Audiobooks – A Short Cut Or A Tool Of Inclusion?

The debate over whether listening to audiobooks is "cheating" has persisted for years, probably since the first audiobook was made. Critics argue that audiobooks provide a passive experience, allowing listeners to multitask and not full heartedly engaging with the story. But the love for audiobooks is palpable and many defend them as a valuable tool that is just as effective to absorb information, especially for those who process auditory input more effectively. Ultimately, this discussion highlights the diverse ways people learn and experience literature, rather than serving as a definitive measure of intellectual rigor.

The key aspect is how individuals process information. While some people are visual learners, needing to see and interact with text because it is the way they retain details, others are auditory learners, who absorb information better when they hear it. To get the best out of the book, one needs to know what type of learner they are, how they visualize and retain information more efficiently.

Additionally, some people are kinesthetic learners. They need to engage in repetitive movements, like walking, exercising, knitting, or household chores because these activities help them focus and retain information better than sitting still with a book. Knowing these different learner types highlights that our understanding surpasses “one-fits-all” concepts.

Dismissing audiobooks as inferior assumes that reading is strictly about visual engagement. This ignores the historical precedent of oral storytelling. Before the written word became widely accessible, oral storytelling was the rule and not the exception. Oral storytelling is the reason some myths, histories, cultural narratives, and other stories survived into our day. Therefore, listening to a book can be viewed as a return to an older, more traditional method of consuming stories and information. In olden days, listeners were expected to absorb, interpret, and analyze the rich narratives. At the time, storytelling and auditory absorption were seen as essential intellectual skills. In many ways, audiobooks continue this long-standing tradition, making stories accessible in a way that aligns with human history.

Another misconception is that listening to audiobooks requires less cognitive effort. While it is true that some listeners may engage passively, tune in and out as they perform other tasks, this is mirrored by a distracted reader who skims through a text without absorbing the details. Active listening, just like active reading, demands concentration, critical thinking, and analysis.

When we consider how language is processed, spoken and written words are absorbed similarly. A study conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, found that listening to audiobooks activates the same regions of the brain as reading. This suggests that comprehension and cognitive engagement do not differ significantly between the formats.

Audiobooks increase access to those who may struggle with traditional reading. Individuals with dyslexia, visual impairments, or learning differences may find that audiobooks allow them to experience literature in a way that they otherwise couldn’t. Therefore, audiobooks expand access to literature and may enhance the experience of a story, democratizing learning and enjoyment.

Additionally, busy professionals, parents, and students may find audiobooks a practical way to fit reading into their schedules. While there may not be enough time to sit down with a book, many who spend several hours each weak commuting between work and home can listen to books during their drive, maximizing their time, increasing the enjoyment of an otherwise drab but necessary activity, and distancing themselves from their everyday life.

Another advantage of audiobooks is the skilled performance. Professional narrators bring stories to life, using their tone, inflections, and pacing. In particular books with rich dialogue and complex characters can be more engaging when listened to. Voice actors and authors who narrate their own works provide a unique emotional connection that may otherwise be difficult to establish through traditional reading.

Reading, whether through sight or sound, is about engagement with ideas, storytelling, and knowledge. Does it really matter how the knowledge is conveyed as long as it reaches the recipient?

Ultimately, whether someone chooses to read a physical book, an e-book, or listen to an audiobook should be a matter of personal preference and learning style. Literature is written to inform, entertain, and inspire through the art of storytelling. Whether one chooses to read or listen to it, should not be a marker of intellectual worth. The joy of reading should not be minimized to the act of reading, it comes from the ideas, emotions, and knowledge that the story elicits in the reader. Whether you read with your eyes or your ears, the important thing is that you are engaging with stories and ideas in a way that resonates with you.

An AI depiction of a woman listening to audio stories.