* The article expresses the author’s opinion.
Recently, the story about Miss Ky Duyen related to books in episode 2 of the Miss Universe Vietnam 2024 contest attracted much attention. In the presentation on the topic of reading, Ky Duyen disappointed when he could only say two sentences and showed hesitation and anxiety.
She admitted that she has never read a book and prefers to gain knowledge through images and sounds. Many people have criticized her for this, saying that for a celebrity with such influence, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyenbeing lazy to read books is unacceptable.
I have always believed that reading does not mean holding a physical book. In this digital age, the way we receive knowledge has changed a lot. Reading traditional books, although it brings an interesting feeling when turning each page, is no longer the only way to receive knowledge and should not be the only way we value.
I love reading, but I also realize that I don’t always have the time or resources to sit down with a physical book. Listening to audiobooks has become an important part of my daily life. I can learn while commuting, doing housework, or even relaxing. Apps like Voiz FM or Fonos help me access knowledge that I might have missed out on before.
E-books are also a great option. With a small device, I can carry thousands of books with me and read them whenever I want. Waka or Kindle are my favorite platforms and I find reading e-books to be just as valuable as reading paper books.
Miss Ky Duyen sitting reading a book.
I also learn through other channels such as podcasts, educational videos, and online courses. Channels like Giang Oi Radio provide a lot of useful information that I can listen to anytime. YouTube is also a treasure trove of knowledge with channels like Tinh te or TEDx Talks Vietnam where I find many new lessons and ideas.
What I want to share is that we should not put too much emphasis on the necessity of reading traditional paper books. What is most important is how we receive and apply knowledge in our lives. Whether through audiobooks, e-books, podcasts or any other medium, the core is that we are still learning, growing and constantly expanding our horizons.
Decades ago, we used to read a lot of books, from Western stories to Vietnamese stories. But now, when everything is available on the Internet and we only need a smart phone to know everything, reading traditional books is no longer as exciting as before.
In Vietnam, the rate of people reading books is also very low, so we should not be too strict with someone who does not spend all his time reading books. Knowledge can come from many different sources.
The fact that Ky Duyen has not finished reading any book may make her presentation less convincing, this is very clear. Reading books plays a very important role but it is not the only way. There are many ways to improve knowledge now, not just limited to reading books.
The advantage of reading is that when we are familiar with books of high intellectual value or classic literature, we will have resistance to nonsense trends or toxic content on social networks. Just like people who are used to eating healthy will not crave fast food.
I don’t worry about other people not reading traditional books. Access to reading has become much more diverse, from phones, e-readers, paper books, to computers… There are also many sources of books and genres. Most people are distracted by work and other hobbies, but I hang around with my Kindle and a few novels. It’s convenient, fun, and economical.
There are books, podcasts, and videos. Podcasts and videos can perform some of the same functions as books, but they are more accessible and easier to use. Of course, books have their own advantages, especially more detailed content and more refined language. Choosing which medium is appropriate depends on each person’s purpose. But the most important thing is to keep the spirit of continuous learning.
By the way, I want to emphasize that many famous people also have the habit of reading books, not just stopping at paper books. For example, Miss Luong Thuy Linh, Doan Thien An, runner-up Thuy Van, Thuy Dung… all love reading books and regularly update their knowledge from many different sources.
In particular, Miss Vietnam 1994 Nguyen Thu Thuy is very famous for her passion for reading. She has a huge book collection, loves the works of Lev Tolstoy, Gia Binh Ao, Murakami, Jean-Jacques Rousseau… and has even interviewed the famous Czech novelist Milan Kundera.
We should recognize that access to knowledge can be very diverse and should not be viewed through a narrow lens.