Reading Books?

Well... it's way way past Thursday! But I've spend a major part of this last week sick, and life has generally gotten in my way. So I hope you don't mind as I write my "thoughtful Thursday" quote out late on this lovely Saturday as it turns into Sunday. 

"Oh HONESTLY! Don't you two read." -- Harry Potter and the Scorer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 

As I looked through my tons of favorite quotes, and trying to not choose another by John Green, this one just kind of stuck out.  Try to stick with me for a moment, OK? this is going somewhere. I hope.

If you've read my favorite of the Hunger Games or Divergent books, this might make sense. Otherwise, I'll just have a weird connection thing going on.

Imagine the societies in which the characters live. In the Hunger Games, do the characters go to school? Well, yeah. But what about their free time? There isn't, really. Katniss is too busy trying to keep her family alive by hunting, while Peeta has to work in the bakery. You get the sense that there isn't a lot of reading done. And in the capitol, there are too many awesome things to even worry about it. Technology has replaced any semblance of books.

Now take yourself to the futuristic world of Divergent. The characters go to school. However, depending in which faction one lives depends on how great reading is. The only faction where reading is even really appreciated is the Erudite, mostly because they appreciate schooling more than the others. Although... the other factions might appreciate it, but not nearly as much.

As I let these ideas run through my mind, they sadden me just a little. I'm a lover of books. I can't imagine a society where books aren't a thing. And yet... yet here are these societies where books are anything but prized. And it brings me to Hermoine's comment.

As always, feel free to let me know what you think! This isn't nearly as applied as I normally go, and I'm super stretching it.