Why is there not a community for literature?

Zombieguy1987

K_Michael said:

Because the average user of the Internet never reads outside of education or cares about what they read.

Evidence please...

K_Michael

I don't really have evidence  I just wanted to rant about the lack of a literature space.

Oppolzer

There’s no doubt that children, in particular, are being introduced to technology at an early age. Forms of entertainment online have transcended reading a physical book dramatically, particularly to a point where I now question society. Studies have shown that the average American spent 9.4 hours on technology a week in 2000, which has now risen to around 24 hours a week. Regarding reading, the average American spent 21.6 minutes reading daily in 2003. In 2017, the average American consumed 16.8 minutes reading daily.

https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/610045/the-average-american-spends-24-hours-a-week-online/

https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/americans-read-average-168-minutes-day

The benefits of reading are copious:

Improves Concentration: When you read more, and for longer durations, your concentration will begin to enhance and develop. You will find that your focus on a specific subject will strengthen, and your need for distraction will also subside. 

Improves Writing Skills: I can personally attest that reading will develop one’s writing skills. By reading different authors, genres, formats of books, etc., you can subjectively pick out the good from the bad, and you will develop preferences. For example, if you have a favorite author, you will usually mimic that author’s writing style subconsciously.

Improves Vocabulary: This may be an evident one, but with an extensive vocabulary, you can accurately express and articulate your thoughts. A substantial vocabulary has a beneficial effect on your writing as well.

Improves Analytical Skills: Reading makes you form connections with your brain that have to do with curiosity. When you begin to question more and more, it will stimulate your mind to think in different ways.

Reduces Stress: Reading relaxes your body and calms you down. Also, it can only take 6 minutes of reading to reduce stress levels by 68%, according to a study from the University of Sussex.

Although, I think reading is all about enjoying it. Even though those who are coerced to read are still reading, you don’t experience the benefits if your dopamine level is low. The new information will figuratively go in and out of your head. It would almost be the equivalent of you not reading at all since the brain didn’t release dopamine chemicals to experience the advantages of reading. Therefore, when the reader genuinely enjoys what they’re reading, the brain releases dopamine chemicals which attribute to the cognitive benefits of reading. We remember the words we read caused by the dopamine present in the brain.

MayCaesar

Literature may fall under other categories, such as: Art And Design, General, Products; depending on the thematic, also Economy, Science, Philosophy, etc.

In my experience, the majority of people do read some books every now and then, but few read a lot. When I was a kid, I would read easily for 4-5 hours every day - and you barely meet anyone nowadays with such dedication, let alone kids.

There is no way around it: the life is becoming too fast to be able to fit long large books into one's schedule. Among my other hobbies, as well as job hours and the extra hours I spent every day improving my professional skills, I am lucky if I can read 3-4 books in a year.

Recently, however, I have been making a good progress with the Spice and Wolf series. Those books are incredibly well written, the characters are amazing, and the author has a very firm grasp on the medieval economics, societies, religions and folklore. Each book takes maybe 10 hours to read at a leisurous pace, or 4-5 hours if you are really committed to finishing it fast. I highly recommend these books to those who have very little time left for books after everything else, yet feel like immersing themselves in a fictional world through easy-to-read, yet pretty deep and very well written, books.

piloteer

@K_Michael

Good point, there should be a literature community here! I did a debate on which Khafka book I should read first. It was the trial, but it should have been the metamorphosis. I'd also like to point out that there's not a music community here as well. 

K_Michael

@piloteer
True! we should have a music community!