I’ve briefly mentioned before that part of my resistance is reading, especially in regards to what I read. But what many do not realize is that the act of reading, in and of itself, is also resistance. Reading is knowledge, and knowledge is power.

Through reading, we are exposed to other points of view, other cultures, other life experiences. This provides us with a more expansive world view, empathy, and understanding of others. And this is just what you get from fiction! Nonfiction opens even more worlds, teaching us about science, technology, finance. Reading allows us to educate ourselves, outside of the traditional avenues of learning. This is one reason books and reading are currently under attack.

Reading inspires thought. We want to understand the motivations of our favorite characters, or even the villains. We follow plots and notice when plot holes exist. And we share these thoughts with others, further spreading the themes of each book.

Yes, my choice of reading banned books, of  reading diverse books, of reading library books, of reading romance, of writing a book blog is all a form of resistance against a force that is trying to eliminate education and obliterate libraries, museums, and history. When a leader proudly proclaims that they “love the uneducated,” it’s because they don’t want you to think, they don’t want you to question, they want you to follow them blindly.

So join me in resisting, join me in reading.