Mind thought about the post
A famous poet once said something very simple: if someone listens to you carefully, it is not your pride in speaking but their greatness in listening. Today, we feel small because while we are speaking more than ever, listeners are gradually disappearing. We live in a time where everyone has an opinion so firm that there is no room for even a millimetre of doubt; anyone who disagrees with "our truth" is labelled a traitor, a fool, or "sold out." Reading is a solitary act where there are no filters, likes, or applause. Because you cannot lie to yourself while reading, the book becomes a mirror that makes you uncomfortable by revealing your weaknesses, anger, fear, ego, and cruelty. Consequently, we prefer reels and short videos because there we are merely consumers, not responsible humans. Today, everyone is angry—at their parents, careers, or themselves—not just because of environmental pressure but because of the pressure of comparison. We feel like failures if we lack followers, brand-name clothes, or specific jobs. Reading does not calm you; it makes you honest. It teaches you the most vital condition of democracy: the realization that you might be wrong. Democracy is not just about voting; it is about "doubt" and the skepticism that one's own perspective may be incomplete. The internet today is compared to the story of the "milk pond"—where everyone pours water thinking others will provide the milk—because everyone is simply reproducing content instead of observing or investigating for themselves. Reading represents freedom from authority. When you pick up a book, no government monitors you and no algorithm dictates what your next page should be. It is a silent revolution with no flags or slogans, yet its impact is profound. It teaches compassion, leading you to mock others less, speak more gently to the elderly, and listen to children with more patience. Most importantly, reading helps you learn to forgive yourself. The source encourages us to start reading anywhere—whether it is a grandmother's old letter, a two-year-old newspaper, or even a milkman's ledger. Our fundamental problem is not a lack of knowledge but a lack of doubt, and doubt is born from reading. One must read to reduce fear and anger and to remain human, for those who do not read easily become part of the crowd, while those who read may often be alone, but they are the ones who change history.