By Ardain Isma
CSMS Magazine
A little tip for the holidays
Ever since CSMS Magazine has been in existence, I never cease to preach on the power of reading. Education has always been one of the key issues we value and promote in this magazine. However, with the coming of digital technology and the quest to secure financial stability, reading has taken a whole new meaning, a more of something one wants to do as part of his bear necessity, rather than as part of an exercise designed to expand his cognitive strength. It is becoming more and more like a race against time. Reading should be an integral part of someone’s life, the quintessential factor from which he can be empowered with knowledge.
Whatever is your professional life, it cannot be centered solely around what brings financial stability. To be able to speak and write with meticulous utterances, one has to have the desire to expand his intellectual wit beyond the sphere of what I call his narrow-centric view of the world. If you think reading is too boring, search for books of interests. For instance, if you like cooking, read about it. It will enrich your knowledge about the subject matter in a strategic way—in an intellectual way.
If you think you can’t do it alone, look for a book club near you, a study group. A good place to look for this interconnection is cyberspace. The social media can indeed be a great place to look for groups of interest. Linkedin is a great medium for your search. Facebook is also a great place. However, before you decide to look for a book club on FB, you have to undergo a “detoxification” process. You need to stop seeing FB as a medium good only to showcase pictures which too often do not reflect the reality.
FB was designed primarily on the premise that a picture speaks louder than a thousand words. While pictures provide gratifying—but temporary—feelings of empowerment, they CAN only offer limited cognition. It’s sad to say, but it’s true. Pictures fade over time, but words live beyond ages. While we still cherish our beautiful pictures, let’s remind ourselves that words are more powerful. So, let’s stick to reading. Remember, those who know always lead and those who don’t simply follow. At least, that’s the conventional wisdom. Be a reader. Read CSMS Magazine.
Dr. Ardain Isma is editor-in-chief of CSMS Magazine. He teaches Cross-Cultural Studies at the University of North Florida (UNF). He is a scholar as well as a novelist. He may be reached at:[email protected]
