Is reading books a form of escapism?

 Books are the closest thing we have to time travel. Books are an escape and portal to temporary freedom from real life. With a book in front of us we can allow ourself to just ignore the world around us for a moment, or for hours or for an entire day.

 

 

What is escapism?

Escapism is an escape from the realities of life, the humdrum of decisions and bills and routines and reality. It is a coping strategy that implies the tendency to evade the real world looking for the desired security and tranquility in a fantasy world. It usually implies an uprooting from reality to find refuge in a fictional universe.

We all are escapist of some sort; from time to time we feel the need to disconnect from reality to ensure we refresh and restart. The function of escapist strategies is to allow us to better deal with a world that is too overwhelming and a world that seems impossible to manage.

Reading books as an escape from reality:

Reading books allows you the freedom to remove yourself from wherever you currently are. To remove yourself from wherever the world currently is. It helps you reflect, be involved in things you wouldn't otherwise be involved in, and gain new insights.

Story-driven, fiction books put our minds at ease. They allow us to wander, to think about reality in a new light, and to escape from society in whatever way we see fit.

Reading takes you to places you could only imagine. When we read books, the stories in them transport us from the world we are in to the world within the pages of the book. Books, sometimes in addition to taking us to the worlds within them, carry us deeper into our own lives. 

"There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place"- J.K. Rowling

When we read any novel/book; we imagine characters, places and incidents as if we are witnessing each moment in real life. Reading takes us to places we have never been before by using our imagination. Being in a world surrounded by devices that spurt notifications every second, it's hard to look away . Sometimes it feels like we need a break from the screen. Reading can provide that form of escape, and the best thing about it is that there is no screen and no time for distraction. The only aspect that gets put to work is our imagination.

You might have come across the following quote by Goerge R.R. Martin: "I have lived a thousand lives and I've loved a thousand loves. I've walked on distant worlds and seen end of time. Because I read."

When we read a book, we're opening ourself up to emotions and thoughts we wouldn't feel otherwise. We are making ourself vulnerable to learn and grow as a person and reading can help us find who we are. It helps us relax and focus on one thing at a time.

Even though it can be incredibly rewarding, escapism often has a negative connotation. Although reading will bring us to another world and will help us escape our reality, but as soon as the book ends, our reality begins again and we need to face it. No matter how far we go with books or any other form of escape, we will always need to return to our life. It is alright to escape as we gather courage but often escaping will not help us win, facing our reality and fighting will.