Singapore has launched a state program that encourages people to read books daily. In this way, the authorities want to combat "doomscrolling" — the habit of endlessly and uncontrollably browsing social networks or news feeds. In addition, the program is intended to help improve concentration and develop critical thinking, writes The Guardian .
A participant can register one reading session per day, lasting at least 15 minutes. For each such session, they are credited with 20 virtual coins. After accumulating 1000 coins, which corresponds to 50 days of reading, they can be exchanged for one Singapore dollar — approximately 80 US cents.
Melissa Tan, head of the National Library Board, explained that people live in a world of vast amounts of content, information, and diverse stimuli. According to her, habits are formed through small but regular actions, which is why the organizers are starting with a simple goal — reading for 15 minutes a day.
The Singapore government is increasingly looking for ways to reduce the negative impact of social media on youth. Among the proposals is the introduction of a daily time limit for social media use. The basis for this was a recent study, according to which the greatest harm to young people is caused precisely by obsessive viewing of negative news and addiction to social networks.
At the same time, Singaporean schoolchildren demonstrate very high results in reading. According to the latest PISA study, 15-year-old students from Singapore ranked first in the world in reading literacy, ahead of China and Taiwan.
Financial incentives for forming new habits among citizens are not a novelty for Singapore. Previously, authorities offered residents supermarket vouchers for walking, as well as rewards for meeting daily step targets.
In August, the Singapore government also introduced a financial support package totaling over 55,000 dollars for each child under the age of 17, and also expanded paid parental leave and housing purchase benefits.
Such large-scale measures are related to the demographic crisis in the country. Singapore's total fertility rate has fallen to a historic low — 0.87 children per woman. As a result, the country is nearing the transition to the category of "super-aged" societies.
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Смецце выкідываю ў сметнік, алкаголь у публічных месцаў не ўжываю, на пераходах чакаю, за праезд заўжды аплачваю і кніжкі чытаю.