Questions is, should we read the newspapers? What exactly new and creative stuffs that newspapers bring daily? Reading newspapers is a positive addiction or negative addiction? Are they really worthy it? Answers may vary from person to person. But even those who feel that newspapers do not really bring anything useful, it’s just a waste of time, they also read it on regular basis.
And I’m and example of such person. Let me tell you about my addiction. After I wake up and have my tea, I need newspaper in my hands.
I’m subscribed to Gujarat Samachar – a local daily. Being a quick reader, I just glance at top stories on every page, mostly written with headings.
I don’t go much in details, as my subconscious might be smart enough to grasp the subject of that news from its headlines only. I mean if there is a headline which says “5 rs. decreased in petrol“, is enough for me to digest entire stuff. I mean what exactly can be inside story? But the point is I have to read it.
Sometimes, in season of monsoon, I receive newspaper late. But I await for it just like a child awaits for a toy. Every day, yes, every single day, after reading entire newspaper (rather throwing a quick glance over it), I feel that, there wasn’t anything much good to know today. Like front page covers mostly some national news headlines like that of petrol I mentioned, and internal pages contain politics, business, social, sports, entertainment news.
Upon reading social issues, my head just gets burnt. I belong to city of Rajkot in Gujarat. Now, mostly what I read in social news is that, some psycho raped a 7 year old girl, mother did suicide along with her two kids of age 5 and 7 by jumping in a well, husband beats wife badly that she is admitted to hospital, son beats his father for money, brothers fight for their land, daughter suicides because her mother denied her to go and watch a movie with her friends, a talented student does suicide for no feasible reason, an accident on highway kills 11 people on sight, a rickshaw man kills a person just for 10 rupees and this list goes on and on. Everyday names change in such news, but incidents remain more or less same.
Of course, there are some good news that appear in newspapers like, this person did Ph.D on love!, a five year old girl won bronze medal in swimming, a seven year old boy play drums so nicely, Municipal Corporation has decided to amend all damaged roads in city, a social trust arranged a blood donation camp and etc.
But again, after reading such news, I keep asking my self subconsciously that, what I gained after reading all these news? I get no answer from within.
In a newspaper, I mostly love to surf two pages, one of sports and another of world plus entertainment news. Being a sporty by nature, I like almost all sports, let it be cricket, tennis, golf, soccer (yeah, football I mean) or anything. So this at least becomes a worthy reading for me. I get to know who won and who lost. Of course, as I’m a regular user of internet, I get to know about all these news in advance, but then too I don’t know why I like reading them in my local language. (Psychotherapist Mr. Sandeep K. Maniaar would call this OCD – Obsessive-Compulsive disorder). And another page I like to surf is of world news. It contains some without tension news, suchs as Switzerland has this year full of snow season, Obama to follow Gandhi thoughts, movie premier of some hollywood movie was held etc. And some news from bollywood industry such as Aamir Khan says that Shahrukh Khan is afraid of acting with him, Shilpa Shetty to get bald, Is Aishwarya Rai pregnant? and so on. They are rather gossips and not news, but I feel at ease while reading them. At least they don’t put me in thinking process.
But bottom-line is that, inspite of my feeling that newspaper reading is useless, I am addicted to it. Sometimes, my wife hides newspaper and upon my asking “Hasn’t newspaper come today?”, she says no and enjoys my discomfiture for a while.
I have some friends too who have the same habit. Some read newspapers while having tea. I wonder, is such an addiction considered to be a suffering one or a good one.
Devang Vibhakar is the Founder and Editor of www.SpeakBindas.com. He has interviewed more than 350 people. His effort was recognized by Limca Book of Records, twice. He has been to Scotland as well as Germany as part of vocational & cultural exchange programs and has compiled five books so far. He's passionate about bringing forth interesting stories & interviews of entrepreneurs to avid readers of SpeakBindas. He can be reached 
Hey was indeed a nice interview.Hello Jay sir. M student from Ahmedabad and a regular reader of “Anavrut” and “spetrometer”.hats off to ur wrok and articles.Keep on doing good work.Yes and i want to specifically want to write here although it may not be completely in context of this interview but i want to let u knw abt it.Well I jus want to let u knw sir tht ur article in fact two of ur article on MF Hussain changed my view abt tht person and controversies realted to him.M quoting jus one of d several incidents whr ur article had an impact on my thoughts regarding particular matter or sometimes the way of life or way of looking at a particular aspect of my life.Thnk u vry vry much for all the thoguhts u gave me throuhg ur column relating variety of subjects/aspects of life.Sir its a heartly request from a common reader of ur column tht pls keep on doing ur grt work.We enjoy ur articles vry much.U r indeed Gujarat’s Youth Icon.Wish u all luck.Love/respect/saltue to u and ur work
sir.And yes thnk u vry much Mr.Devang Vibhakar for bringing this nice interview to us.Keep doin grt work.byeee.