The Norton Anthology of Harry Potter

Due to some public handwringing over Harry Potter by some literary mavens, there’s been some discussion at various blogs about the so-called “death” of reading in our culture.  The response started with Matt Yglesias, moved over to Atrios, and then Amanda jumped in. 

I think Amanda makes the most important point. 

Basically, if you want people to read more, start pushing for the labor liberal agenda of more economic equality. Otherwise, people simply will be worrying too much and working too hard to take time to read intricate novels.

Reading literature is a leisure activity, which is not to say that it isn’t important.  Only in this country would leisure be associated with frivolity.  For those of us who do have jobs, we simply do not have time for the most important things in life, which in my opinion includes having time to read. 

And it’s not just reading we don’t have time for.  I was a teacher in an inner city school for a bit and one thing I realized is that people simply do not have time for many things anymore.  Parental involvement is the surest indicator of student success at school.  And in my experience many parents wanted to be more involved with their kids’ education.  They didn’t have the time for it. 

When you’ve got an economy that requires a dual income from most families just to keep up with mortgage payments, afford rising health care costs, pay for school, and otherwise make ends meet, reading is a luxury most families don’t have time for. 

I’m all for literature that exercises and nourishes the mind.  But the practical reality is that nowadays, we read, watch tv, and go see movies to escape our lives, not enrich them. 

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