Reading – what's the point?

The purpose of this study has been to find out whether the knowledge of literature, and reading in general, is a sign of high social status in the younger generations as well as the older ones. Therefore, alumni from the elite high school Stockholms Musikgymnasium, born between 1946 and 2002, were selected as subjects for the research. A questionnaire was distributed on different social media platforms, and the participants were encouraged to spread the form to others that met the criteria of the study. The form consisted of a list of canonised literature titles, and questions about how highly they value the knowledge of classic literature, the reading of fiction in school as well as in general, and what the main reasons for reading are. Before filling in the form, the participants had to enter which of the following periods of time they were born in: 1946-1964 (Baby Boomers); 1965-1980 (Generation X); 1981-1996 (Millennials); 19972002 (Generation Z). 215 qualified responses were collected, and diagrams were created to demonstrate the results of the form. Based on the response, the conclusion of the study is that the elder generations value literature higher than the younger ones. However, the most evident difference is between those born before 1981, and those born 1981 and later. Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that the digitalization of society has had an impact on the attitudes towards literature. Furthermore, the constantly shifting views on social norms, ideals and differences, could quite possibly have made younger people see some literature outdated, in regards of literature as a source of self-reflection and personal growth. Otherwise, it could simply be the ever-growing number of options of entertainment sources – such as films, TV series and podcasts – that have begun to overtake the book as the main source of entertainment