There has been some discourse moving around most of social media on whether or not reading, in and of itself, is political. Let’s put that theory to bed. It is. If books and reading weren’t political, then there wouldn’t be so many books banned from your school or local library.
I get what people are trying to say, that reading is their escape. I get it, I do. The world is scary right now. Being chest deep in what is happening around us at all times isn’t good for our mental health. There are times that I am so overwhelmed by it all that I have to get away from it, just for a little while. In comes entertainment in it’s many forms. Television, movies, books. But, you are missing a few things here.
Some books truly are meant to be purely for entertainment. But, even those books end up making you think. Books of all kinds expose you to other mindsets, ideas, people, cultures, and more. They fire you up for the causes the main character fights for. They take on themes of injustice, pulling on your heart strings and engaging your empathy. They allow you to put yourself into someone else’s shoes, just for a little while, and the hope that if the main character can get through whatever trial they are facing, then maybe you can too. They help you see the world through someone else’s eyes, a skill that is lacking in many people nowadays.
We learn so much about the characters from our books that, at times, we know them better than we know ourselves. Now, here comes the disconnect. Are you taking in those lessons or turning a blind eye to them?
Being part of a marginalized community, my entire existence is political. Just being me, loving who I love, and raising a family with her, is inherently political. I understand needing a safe space, a space to take a break from it all for a while. But, consistently burying your head in the sand or sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting ‘la, la, la’ doesn’t make it all go away.
If you don’t mess with politics, then you are someone that politics don’t mess with. Widen your circle and take in some new viewpoints, either from books or from people around you.
