It seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history
Fears that we’re entering a “postliterate” era prompt debate over whether reading long-form text is actually in decline or simply being displaced by phones, short‑form video, and other digital media. Commenters share personal experiences of weakened attention spans, addiction to TikTok and YouTube shorts, and efforts to rebuild book-reading habits, while others argue people now read more than ever—just in the form of posts, manuals, and online articles rather than novels. Underneath are broader questions about what counts as literacy, whether declining stamina for complex texts harms critical thinking and education, and if the real issue is time pressure, economic insecurity, and how society values different kinds of reading.
Personal Reading Habits & Short-Form Addiction
- Many commenters describe being pulled into short-form video and social media “doomscrolling,” often feeling anxious, hypnotized, or time‑dilated afterward.
- Several report successfully cutting back via blocking apps/sites, timers, “dumb”/reduced‑function phones, or deliberate breaks (e.g., 2 weeks off).
- To rebuild attention, people recommend starting with easy, “pulp” or genre fiction that’s fun rather than “vegetable” books, then ramping up difficulty.
What Counts as Reading?
- Some argue the article wrongly equates “reading” with physical books, ignoring heavy daily reading of email, docs, manuals, web content, Substack, social media, etc.
- Others insist long-form texts (books, multi‑page articles) build different skills: stamina, deep comprehension, and complex inference.
- Audiobooks are debated: some see them as valid reading; others say passive listening while multitasking rarely yields deep learning.
Literacy Levels, Definitions & Regression
- Multiple comments note that “illiteracy” is now often defined on a spectrum (e.g., basic vs proficient), causing confusion with headlines about people “can’t read.”
- Some think literate adults rarely “forget” how to read without disease; what decays is attention span and practice, especially with long texts.
- Others highlight historical context: mass high-level literacy is relatively recent and may have peaked, but global basic literacy is higher than before.
Education, Testing & Skills
- Several see declining reading stamina and inference skills as tied to softer curricula and changes to standardized tests (shorter passages, less pressure to read long texts).
- Others push back that test design is only one factor; life stress, phones, and environment shape what skills students actually practice.
Quality vs Quantity of Reading
- Some argue “reading is good” is too crude: low‑quality or purely escapist books may be no better than TV.
- Others say enjoyment and habit matter more at first; over time readers can move toward more challenging or “higher quality” works if they choose.
Technology, Capitalism & Attention
- Phones, notification-driven apps, and attention-maximizing business models are widely blamed for fragmenting focus and displacing slower media like novels and long articles.
- A few contend that society’s insecurity (economic pressure, overwork) also reduces the mental space needed for deep reading.
Children, Parenting & Hope
- Some parents report kids who are voracious readers and credit: early read‑aloud routines, modeling reading themselves, limited phone/TV, and frequent library visits.
- Others caution parents can provide opportunity but not guarantee love of reading; temperament and alternatives (e.g., Netflix) matter.