When fiction becomes a distraction and not a companion
Simran Kour
In a world where reading is still celebrated as a noble habit, a quiet crisis is unfolding beneath the surface – especially among today’s youth. Books are still bought, pages are still turned, and characters are still cherished, yet the purpose of reading has silently shifted. What once built thinkers, reformers, and visionaries has too often been reduced to an emotional refuge – an escape from reality, rather than a preparation for it.
History reminds us that reading was never just a pastime; it was a weapon, a teacher, and a torch. Marcus Aurelius once said, “The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.” What we read is what we become. Swami Vivekananda urged the youth to “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.” Books were meant to stir that spirit, to sharpen minds and awaken nations. They were companions to struggle, not distractions from it.
Yet today, the literary diet of many young readers is dominated by stories that soothe the heart but starve the mind. Fiction, when purposeful, has immense value – it builds imagination, empathy, and creativity. But when consumed in excess and without depth, it risks creating generations lost in illusions of love, heartbreak, and fantasy, while the real world demands clarity, resilience, and responsibility. As the Roman philosopher Seneca warned, “It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste much of it.” The danger is not fiction itself, but its misuse: not to explore, but to escape; not to grow, but to retreat.
Everyday, we see news of martyrdom – soldiers laying down their lives in Pahalgam, Kupwara, Rajouri, and beyond, even after operations like Sindoor. Their sacrifice is a reminder that reality cannot be wished away in the folds of fantasy. The Mahabharata reminds us: “Duty is heavier than a mountain; death is lighter than a feather.” If the youth of a nation spend their best years lost in dream-worlds while their protectors bleed at the borders, what future are we preparing for?
Books on history, philosophy, science, and national strategy do not merely inform – they ignite. They awaken duty, cultivate strength, and connect us with the deeper journey of Bharat Mata. They remind us of the cost of freedom, the burden of responsibility, and the call to contribute. As A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said, “Dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep.” Reading with purpose plants those dreams firmly in the soil of reality.
Today, more than ever, we need youth who are grounded dreamers: capable of imagining futures but equally capable of understanding realities. We need readers who know their nation’s story, who respect the sweat and blood behind its survival, and who can translate knowledge into service. To paraphrase Chanakya: “Education is your best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.” Reading only to feel deeply may leave us fragile; reading to think deeply makes us unbreakable.
This is not a call to abandon fiction, but to restore balance. To remind ourselves that reading is not only about escaping life, but about equipping ourselves to live it with purpose. If we continue to drift towards shallow comfort, we risk producing dreamers who cannot act, and leaders who cannot lead.
To those who read with discipline and intent – do not feel out of place. You are not boring; you are building. You are not behind; you are ahead. You are not just turning pages; you are shaping Bharat’s tomorrow. And when the time comes for this nation to seek visionaries, it will not turn to those who drowned in fantasies of heartbreak. It will turn to those who read with fire in their eyes and a map of India in their heart.
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