Chaudhry Shamraize Shahid

S2018-026

Mass Media: Local, National and Global

Assignment 1
What is the significance of books as a medium and which book has inspired you the most and
how did it influence your life?

Throughout the history of human kind, consumption, storage and communication of

information has been an ever-present phenomenon. Through various stages of growth and
evolution we have reached the point in history where we have so many options and mediums
to communicate knowledge and information that it can be hard for one to imagine a time
without technology.

As we progressed through mediums of communication, some have definitely passed the test of
time and still continue to be used i.e., books. Books have been the single most influential source
of literacy for a long time all over the world. Religions, philosophies, sciences and humanitarian
studies all depends on books largely because of not only its ability to hold and store
information, but also because it is a significant symbol against illiteracy. Furthermore, it cannot
be ignored that although a big chunk of world’s population is now online, they still don’t have
access to books, or are not tech-savvy enough to make use of that technology.

It is important to understand that even in the fast world of the 21st century, a medium that is
useable and comprehendible by everyone is very important. The consumption of information is
not at the same pace around the world, so books offer us a more grounded foundation to build
on, rather than relying on information that is ever changing and continuously evolving, before
some people even have a chance to understand it, books are able to provide a literary
foundation where everyone starts learning at their own pace. Not only that, but also its
importance in the index of world-literacy are two reasons why books are an irreplaceable
medium of communication.

The book that has inspired me the most, I would say, is Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich
Nietzsche. It is a compilation of his aphorisms, which are able to paint a picture. The inspiration
and knowledge that I was able to derive from it was the concept to look past good and evil, and
understanding humanity and different cultures and societies. I think as the world is now
becoming more and more connected, it is important to be able to evaluate and understand
different cultures from all over the world without the feeling of undermining them or thinking
that one culture is better than the other. The inspiration to become a better human being, is
what I would say I have gotten from Beyond Good and Evil.