Read or Disappear: Europe’s Crisis of the Written Word

I have been a reader all my life! From hiding under the covers as a lad with a flashlight to reading every night before I turn the lights out, I can't imagine not reading.

From The European Conservative

By Javier Villamor

Reading books has lost its appeal for the younger generations, making it difficult to pass on the cultural values that made the Old Continent great.

On Wednesday, March 26th, think tank MCC Brussels hosted an engaging event titled “The importance of reading: an urgent challenge.” The event, held at the Liszt Institute in the Belgian capital, brought together prestigious academics from France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, who debated how to address the concerning decline in book reading across Europe, particularly among younger generations.

Katalin Deme, Senior Researcher at MCC Brussels, opened the event by highlighting that the current crisis transcends digitization and the COVID-19 pandemic, and defined it as a cultural crisis that profoundly affects the social structure. Deme emphasized the necessity of reclaiming classical literature and safeguarding it against the advance of ’cancel culture,’ a trend she believes impoverishes and limits young people’s critical and moral capacities.

“Today’s censorship seeks to abolish common norms and polarize societies in the name of diversity,” Deme said, underscoring the urgency of promoting open and pluralistic debates about the state of reading culture.

French historian and Paris correspondent for europeanconservative.com Hélène de Lauzun highlighted the moral value of reading, especially for young people. De Lauzun argued that classical literature, though containing elements some might consider immoral, addresses themes of morality appropriately and enrichingly for youth. She strongly criticized the infantilization and simplification of literary content, advocating for works that promote profound, morally balanced thinking.

“If adults don’t read, children are unlikely to do so,” stated the French scholar, underscoring the importance of parents setting an example at home. De Lauzun also added that “the power of images is far more violent to young minds, whereas reading allows for the development of imagination and abstract thought.”

For his part, Tim Black, British columnist and books editor at Spiked magazine, noted a paradox in the United Kingdom today: while literacy levels are high, reading enjoyment has significantly declined, especially among young people. According to Black, this stems from the cultural devaluation of reading, which has been reduced to merely a functional tool for economic progress.

“We are losing the old humanistic idea of reading as a means of self-discovery and personal development,” Black said, noting that cultural elites have undermined the authority and relevance of great literary works, stripping them of their humanistic value and reducing them to mere sources of ideological controversy.

German historian and literary scholar Till Kinzel noted the importance of fostering a reading culture from early childhood through practical methods such as reading aloud. Kinzel stressed that reading enriches vocabulary, stimulates imagination, and aids in developing essential abstract skills for adult life.

“Reading aloud and silently creates a vital space of tranquility, patience, and concentration, essential for children’s intellectual and emotional growth,” the professor emphasized. Kinzel also proposed dedicating “at least 15 minutes daily at the end of the school day to silent reading,” pointing out that this practice could help students relax and enhance their willingness to listen and learn.