Two skills that are disappearing faster than the polar icecaps

From And the Winner Isn’t ... by Ann Patchett. Stating the obvious but the obvious so often needs to be stated.

Let me underscore the obvious here: Reading fiction is important. It is a vital means of imagining a life other than our own, which in turn makes us more empathetic beings. Following complex story lines stretches our brains beyond the 140 characters of sound-bite thinking, and staying within the world of a novel gives us the ability to be quiet and alone, two skills that are disappearing faster than the polar icecaps.