How do people survive?

According to a recent poll, approximately one in four American adults did not read a single book last year.

Wow. I would die. I have read 53 books this year (will be 54 by the end of today), and I am feeling a little bereft at the books that I have missed out on because my pace is slower this year than last year (I was on number 61 this time last year).

I have to believe that these people are doing some reading, whether it be online, or in the newspaper or in magazines. In fact, the Internet was cited as one of the possible causes for the decline in reading in the study. But I don't understand how people can feel that they are a part of our culture without reading any of the books that help to set the national conversation. Not all of them, because I don't choose books by their perceived importance, but at least enough to be a part of the conversation. Anyone who is reading this, I am sure, is a reader as well, so no one is going to be able to help me to understand this, but I still have to say, I just can't even imagine what it would be like to go an entire year without reading a single book. Heck, I couldn't imagine going an entire month. Maybe if I was in a coma, but nothing else springs to mind.