Write a 400-word argumentative essay giving opinions for and against the following statement: Reading books is a waste

of time.

Reading Is A Waste Of Time

There are more and more people lately that state that reading is no longer a cultural and at the same time relaxing activity. They sustain that with all these advanced forms of technology, reading has become a total waste of peoples precious time. But are they really right, or are they one of the reasons for teenagers, for instance,to become literature philistines? There are some aspects that support the above-mentioned statement. For example, it is true indeed that teenagers, as well as adults, can learn a lot of important facts concerning literature and other subjects only by turning on their TV set or their Personal Computer. What is more, printed books have been partially forgotten because of a new invention: the e-books, which are books or texts everybody can read when sitting in front of a Computer. They were created in order to make it easier for people tired of searching for a book in antique, enormous and far-away libraries. Unfortunately, this improvement seems to have no effect on people who continue reading less and less. Last but not least, reading has also been replaced with other forms of relaxation, enchantment or studying, such as online gaming, Internet Cafeterias and even virtual lives and libraries, and it seems there are more and more people that prefer it like this. But will books lose their entire charm? Some answered negatively. The main disadvantage of quitting reading is that all the revigorating, fullfilling feelings attached to it no longer exist. The Greeks called this form of relaxation catharsis which means purification. When one puts himself into the shoes of a particular character, he begins living along with him or her, feeling the same things, reasoning the same, fearing the same facts. After finishing the last lines, one feels released from something yet unknown that eases their state of mind feeling that cannot be sensed when playing an online game, for instance. It is also important to mention another aspect. Supposingly, everybody remembers the marvelous bed-time stories that built up their childhood. How will the next generations children evolve without being mesmerised by the images portrayed by the fairy-tales, without being able to touch them and, later on, reread them with delightment / delight?? Is a Computer screen more spectacular than turning a page over with never-ending curiosity? Unfortunately, some answered yes. All in all, people must remember that books are written in the purpose of an ethernal life, but a book cannot survive without its readers. It is also important to mention that humanity without reading is formed by nothing more than a bunch of senseless robots building even their own souls out of steel and concrete. However, admitting that there are also other great activities that can be done when having spare time is a step further in our evolution - and reading, under whatever form can be one of them.