I heard on the radio the other day that the average adult in the US reads for 25 minutes per day. Just 25 minutes. The average time spent watching videos? 5-6 hours, not including TV. So just random videos on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube throughout the day. I have no idea how accurate those numbers are, but they are in line with a general trend I’m seeing.
People are consuming more and more video content. Whether it’s entertainment, information, research or news, you can watch pretty much anything you want. I even use YouTube playlists for music when we have a braai or entertain – it’s just so much easier than picking out music myself. I also see it in my personal blogging (yes, I have a mommy blog, if you didn’t notice) where my Facebook Live sessions and general videos are already more than double my readership after just a couple months of doing video.
Just as I think that reading is dead, I see books from unlikely writers doing so well. Trevor Noah has a best-selling book that you should really read. The more I write about cool books here, the more you guys seem to respond saying you want more.
We chatted about this in the office, and it seems to vary from person to person, as well as genre. Gavin gets all his entertainment in video form but prefers to read about serious things like politics, business, and Liverpool news. Geoff reads 90% of the content that he consumes, saving his video consumption for Netflix and family entertainment. While Alessandro and I are moving more and more towards video content as a source of information and entertainment, using reading as a leisure activity or to read things that are really important or in depth.
If I think about deep dive content, I used to read numerous articles in previous years, but now I’ll watch something like John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight instead. I do still read deep and meaningful articles, but just not as many as I used to, and not on the same topics that I used to.
Just as when TV rose to prominence, there are many who claim that this is the end of reading as we know it. Newspapers are dying, content is changing and people get a ton of their news from headlines on social media. So is reading dying, or is this just the usual shift in leisure patterns that will eventually even out? How much do you read on a given day compared to your video consumption?
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Critical Hit as an organisation.
Last Updated: July 21, 2017
Admiral Chief
July 21, 2017 at 10:48
Another week, another non-gaming FFD
RinceThis
July 21, 2017 at 10:56
http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/542/748/0bf.gif
Admiral Chief
July 21, 2017 at 11:01
Sad, but true
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:26
Ah, yes, but is it critical? or a hit?
Admiral Chief
July 21, 2017 at 11:31
It is becoming critical
Chuckles von Clausewitz III
July 21, 2017 at 14:28
Critically in need of a gaming FFD?
Admiral Chief
July 21, 2017 at 10:49
I read things online or electronically, haven’t touched a book in quite some time
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 10:56
During the week I watch between 1-2 hours of moving pictures per day, probably closer to 2-3 hours of combined reading throughout the day. I prefer to get news/information from words, not pictures, but entertainment can be either. Also enjoy reading before bed so I can switch off from screens and get my mind ready for sleepy time.
RinceThis
July 21, 2017 at 10:57
It’s a balance I think. I read for pleasure and usually watch someone like Noah for current affairs.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:16
Reading dead? Fuck no!
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 11:34
Of course not. How do you turn the page?
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:35
I neglected to add the comma in. Well spotted.
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:37
Don’t fix it. It’s done. It’s over. Move on and let others learn from your mistakes.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:39
No change has been done. It’s funnier now, when I look back.
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:25
Well, this week, starting Sunday I started a two book series, reading on my phone. I am now half through book 2, say 500 pages per book.
I find I can read books while getting restless and or sick toddler to sleep for example, or to just calm down enough to take her bed.
Also, when family is asleep, I may watch some tv, play some games and then, when I have enough I read. Say 30 min to 60 at night. Also, it should be noted, I read, with retention, pretty quickly.
I think that both reading and watching video type content remain relevant and important. I have a wide general knowledge, some learnt from documentaries, some learnt from books. I tend to remember far more if I read something: not sure if that is a general thing or just me.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:33
A TWO book series? Did the author get lazy and decide to do as little as possible?
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:35
Hunters of Dune and Sandworms of Dune, viewed by me as a two book series, cause was not written by Frank Herbert, even thought to starts off where Chapter House Dune ended off.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:36
Ah okay, so not really just a two book series, more of a continuation of an existing series.
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:37
No, no, a two book series, following on from a 6 book series.
BUT they all have Miles Teg, an awesome character.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:38
But it’s set in an already established world/universe. That’s what I’m referring to. So while the story is resolved in those two books, the author doesn’t need to do that much world building, which can add a lot when writing.
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:41
I have, truly, not had my meds today, so, I feel, I am allowed to be difficult. Dammit.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 11:43
Am I suppose to read that in a William Shatner voice?
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:44
I nearly shatnered myself when I read it.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:44
So…many…misplaced…commas… AAAARGH!
Don’t mind me, I’m in full on editing mode at the moment. Just finished the first draft of my latest novel, so now the really horrible, kak, painful, mind-numbing work begins.
Luckily my co-writer is an English teacher. And since I did 95% of the actual writing, it’s his turn now!
RinceThis
July 21, 2017 at 11:47
I, cannot stress, enough to you, how, this, is the first person I thought of, when, reading, what you, just, wrote https://media.giphy.com/media/xriErdU4ezqs8/giphy.gif
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:54
You probably touched yourself in the same way, too.
RinceThis
July 21, 2017 at 11:57
Okay… I assume your novel is a fantasy then?
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:59
Yup, fantasy. No one touches themselves, though.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 11:59
Go you even get 50 shades of ginger?
RinceThis
July 21, 2017 at 12:00
I can try? 0_O
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:36
And, for example, Kevin J Andersons epic Sci-fi series is BRILLIANT,, but at 7 800 odd page books, got too long, too involved.
Yes, yes I know I have read it twice…
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:34
Lazy Gamer… Keeping people reading since 20XX
Admiral Chief
July 21, 2017 at 11:45
*19xx
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:48
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/24c08e8f25bf8d0907779efbabd308f733eb61586ed812423819a58fda387e7c.gif
Admiral Chief
July 21, 2017 at 12:09
18xx in Geoff’s case
Chuckles von Clausewitz III
July 21, 2017 at 14:29
16xx in Gavin’s case!
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:36
Does anime with subtitles count as both?
Ottokie
July 21, 2017 at 11:37
With the amount of anime I watch, it probably equates to a couple hundred books
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 11:40
Now that I think about it, the amount of inane anime schoolgirl giggling you’ve been exposed to and had to endure explains a lot about you.
Ottokie
July 21, 2017 at 11:41
tee hee
RinceThis
July 21, 2017 at 11:42
lol
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:38
Yeah, I think so.
Ottokie
July 21, 2017 at 11:40
Stats showing at 9,635 episodes now, averaging about 22-25 min per episode. That’s a lot of reading.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/771767cc30fecdfe8b967d0b3ec153fc86d52e06302ba42f3ebf5d0686298ab9.png
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:40
A semi serious question:
In terms of learning things, new skills or just something like, say, the 100 years war, do you learn better from reading or from seeing a good documentary on the subject?
Follow up: learning from which medium do you find you remember more detail of in, say, six months time?
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 11:42
I retain more from seeing & hearing.
miaau
July 21, 2017 at 11:44
So, for example, watching a youtube video on how tow write a business letter will be more valuable to you then reading how to do it from your old matric English textbook?
Interesting. I find video learning so sloooooow and boring.
Skills like Project Management, which can get quite involved and technical, I found that I first learnt about it from books, then the odd video explaining something made far more sense.
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:46
Yes but there is often a difference between understanding and retaining information.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:47
I reckon that understanding something is much more valuable.
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:52
Of course. I wasn’t saying it’s either/or though.
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:54
Sorry, should have elaborated.
I, personally, always find that I’d much rather understand something that just retain it. If I understand it and don’t retain it, I can always think it through and figure it out again.
So even if I study something, I don’t focus as much on the retention. I hate learning things parrot fashion.
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:56
“King George V (Great Britain), Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany) and Tsar Nicholas II (Russia) were cousins, and grandchildren of Queen Victoria.”
Do you retain this or do you understand it? What is to be understood?
Original Heretic
July 21, 2017 at 11:58
I understand that European royalty had a lot of inbreeding.
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:58
😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 21, 2017 at 11:48
It depends on the subject. Maybe not video so much as having someone stand there and explain it in person. While I was studying I always found my retention was much better when I had a lecture on the subject combined with reading, than reading alone.
Magoo
July 21, 2017 at 11:42
It probably depends on the source material and the pacing.
Chuckles von Clausewitz III
July 21, 2017 at 14:18
You tend to retain better from reading – given that watching a video is a very passive activity. It’s one of the drawbacks of learning from a video.
Andre116
July 21, 2017 at 13:18
Reading for entertainment is dead to my. I found a nice compromise though in audio books. Time spent on the road is a lot more entertaining though now that I don’t have to listen to the same old tired DJ’s re-playing the same songs over and over again.
GooseZA
July 21, 2017 at 14:21
I still read a bit but I’m with you on the radio thing. I just listen to podcasts when I’m driving.
Chuckles von Clausewitz III
July 21, 2017 at 14:07
I don’t trust people who don’t read….
Matthew Figueira
July 21, 2017 at 14:57
Y’all better keep reading. I’m going to be a best selling author one day, and that whole dream kinda hangs on this 😛