Will sitting down and reading a good book go the way of the dinosaurs?

Listening is second nature to humans and also very easy. We listen for entertainment from very early years of our lives. We can listen to music on the train, during a run, or while working and studying. 

It is harder to find time to sit down and read a book. It almost seems like the more globalized and advanced the world gets, the fewer people read.  

Reading books has become a niche activity, but people need some form of creative entertainment that can substitute this.  

Podcasts seem to be filling this gap.   

Podcasts are an audio medium through which listeners can consume book reviews, true crime stories, lifestyle conversations, or just listen to stories and sleep meditation guides. 

Additionally, in the era of social media influencers, a lot of influencers have also taken to producing podcasts which has given rise to an increased number of podcast listeners.  

Some of us may religiously follow a podcast because we like the person who is running the show or want to know more about them. A great example of this is the New Heights podcast, which has increased in popularity since news of Travis Kelce dating Taylor Swift was revealed.  

In a fast-moving world where a lot of us are living extremely busy lives, juggling work and school, it might be easier to just get our information from podcasts.  

This medium of storytelling is not just limited to celebrity gossip or lifestyle content. A lot of people tend to listen to true crime podcasts or podcasts that share stories from people who have experienced being scammed or catfished online.  

These podcasts act as a medium of modern storytelling, allowing us to listen to many perspectives at once instead of having to read a 300-page book written by one person with a particular view on the matter. 

Podcasts are more conversational and make us feel included. It is as though we are experiencing what the interviewee has experienced, and this may be a great platform to inspire social change because we learn from their experiences.  

Stories from survivors of domestic violence and abuse may inspire someone who is going through the same thing to reach out for help. Similarly, stories from someone who has been scammed may save a listener from being scammed too.  

There are also many podcasts that fit into people’s niche interests. Whether it’s sports, paranormal investigations, conversations about reality shows, or dedicated podcasts for trending influencers. There is a whole bunch of it for everyone.  

And the most important part? Listening to podcasts does not require habit and discipline. It is easy, it is simple, and everyone can understand.  

This is not to say that books can be completely replaced by podcasts.  

There are certain things about a good old book that podcasts have not yet been able to replicate – the feeling of reading late into the night, buying a new book and the anticipation of reading it, and crying on the last page are some things podcasts do not allow us. 

However, a person with a reading habit will probably agree that podcasts act as a good fill-in when they are going through a reader’s block.  

This easily consumable nature coupled with affordability and easy access is helping make podcasts increasingly popular.  

With its trendiness amongst even the younger population, podcasts might just become the storytelling platform of choice.