How to read more books in 2024 and avoid Tsundoku?
Most purchased books are never read — a phenomenon that even has its own term in Japan:
Tsundoku.
Buying books is easy. Actually working through the pages, however, involves effort.
I know this all too well, as I myself have barely touched half the books on my shelves, except to dust them.
Although I am an avid reader, I have often found it difficult to start reading many titles.
The result was that over the years, I bought significantly more books than I read.
This phenomenon weighed on me, as I did not acquire them just for aesthetic reasons, as many people do.
But, why is it so hard for us to actually read books?
In today’s world, distractions are omnipresent, especially through the many entertainment options on our smartphones.
Platforms like Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, and TikTok offer constant dopamine kicks, while reading a book often provides less immediate satisfaction.
The true value of reading reveals itself in the long term, not the short term.
Reading is comparable to visiting the gym:
Here too, those who pursue long-term value and not just short-term gratification…
