Well, the thing is, I was browsing the selections and wondering whether there would be some book that would interest me. It turns out that there wasn't any. And it made me realize how reading is not a big thing when it comes to Filipinos.
See, I have been riding the public transportation here whenever I would be out. I have a book with me, and I would read it in the bus whenever I am traveling. However, for the other people, the habit I have isn't well-received.
Yes, I haven't seen anyone else reading while traveling. Books simply aren't something that people clutch in their hands and utilize. And because of that, bookstores aren't well-stocked with books. In fact, bookstores are known more for selling school supplies, rather than books themselves. In fact, since the school year is about to begin, that's about all of the things I see in bookstores here, from bags to notebooks to school uniforms, the bookstores have it.
I suppose another factor that is in play here is poverty. If one is poor, would one want to use their money to buys books, or to buy something that one can eat? Perhaps most people will choose the latter option, as that is the one that is more beneficial. I suppose this reminds me of Abraham Maslow's humanistic psychology, that people try to satisfy more immediate needs first, such as food and survival, before trying to satisfy more abstract and mental needs, such as reading. For me, I read because I want to temporarily escape reality, for the moment, and that is something I need. But perhaps if I had the same standard of living as most people here, then I would first try to feed my stomach before feeding my mind.
