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LA LECTURA NO ES UN PLACER

Posted by Juan Carlos Yáñez Velazco

La lectura no es un placer. Mi afirmación es políticamente incorrecta, pero de lo dicho estoy cierto y creo tener argumentos suficientes. También creo que es de dudosa eficacia pedagógica ese eslogan facilón de que la lectura es un placer. O por lo menos, del placer como preferirían experimentarlo todos aquellos que no suelen ser lectores habituales.

Lo diré desde el plano de la escuela: la lectura como placer es una experiencia infrecuente, cuando no, inexistente, ajena o desconocida para la gran mayoría de los estudiantes en las escuelas. Allí, por muchas razones, la lectura está preponderantemente asociada al estudio, al trabajo, al esfuerzo, al aburrimiento, al tiempo perdido, a la inutilidad, al para qué sin respuestas convincentes del enseñante.

Si la lectura fuera un deleite, y los mexicanos leyeran tan poquito como dicen las estadísticas y lo constatan las experiencias de los profesores, tendríamos razones para sustentar algunas hipótesis sobre la tontería o la flojera de los habitantes de este país, que no aprovechan la experiencia gratuita de montarse (metafóricamente) en un libro y disfrutar tanto o más que frente a un partido de fútbol, una telenovela, un programa de chismes o una cabalgata.

Si la lectura fuera un placer entonces las bibliotecas públicas estarían siempre repletas y los lectores voraces exigirían que se abrieran los fines de semana para divertirse gratis. No, no es así, para desgracia de la pedagogía nacional. Si la lectura fuera un placer, o todos leyéramos como vemos fútbol o telenovelas, no habríamos permitido que un puñado de iletrados con pocas luces gobernaran, gobiernen este país en la presidencia o en el congreso.

Ese eslogan de “La lectura es un placer”, me parece que surte un efecto contrario, pues a esa mercancía de la publicidad cultural la contradicen los estudiantes apenas tomar un libro y avanzar las primeras páginas, las primeras líneas de lo que, en general, pueden leer o tienen que leer.

No quiero insinuar que soy partidario de la no lectura, o de la flojera, o mantener a la gente en su condición adormilada y enajenada. Quiero decir que, además del eslogan, hay que cambiar la experiencia de la lectura en el salón de clase y renovar las soluciones del problema. Tal vez funcione, por ejemplo, la prohibición de la lectura y el anuncio de que su transgresión será severamente castigada.

De la tarea familiar no diré nada, pues apostar a ese cambio, siendo imperativo, es más complicado y casi insuperable en el mediano plazo con el rumbo político, económico y cultural de este país desgajado por la violencia, la miseria, la frivolidad y el consumismo.

La escuela tiene que hacer de la lectura una experiencia de aprendizaje relevante, y las experiencias escolares, como los aprendizajes, no necesariamente son placenteros o divertidos, si nos atenemos a lo que los niños y jóvenes de hoy conciben como tal. Si insistimos en que la lectura es un placer, frente a los estudiantes solo seremos unos mentirosos y engañadores, incoherentes, pues los profesores, muchos profesores, tampoco somos lectores consumados o siquiera frecuentes.

La lectura es una experiencia, una oportunidad, un reto, un obstáculo, es trabajo y, en algunos momentos, placentera. Pero insistir en eso del placer y otros cuentos baratos pocos adeptos ganará para el mundo de la lectura. Pero no me lo crean, pregunten a sus hijos, a sus hijas, a sus estudiantes… o a sí mismos.

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38 thoughts on “LA LECTURA NO ES UN PLACER

  1. José Manuel Ruiz Calleja

    Problema tan cierto como complejo, muchos matices se pueden observar en la práctica pedagógica que dependen siempre de nosotros los docentes y van desde qué lecturas orientamos hasta qué objetivos perseguimos, pasando por la conscientización de nuestros estudiantes de la necesidad de desarrollar su pensamiento crítico y reflexivo, de problematizar y cuestionarse lo que se nos da como evidente e incuestionable, esa es una vía necesaria aunque no única de promover el placer por la lectura. La lectura acrítica e irreflexiva no sirve al interés de formación de las futuras generaciones de ciudadanos(as). Buen punto para reflexionar en la necesidad pedagógica de utilizar la lectura como recurso formativo.

  2. arthur edwards

    Estoy muy de acuerdo. La lectura es una disciplina cuya satisfacción se alcanza al dominarla y su deleite es sentir los cambios que alcanzan dentro de ti.

  3. Laura Larios

    Después de leer su artículo, difiero un poco con su postura, porque reconozco que existen diferentes tipos de lecturas y considero que tienen que ver con el grado de dificultad del contenido, además aclaro que no leo lo que quisiera o debiera y tampoco todo el tiempo que podría; sin embargo pienso que en el ámbito educativo el principal problema es esta creciente “cultura social del menor esfuerzo”, donde todo lo queremos rápido y fácil, obviamente la lectura no lo es y requiere, como usted lo dijo ser considerada como “un reto, un obstáculo, es trabajo” pues requiere afrontar el reto de aprender, desafiar el obstáculo de la mente cerrada y aceptar el trabajo de dar uso a lo aprendido; por ello creo que si leer fuera tan sencillo como presionar el botón de encendido de la televisión para ver un partido de fútbol, una telenovela o un programa de chismes, claro que habría más lectores. Más no por eso, desde mi punto de vista, la lectura deja de ser placentera, porque esa sensación de iniciar la lectura de un libro que te atrapa desde el titulo y conforme te adentras al texto te engancha, de tal forma que no quisieras dejar de leer hasta terminarlo y, cuando tienes que interrumpir la lectura para atender tus responsabilidades cotidianas, te ocasiona esa ansiedad que sólo cesa al retomarla, esto no puedo más que traducirlo como “PLACENTERO”.

    1. Juan Carlos Yáñez Velazco

      Hola Laura, gracias por leerme y comentarlo. La diversidad de opiniones es altamente saludable. Estoy de acuerdo con lo que escribes; lo que yo digo es que esa experiencia placentera de la lectura ocurre mucho menos de lo deseable en la escuela. No es que algunas lecturas no sean placenteras, es que no hemos logrado generalizarlo.

      ¡Saludos!

  4. Óscar

    Borges decía que el verbo “leer” no puede ser imperativo porque leer debiera ser una forma de la felicidad y no se puede obligar a nadie a ser feliz. Entiendo su postura, sin embargo me parece que leer sí es un placer, sólo que no todos son capaces de disfrutarlo, así como tomar café para mí no es un placer, o al menos no como muchos lo pregonan. Por un momento cavilé si entonces debiéramos encontrar la manera de que la lectura sea un placer para todos y entonces así todos seamos lectores frecuentes. Las razones para leer son muy variadas y una de ellas puede tener su origen en el placer. Es una idea que me hará pensar en cómo lograr que mis alumnos lean más.

    1. Juan Carlos Yáñez Velazco

      Oscar, probablemente no soy lo suficientemente claro. No digo que la lectura no pueda ser un placer para muchísima gente, para ti, para muchos, pero mi preocupación es que esos eslóganes simplones no son adecuados para convencer a los más jóvenes, a los estudiantes, que tienen una experiencia escolar en donde la lectura, para la gran mayoría, no es un placer.

  5. 2A Gustavo Gómez Amezcua

    I have read the article, and I agree with you, I think that all of this marketing comes from the governments of each states, and even further, from the country’s government, and the idea for all that marketing, is to give a “better” view of our country to other governments, when the truth is very opposite.

    A good solution for the problem, is to give another kind of books to the children, because as you said “Lo diré desde el plano de la escuela: la lectura como placer es una experiencia infrecuente[…] la lectura está preponderantemente asociada al estudio, al trabajo, al esfuerzo, al aburrimiento[…]”, and my opinion is that it depends to the readings that they give us in the schools when we are kids, most of the time they are boring. And if teachers could give better books to the students and open a reading space of 15 – 30 minutes in class it would give a great results for the society.

    It sounds like a dream because we have to fight and go backwards the culture that we’ve been carried for centuries, but i also believe that it’s a great way to solve it

  6. 2A Alejandro Gabriel Chavez Larios

    This topic was very intersting for me,this show us the value of the reading, because this is right, now a days kids well not just kids, all kind of ages doesnt read i think 1 time every 2 weeks, and yeah the reading is not a pleasure, reading is pasion like sports, i mean your pasion can be play basketball but it doesnt mean you will play it every day, no ,you play when you want, when you want to learn more, like that is the reading, you read for pasion and read to know more, to have more culture.
    Schools need to practice more this kind of things because reading is good.
    I’m really agree with you on this topic

  7. Gabriel Daniel

    Desde luego que la lectura implica muchas dificultades, pero es indispensble para acceder al cúmulo de experiencias y conocimientos que todos y todas han ido desarrollando a lo largo de la historia.

    Actualmente nos encontramos en la era de la tecnología de la comunicación e información; parece ser que lo necesario es el uso de videos y de fotorgrafías que en muchas ocasiones dicen muy poco si carecen de texto.

    Considero que una idea que subyace en el fondo de tus argumentos, es la necesidad imperiosa de dedicarnos a las lecturas que nos proporcionen las posibilidades de elevarnos intelctualmente y formarnos en niveles más elevados.

    Saludos afectuosos

    1. Juan Carlos Yáñez Velazco

      Hola Gabriel Daniel, gracias por leerme y comentarlo. Sí, me preocupa lo que dices, pero sobre todo, hacer de la lectura una experiencia distinta en la escuela, con sus dificultades y ventajas.

      ¡Saludos!

  8. 2A Luis Ernesto Mendoza Osorio

    This article is interesting because it’s true what they say, now nobody interested in the reading, the people think it’s boring when actually reading opens up paths to knowledge, however, I think the introduction to reading is necessary to give children, now the people dont want to read because they think isn’t necessary and just read for work or study.
    Teachers need to start changing things, we need give to the people interest on the read.

  9. 2A Diego Padilla Morfin

    I think that if our country had a culture of reading, we would be different.
    In reading you are having fun to know, but you have a pleasure I think it’s advertising.
    If I had pleasure from reading a book, I think it would have many in my house.
    But anyway, so it is today and what we can do is just study deeper.
    It is very important to read to understand the reality of things.

  10. 2A Jose Carlos Gonzalez Ramirez

    this post should of have most important to level national why our culture not be intereting in reading one book per year and should taught to reading most book and not to see TV,the reading helps our in our development as goods people and goods professionals regardless of type of people.the reading is very important is ours life

  11. 2B Orlando Daniel Sotelo Cobián

    I believe what you speak is true, because in the school is normal that have that read for obligation.

    In the personal, I like the reading of the big writers how Julio Verne, between others.

    But the liking should to be personal, no by that the others say.

    But unfortunately, in my house always prefer see the novel or a movie before that read a good book.

  12. 2B Juan Sánchez

    I concording with you , the lecture come of be the most interesting to be a the most bored, because the people be acostumbrate to see all of the tv, why they was educate of form stupid, the parents don´t worry for the lecture culture, it´s true the people is goofy, i think that this not changue in a lot time.

  13. 2A ashley Cepeda Mendivil

    *it’s the true sadly our contry dont have the culture to read.
    *pleople think that reading is just a waste of time and they are so wrong because you learn too many thinks from it.
    *the reading is need, a need that too many people need right know,that our contry need.
    *right know in our school still we dont read alot because is not a habit that they teach us so is really hard for us..sadly we lose too many important things.

  14. 2A Alvaro Padilla Mendoza

    I am agree with you because the truth is that the read for the big most of the people, more than to be a pleasure, it’s seen as an alternative to the boredom, that doesn’t have as priority as to watch a movie, a soap-opera,or some as common in our days as surf on the social networks as whats-app, facebook or twitter. But in the case of we, the students, or teachers, we duty to see the read no as a mean of entertainment but as a mean of develop and personal growth that although we don’t like, we have that recognize than is an alternative effective, when it is make with pleasure and gratitude.

  15. 2B Corona Silva Salvador

    I think most of our know that is not a pleasure.
    Students if we read is by necessity.
    To learn or understand the subjects better than school.
    Often see videos with explanations

  16. 2B Diana Polanco

    For some reading is not a pleasure, if it were we would have a home library.
    Reading is a pleasure only for people who cultivate their learning across it.
    If reading a pleasure, in my opinion would be unattainable for many.
    Reading is a pleasure for those who read sweet and sour indifferent to it for flavor.

  17. 2B Beatriz Alejandra Baltazar Balmaceda

    For me, reading will always be part of life. For many a hobby, for others only obligation. But when you find a book and focuses on reading, takes adventures which never imagine. That’s why reading will always be an important part of our lives.

  18. 2a Anabel Cervantes Amador

    I agree that reading to a young student like me, it’s not something pleasant but boring and today more than we want to fill with pure words and in the end will not understand fully.
    Should there be a method for the Mexicans can please us a little more reading.
    Reading is good because that enrich our mind.

  19. 2B VICTOR FIDEL GARCIA SANCHEZ

    I think that reading is pleasure for those who are passionate about reading.
    However there are people who do not like reading.
    Reading is good to learn many things.
    I feel sorry for people who do not call their attention reading.

  20. 2A Everardo Torres Viera

    Currently we are in the era of communication technology and information, it appears that what is needed is the use of videos and fotorgrafías that often say very little if they lack text.
    I’m not saying that reading can not be a pleasure for many people, for you, for many, but my concern is that these simpletons slogans are not adequate to convince the younger students, who have a school experience where reading, for most, is not a pleasure.

  21. 2A Edna Isabel Martinez Gomez

    -I think that reading is a pleasure just for people like reading.
    -Reading opens many doors for the future provided you have a taste for it.
    -Reading needs to be a habit for everyone as well as it is breathing.
    -The truth is a disappointment that in this country we do not have this habit.

  22. 2B Sergio Eduardo Andrade Perez

    I think lecture is a need not a pleasure, mostly because to study you need to read. then again thats the only thing you need it for, to be able to sustain yourself. And now there are these posers that say that lecture is a pleasure just because they do it in their free time. i highly disagree with that.

  23. 2B Juan Manuel Alcaraz Aguirre

    I’m agree with you and I think that this is a serious problem with us, mexicans.
    The reading is very important for the brain, because help us for deeper thinking.
    Another problem and you said, is the Tv shows, because many people watch this things like a real life, and they are enclosed in that world.
    We need real reading, we need motivation, we need intellectually grow.

  24. 2A Alexis Alfaro Ochoa

    Im agreed that, also that the school teach spanish, read or whatever thing you can think ¡Forced! i think library or school dont need put “read is pleasure” after school forced to read all students. I think that we can teach with otherwise, in a way that interest the students to read to learn or for fun and no with obligation. That is the reason why here many people likes more a “telenovela” or “soccer” than read. Another thing is that here we dont have good libraries… i went to a libraries and didnt have anything.

  25. 2A Arnoldo Alcaraz Velázquez

    I think the same, we (the mexicans) don’t have the culture of reading

    Read makes each person learn more.

    I almost never like to read, I only read some posts only when they really interest me.

    I would like that read was my culture because probably I could be more inteligent.

  26. 2J - Garcia Ely

    Reading is a discipline because any person reads but few venture into reading. The majority of students who read books do by necessity, not by choice. If people read at least one book a year full, their culture would be higher. Personally, I hardly read, but that practice, I lengthen my horizons.

  27. 2A Jose de Jesus Zamora Santa Ana

    It’s true every single word that you say in the article, people (including me) dislike books, just in the opening, we feel sleepy and boring, but everything comes from home, with our parents

  28. 2J César Pérez V.

    We have no culture for reading.
    I think is personal reading for pleasure.
    I like to work on my reading in Spanish and English.
    I hate to be pessimistic, but I think reading individual decision.

  29. 2J jorge salvador ciprian figueroa

    In reading you are having fun to know, but you have a pleasure I think it’s advertising.

    However there are people who do not like reading.

    I think that reading is a pleasure just for people like reading.

    Often see videos with explanations.

  30. 2J Victor Omauy Marmolejo

    The reading is practically an obligation.
    When you read moirish your mind.
    I read 3 books for month.
    I will can read more books in a future.

  31. David Batista 2j

    this topic is very interesting.
    Personally, I hardly read, but that practice, I lengthen my horizons.
    We need real reading, we need motivation, we need intellectually grow.
    Reading is a pleasure for those who read sweet and sour indifferent to it for flavor.

  32. 2J Julio Daniel Cervantes Díaz

    I like a lot this post. Always, the “smart” people say that reading is one of the greatest pleasures. Actually reading is indeed a pleasure, but it is difficult to taste it when we are used to being bombarded with advertising, very bright colors and sounds, which are easy to grasp for that information reaches with no complication our consumerist minds.

  33. 2J Carlos Damian perez

    Of course reading involves many difficulties.
    Reading is a discipline because any person reads but few venture into reading.
    I think lecture is a need not a pleasure

  34. 2B JOSE LUIS VENEGAS VILLALVAZO

    -I think that reading is a process of learning to be enjoying.
    -reading allows us to see beyond what we can imagine others that we learn many new things.
    -reading now some people like to read but there are also some who do not like reading so people by giving them a book bores them.
    -the solution to this problem is to create an image of the young that reading helps us to reflect and learn about social things personally.
    -now the government presumes that reading is a pleasure, but they are advertising events because for some it is not.

  35. 1J Leslie Jordana Fernández Moreno

    1.- In my opinion I feel that everyone thinks differently about that slogan, if there are those who believe that reading is a pleasure and there are those who think otherwise.
    2.- Some people from small their parents used to the habit of reading, since they had the good habit.
    3.- There are also the kind of people who only read when they “need”, whether for work, research, etc.
    4.- If people were to read one book a month minimum, I assure you that we would be much more educated people.

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