The joy of reading

I WOULD like to thank Tessa Mackenzie for her ringing endorsement about the priceless value of classical literature which seems to have become obsolete in Fiji.

It is heartening and encouraging there still are smart people around who appreciate and cherish the

rich world of the classics.

I had mulled over why such great literary works are being so willfully ignored and had not considered Tessa’s speculation that it may be a way to detach ourselves from the colonial past.

If that is the case, it is an expensive price to pay.

Children, instead of spending their time reading, play video games or text friends, choosing a digital world over a creative one.

If children do not put down their smartphones and read, Fiji’s future generations will crumble into ruin, for the consequences of not reading are dire indeed.

Reading not only promotes healthy imagination and learning, but it also promotes creativity and studiousness.

Without imagination, what good is it to study?

When students go to school without a strong desire to learn and imagine, they become mindless robots, incapable of accomplishing great feats such as those of their forefathers.

So, I am delighted that Tessa Mackenzie and Julie Sutherland are trying to rekindle the joy of reading.

Can they make a difference? Remember what Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; Indeed, It’s the only thing that ever has.”

ARVIND MANI Nadi