Published By: Sougata Dutta

Speed Reading – Good or Bad and How to Do It

Read it fast but read it well

 

The speed-reading craze saw light in the 21st-century recent decade. We are living in a world where money and food no longer dictate the flow of power. This is a world driven by data. Data has become the power to do practically anything under the sun. But data cannot be simply limited to computers. And due to this data-driven fast-running lifestyle, speed-reading has become a regular habit of people. Let's discuss its pros and cons.

 

When Reading Became Necessity: A Look Back at Reading and Humans

Before the industrial revolution and the printing press, the circulation of most data would either be done via manuscripts written on animal skin or papyrus or they would be simply passed down by word of the mouth. In the 21st century years after the renaissance and the printing press, there are just way too many things to read and too little time to do so. 

 

When Speed Reading Became a Necessity: Why Speed Reading is Important

Be it the novellas, the short stories, or the news articles which pop up now and then. Reading fast is something to develop with the utmost priority. Reading fast allows reading a lot in a small period. Reading fast has its advantages and can be employed to learn more deeply as well.

 

Speed Reading: How It Can Be Approached

The first technique which can be applied is to read the letters directly off the page without the subvocalization of words. Our brain is a fast-processing unit but when it limits its activities to that of another bodily function, its functioning can be hindered into a slow progression of a task. That being said, it is essentially an obvious observation to realize that all we have to do is use our brain in its entirety to perform a task to its optimized level.

 

How to Speed Read: Developing Some Basic Techniques

Before jumping on to directly speed read something – this article for example – it is vital to understand that the brain is a muscle and it needs some training before it is ready to stretch. The first order of business here would be to familiarize the brain with pointing techniques. Pointing and reading will help the brain develop focus before reading every word at once without the need for subvocalization. And this will allow you to read fast while you comprehend it all.