It’s sad but true, that a lot of Filipino Teenagers dislike reading. They dislike it, because they find it boring, dull and probably uninteresting. Some even go as far as labeling “reading” as a task only geeks or rich people can enjoy.

There’s something I have to admit… I’m also one of many people who disliked reading. Yet there’s a fine difference between people who just dislike it and those who criticize (re: bully) those who are very much into it. I thought reading is just not my thing, but I was totally wrong. I’m not saying that I don’t read at all, I used to be a tad less than the occasional reader though, having very infrequent reading habits; that has changed since the last couple of weeks when I realized how fun reading can be.

But back to the important point.

It pains me when I hear fellow teenagers of my age and a bit younger, stereotyping those who love to read. At first I thought I was the only one who noticed it and believed it to be an issue too small to be discussed, but when I jumped on a video created by one of my fellow Facebook users I realized how serious the matter has become.

Read before you judge.

Sounds odd, but it’s true. Those who judge readers tend to be those who haven’t tried it out yet. I can’t blame them for not reading, but it’s a total different issue when they start stereotyping and labeling those who do. Well, reading may not be for everyone, that’s a given, but I find it very cruel when those who judge others are those who ain’t had a firsthand experience with reading.

Let’s all campaign against stereotyping readers. Let’s all agree to read more this year and prove ’em wrong; prove to them that reading isn’t just for the wealthy and the geeks, heck, nor is reading just for the females.

I personally think that females who love to read are more interesting and attractive. I figured that “those who read seemed to be more educated and better equipped in the academic field” was true in most females I had encountered. I wonder how well the country would do if more and more people would start to read, read and read.

A lot has changed since the post Filipinos Are Not Book Lovers has been written. It dates back decades ago, but it assumes to painstakingly truthful than ever. Why? Because we have reached the point at which readers are getting criticized for enjoying reading may that be the printed or digitalized word.

Sure, lot of the commenters on the post we published here proved that Philippines is far from an anti-Reading community… Yet there are still a lot of people out there who will tell you otherwise in both words and actions… and that, that needs to stop.

Be The Change. Read. And let those bullies go to hell.