Reflecting on Lost Keys, Fossils, and the Waning Habit of Reading

While hunting for a lost key to his post-box, the author uncovered a fossilized ammonite, prompting reflections on deep time and personal insignificance. He estimates the specimen to be between 66 and 250 million years old, noting that ammonites outlived trilobites, which vanished in an ancient mass extinction. Drawing a parallel between these extinct marine creatures and today's declining readership, he cites a report that children's reading has fallen by 50 percent since 2016.

The writer laments that books, though increasingly unnecessary for many, remain vital to his retired life, offering continual mental elevation. He worries that future generations may treat literature as obsolete, leaving bibliophiles as cultural relics akin to extinct species. Despite acknowledging that reading does not guarantee moral superiority, he maintains that books provide unique insights. Ultimately, he sees his own devotion to reading as both a consolation and a sign of impending cultural fossilization.