My brother sent me this article from the New Yorker about the decline of reading in North America. While it would be easy to fall into the same tired whimsical reminiscing about the good old days when children read books or threw dog poop at girls instead of playing video games, the article goes a little bit deeper. The author makes note of some of the interesting neurobiological effects of literacy and written language, especially as compared to oral traditions (and the secondary orality of media today). There’s evidence that reading literally helps us think, in ways that go well beyond simply the knowledge it imparts. There’s also a little bit of speculation about the way society might evolve as a result of reduced literacy, and the continued downfall of critical thought is ever at the forefront…

Interesting read if you’ve got the time. I definitely need to read more books.