Pocket books. The book that will awaken your mind.

They want us asleep

Maybe I'm being a bit extreme, but don't you get the feeling that television, social media, and video games are designed to leave you out?Out of life, out of the famous here and now, out of your mind and your reason. They want you to flow, but badly. Like a river, they want you to be carried away towards their dramatic news, their endless scroll, and their addictive dopamine peaks.

I'm not saying I don't spend a few minutes of the day on Instagram or that I don't listen to the news. Nor that I haven't played (and enjoyed) my rounds of Sims or Fifa. Yes, you might be surprised by my joystick skills. But getting back to the point, the issue is to be aware of the time and energy you dedicate to them and to set some limits for yourself. Because yes, the whole system is designed to make you want more. Be careful, because if you put it on cruise control, you might find yourself filling your days with empty activities that don't resonate with you. In this post, I'm going to present the book that will awaken your mind. Take your foot off the accelerator and pause to reflect before continuing.

There is much beauty, much truth, and love around us, but very rarely do we take things calmly enough to appreciate them, to realize.

Brian Weiss

Ways to wake up

It's not easy to break free from the loop of social media, hyperconnectivity, and consumerism. It's difficult because it's precisely designed to target your innate brain reward zones. To wake up, you'll need willpower and tools.

One of the best tools I know for "waking up" is a good bookI'm not talking about a novel or the latest thriller. Those can serve to spend time on healthier hobbies than the omnipresent latest gadget. But in this case, I'm referring to books that invite reflection and self-criticism, about society in general and oneself in particular.

What to read - January

If the idea I present in this post appeals to you, I'll recommend the top book in the wake-up book category. It's my discovery of this first month of the year. I borrowed it from the library, but I have it on my list to buy. It's a book that I think is worth reading and rereading calmly. The ideas it presents make you reflect a lot. At times, I've felt like it shook me from within and made some truths that I thought were deeply rooted in me tremble.

• 21 Lessons for the 21st Century - Yuval Noah Harari. The author of the bestseller Sapiens returns to reflect on the big issues of today and the near future. Spectacular. If it doesn't surprise you or make you think, you get your money back (this last sentence is completely false, but you can always sell it on Wallapop).

If right now, having your mind shaken doesn't quite appeal to you, you can always turn to some of my recent recommendations. You'll still be promoting the habit of reading and feeding your reader identity, which is never a bad thing. Perhaps by reading noir fiction, you'll realize you want a book of a different style and you'll come back to this post.

We have lost the ability to pay attention to what we smell and taste. We are more interested in what happens in cyberspace than in what happens down on the street.

Yuval Noah Harari

See you soon and happy reading!