This makes sense because you are immersed in a world, and follow a unique, complex, character(s) when you read. Most of the time, you empathize with their experience because good books describe it so well that it can feel like you’re living it. Stillman also notes that EQ boosting “can literally be seen in your brain waves when you read” (Inc.com). People in the modern world tend to have a harder time socializing, and it visibly impacts people’s mental and physical health. The US Department of Human Health Services mentions that “The physical health consequences of poor or insufficient connection include a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connections increases risk of premature death by more than 60%” (hhs.gov). Depression also occurs almost twice as often in those without social contact and those who had limited social exposure as children. Books that are banned are often on controversial topics, but how is someone supposed to know how to act when confronted with these topics if there is nothing to learn