To Read or Not to Read

I'm relatively new to the world of blogging, and after participating in Non-Runner Nancy's 9 of the 9th Sweetheart Shuffle event I started checking out the profiles of the other "jogging bloggers". What makes us tick? Are there certain interests (other than running, deh) that we have in common? So I wasted about an hour clicking on "view profile" of the Sweetheart runners.

What I discovered is Jogging Bloggers seem to be active, nature-loving people. God seems to play a major role in their lives too. And I was VERY pleased to see a majority of runners list "reading" or "books" as one of their interests.

The National Endowment for the Arts released a study (To Read or Not To Read), and they discovered that literary readers (defined as individuals who read fiction, poetry and drama)are almost twice as likely as non-readers to exercise! Readers are also more likely to volunteer or do charity work. In other words, good readers (and runners!) make good citizens.

"Regular reading not only boosts the likelihood of an individual's academic and economic success- facts that are not especially suprising - but is also seems to awaken a person's social and civic sense. Reading correlates with almost every measurement of positive personal and social behavior surveyed. It is reassuring, though hardly amazing, that readers attend more concerts and theater than non-readers, but it is suprising that they exercise more and play more sports - no matter what their educational level. The cold statistics confirm something that most readers know but have mostly been reluctant to declare as fact - books change lives for the better."

(I often wonder does running make us smart(see Does Exercise make us smarter and sharper article)? Or do smart people choose to run?)

Unfortunately, the conclusion of the study is a bit bleak - Americans are reading less and less well. And they are calling for ACTION: "

"We issue this report not to dictate any specific remedial policies, but to initiate a serious discussion. It is no longer reasonable to debate whether the problem exists. It is now time to become more committed to solving it or face the consequences. The nation needs to focus more attention and resources on an activity both fundamental and irreplaceable for democracy."
(cue Star Stangled Banner song here!)

So be a good American today - run a mile and read a poem!