Is the Age of Reading Over?
Summary
Host Hannah Rosen interviews Rose Horowitz, author of The Atlantic’s cover story on the decline of reading. They discuss the shift toward a "post-literate" society, where digital distractions and shorter attention spans reduce deep engagement with text. The conversation explores how this change affects cognitive habits, education, and politics, noting that while we consume more words, our ability for sustained, critical thought may be eroding.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: InPress and Lincoln
Introduction: The end of reading and personal habits
Data on the decline of reading across demographics
Defining the 'post-literate' age vs illiteracy
Walter Ong on how writing changed human cognition
Cognitive shifts and attention spans in a post-literate society
Sponsors: PAYS and Meta Glasses
Trump as the ideal post-literate politician
Pushback, book sales, and the democratization of reading
AI, text abundance, and the erosion of critical thinking
Video dominance and school phone bans boosting reading
The Library of Alexandria metaphor and concluding thoughts
Credits and sponsor: Cardiff
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