Over the past decade we have faced a quagmire in regard to bibliography. This very predicament faced by us is not merely due to a single cause but amalgam of certain discrepancies. Today in this world of technology as novel discoveries have been made, life on the other hand has become surprisingly swift. One can access the globe on a single click. People have become “gadget oriented”. Amidst all this, bibliography is somehow cornered, so it is felt necessary to throw light on the factors which have been adding up to the misery of the story.
The Human of 21st century without any doubt has become dependent on technology more than ever and it won’t be abysmal to say that it has however made him/her indolent. Albert Einstein once said:-
“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction and the world will have a generation of idiots”
Seeking knowledge through book reading has drastically fallen due to technology as high speed internet is almost in the reach of every individual. Websites like google and Wikipedia provide us with necessary amount of information.
Secondly it would not be bogus to compare social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Tinder, Whatsapp with a “swamp” as you get into them it is arduous to get out of them.These websites simply waste one’s precious time in return of mere faux emotions and relationships. In the past people used to spend time on reading books and making their time full of worth but these social media networking sites have taken their place and the young generation especially wastes hours and hours doing futile activities on them.
Next comes the fact that books published now a days are a bit costly as on the other hand similar books are available in soft copies on the internet. People find it cringe-worthy to go to bookshops and buy novels and stories. Some people also find it difficult to pick a book of their taste as a result they leave it unread after going through some pages.
Writers of this modern age have also changed their approach from being proficient to amateurs. Their thinking has shifted from realistic to fictional. I could name a few writers which have still a professional approach which was the basic impulse of writers in the past such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Roald Dahl and many more.
Despite of all this we can’t deny at any moment the importance of bibliography, as Margret Fuller said :-
“Today a reader tomorrow a leader”
Mostly if not all great personalities who have walked on the face of earth were bibliophiles.
Books bless us with numerous information regarding facts, cultural histories, traditions, events happening in the past. Books are like friends which never leave you alone no matter what your capacity is.
So where does our responsibility lie? It is to promote bibliography and that how much we to strive for its revival. Our schools and colleges should play a healthy role by making it a part of their curriculum. Students should be encouraged more to read books by holding seminars and events highlighting the importance of bibliography. Our government should also, on its part, play a role by setting up book stalls giving away books on discounted prices.
Last but not the least, reviving bibliography is only possible if we take solid steps with shear determination and dedication for its uplift.
Muhammad Osama Ansari
4th Year
Q-45
