The key to power | Teen Ink

The key to power

January 15, 2009
By Jackiepurplerocks GOLD, Houston, Texas
Jackiepurplerocks GOLD, Houston, Texas
13 articles 0 photos 3 comments

“ I hate Reading!” Those are the words that librarians , teachers, parents, and booklovers round the world dread to hear. Many children say they hate to read but do they really? I mean you have to read to survive in this world we called earth. Without being able to read , you wouldn’t be able to read street signs ,restaurant menus, video game dialogues , or even be able to read the numbers and words on a microwave. Even in times before the era of modern technology there was reading. It is the building block of communication. Texting would not even be available if no one knew how to read . I mean how would you read the texts?

Reading has and probably always will be the core source of communication and a key to power in our world. I once had a teacher write to me “ Reading leads to knowledge. Knowledge leads to power” This shows the true importance of reading. When I read this, I had a realization that has proven to be helpful in everyway possible. I realized That it was true. The more you read the more knowledge becomes stuck in your head. With more and more knowledge , you start to become someone who holds power. You are no longer ignorant of the things in life and the things and places and people around you and in the times before and after that of your own time.

I have had friends who have told me that they hate to read but by finding out what they were interested in , I and my other book-loving friends have been able to find books that they have absolutely loved. Books are just like movies some are action others romantic and sappy and many others of many types. The only difference is that a book lasts longer then a movie. When a movie is over that’s it no more. But with a book the scenes keep replaying in your mind and the emotions you felt during the time you read the book stay with you long after you have finished. When reading a horror book late at night under the covers , the movie plays within your own mind and you feel as if you are the one in the book. If you read an action book after “all lights out!” Is called you feel like jumping up and fighting bad guys just like in the book. .As far as I have seen and researched reading is a survival trait that we all need in our everyday lives. I Have found out that the advantage that many people are missing to succeed in about anything in life is that of the ability to read and be come knowledge able . Most of the many facts that I have stored in my mind are from the many books I read.
I have heard people complain that I read too fast but if you read for just 30 mins a day the speed at which you read will increase . All you have to do is practice just like everything in the world. See everything is connected to reading.

Reading leads to knowledge . Knowledge leads to power. This is a statement that has been in life through the decades and no matter how good modern technology gets reading has and always will be the greatest source of communication and the true key to power.


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This article has 12 comments.


on Apr. 28 2014 at 12:44 pm
Well written I totally agree

on Feb. 11 2011 at 10:23 am
Hawthorn BRONZE, Nowheresville, Maine
3 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Know Thy Enemy" Sun Tzu

Knowledge does not LEAD to power knowledge IS power. Just wanted to clear that up.

J. Rae said...
on Aug. 16 2010 at 4:34 pm

Haha, I get told that I read too fast all the time! They say I read too much also. I have been known to get grounded from reading. I don't mind though because I LOVE TO READ!!!

Great work by the way.


on Jan. 22 2010 at 11:00 am
phoenixqueen GOLD, Idaho Falls, Idaho
10 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot live without books."

Wonderful. Reading is a skill that will never go away. Books have been around for far longer than movies and they don't go out of style.

on Nov. 9 2009 at 3:38 pm
EricBlair BRONZE, London, Other
2 articles 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I understand HOW, I do not understand WHY" -George Orwell, 1984

I would like to suggest an inaccuracy: Reading more ideally leads to understanding. Understanding leads to power. Not knowledge. It is very possible to know but not to understand. Cite America.

123098 said...
on Aug. 28 2009 at 7:03 pm
123098, Fabius, New York
0 articles 0 photos 12 comments
Books don't last longer than movies.

on Jul. 31 2009 at 5:03 am
bookworm:) BRONZE, Phoenix, Arizona
4 articles 0 photos 7 comments
Great opinion piece!!! You have a very powerful voice but you just might want to improve on the vocabulary a little so the piece is more attention-grabbing.

criticism said...
on Jul. 30 2009 at 5:54 pm
The insight is fine, the support given is not.



"Without being able to read , you wouldn’t be able to read street signs ..." When people say they hate reading, they don't mean reading street signs or text messages. They mean the writing that is imposed onto them in school (or wherever else) that they are not interested in.



"I once had a teacher write to me “ Reading leads to knowledge. Knowledge leads to power”" Many people read but are unable to draw conclusions or apply what they learn to real life.



To sum up, what I'm saying is this: After you write something, think about it. Read it again and again to see if it actually makes sense. Think for yourself, and don't spew blanket statements you've been fed beforehand.

on Jun. 16 2009 at 7:37 pm
Dandelion PLATINUM, Franklin, Massachusetts
20 articles 8 photos 173 comments
True true true.

on Jun. 16 2009 at 1:05 pm
pinksage33 BRONZE, Woodstock, New York
4 articles 1 photo 211 comments
I agree.

Marker BRONZE said...
on Apr. 28 2009 at 11:59 pm
Marker BRONZE, Chicago, Illinois
2 articles 1 photo 2 comments
I completely agree! Reading is the key to power!

on Apr. 11 2009 at 3:34 am
Allaboutlyf BRONZE, Hollis, New York
1 article 0 photos 28 comments
I agree ! And great article.