Does Reading Make A Perfect Person? [Clearing A Cloud Of Confusion ]

 By Rehan Fernando

Preamble

The proverb “reading makes a perfect person” is an illusion. This is a controversial topic though it appears to be quite simple in its meaning. In my humble opinion, I would never accept that reading leads to making people perfect. Then, this whole world is a fine planet for all living beings to live peacefully. However, this argument just cannot be stopped here. We need to move forward with effective and constructive ideas to discuss further. 

Are you a “street-reader”?

This term street-reader will be quite new to the audience I guess. What I mean or the way I define is that some people used to read sitting in a restaurant or quiet place, coffee shops, café, and so on. There is nothing wrong with it. However, some others used to read habitually while walking or being on a corner of the street. These types of reading practices would only give us satisfaction. Thus, such a reading habit does give us information or collect data, maybe for a professional job or satisfy us as a hobby. Yet it does not lead us toward the radical praxis of becoming thinkers. A person can be a voracious reader, but is he or she a great thinker? There, a question remains unanswered. 

Reading is a very sophisticated thing. I’ve seen many people read so haphazardly and there is no specific area to read or an interesting subject. Some others are very selective in their reading because they prefer selective areas or subjects. A question would still appear. Should we read whatever we come across in magazines, papers, books, pamphlets, leaflets, and so on? It is quite difficult to answer in general but I would say “No.” 

The proper discussion begins now

Reading is a conscientization. It cannot be just a habit. Reading never makes anybody perfect. It is the praxis of reflection in our reading that makes us perfect. Since we are gifted with a critical and analytical mindset, we must or can reflect. This reflection does not come or emerge through long hours of reading in a café restaurant street or library, it comes from a critical and analytical mind. It also demands a radical praxis of “thought pattern.” If such a process doesn’t work for us, we become mere statues. It also leads us to distort humanity. Have we not met voracious readers who have killed the public? For instance, a criminal-political leader like Ranil Wickremesinghe (current president of Sri Lanka) is one good example of my argument.  

In one of my surveys about this topic, I could get two important views which I would prefer to mention. These two guys openly came up with their attitudes.

Only Reading books won’t do much …Know a few people who boast about their personal library while spoiling the lives around them – Sudam Dalpadatho.

It does to some extent. At the end of the day, it depends on the person doing the reading and what they are reading. The selection of what to read also depends on the person. Sometimes people can boast about their reading habits, and books they own, but won’t make a conscious effort to replicate what they have learned through reading in their lives. Reading just for the sake of reading won’t get you better results but reading with purpose can make a huge difference to you and others around you – Ravindu N Fernando[2]

Reading+reflection = positive action

Reading should not be a mere ending. Its reflection should lead us toward a positive action in which we contribute to the well-being of our society. It means reading should show selflessness. Otherwise, our reading whether it is personal or communal becomes selfish. I have encountered many students who read personally and got through exams during my teaching career. Most of the students don’t share their knowledge with their colleagues. It shows their selfishness and competitiveness. 

A good reader is a person who voluntarily and willingly shares knowledge, which is a massive social consciousness. Such a reader will never make any personal room for reading and block the space to gain and share knowledge. If such a social consciousness takes place in the community, I suppose it is a tremendous reflection of any reading toward positive action. 

From personal experience to a common forum

I am not a voracious reader, yet I do read a lot. Hence, my reading habit comes as a result of becoming a writer. I published my first poetry book in 2002. It was a small booklet in which I wrote 40 stances about Mary. But I did a  research study about Fr Marceline Jayakody’s poetic language and I was able to follow his poetic language so closely. After the publication, one person who read my book commented saying “I felt like second Marceline Jayakody was born again.” My point here is that my research reading brought me to a climax in publishing a book. So, it was not mere reading, rather, it led me to a reflection plus good action. Well, I don’t think every reader could work in the same manner, but the argument is that a good reading should provide a good reflection and action. 

Much later, as I published my second, third, and fourth poetry books, I began to read for hours. That gave me new pulses to reflect and produce some of my radical ideologies. 

Conclusion

Reading does not make a perfect person. Reading must be accompanied by deep reflection. That is the initial process of making a perfect person. In other words, it is our option that makes us perfect through reading and reflection. Reading without reflection and action is similar to an empty cup. I expect that I was able to clear the cloud of confusion that sometimes exists among us. My argument is not a scientific research of “eureka” but it is an ideological phenomenon for further debate.

[1] Read my article published in Colombo Telegraph on August 3, 2022: https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/voracious-readers-who-killed-the-public-its-wealth/

[2] I did this tiny survey on Facebook as I posted about this article. According to a few comments. I have chosen two essential comments to defend my point to some extent.