who creates Youtube videos. All walks of life from many different countries and demographics like to create and share their ideas via internet videos. Although the activity does not seem as intellectual as reading, both activities give its audience the benefit of enriching their lives through gaining perspective. Reading is a wonderful way to become a better, more informed person, however, it is not the only way.