what reading has taught me

I probably read only a dozen books in the first 20 years of my life. Two years ago, I started reading 1-2 a week. What changed?

I don't know, but I'm glad the change happened.

Reading is the deepest form of learning I can think of in the modern world. Most media today is consumed digitally, which typically leads to a lack of depth, context, and nuanced hypotheses. This lack of rigor is then reflected in our thinking.

I think everyone would benefit from reading more books for every type of media. But it's a hard switch because digital media is so enticing.

Entertainment? Most choose a show or social media over a fiction book.

Knowledge? Most go to YouTube, a documentary, or social media instead of a nonfiction book.

News? Once again, digital reigns supreme. You obviously cannot get breaking news from books. But there are books on even recent major political/economic/social events. Reading books like this gave me a nuanced understanding of those event(s) and more reasoning capacity.

As I write this, I realize that many older people are nodding their heads. This may be obvious to you, but it certainly wasn't to the I've-Only-Read-a-Dozen-Books version of me. It took around 100 books before I was truly convinced reading had deep value, and I doubt many in my generation would fully agree.

Because we, Gen Z, are the first "digital natives." Most of our brain development occurred after the creation of the internet, the invention of the smartphone, and the "Great Rewiring." For us, reading books never had the same pull as being online, which is much more stimulating, especially for younger minds.

While beliefs about the dangers of social media and smartphones aren't as widespread among Gen Zers, I do see the trend growing. More of my friends are at least aware of the dangers of endless doomscrolling and news from the internet, even if they aren't yet letting it shift their behavior. Awareness is step 1 in enacting change, so there is still hope.

If you are a couple decades my senior, have a little faith in us. Think about how different your childhood would've been with endless video content and high-speed internet. We are doing our best.

Two books helped me write this article: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman and The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.

The former (written in 1985) highlights the dangers of television as the sole medium of learning. Postman argues that television can only ever be entertainment (even documentaries and "educational" shows like Sesame Street). Postman believes the push from learning through books to learning via television for has turned education into entertainment.

In The Anxious Generation, Haidt lays out mounds of evidence that a "Great Rewiring" took place in children's minds between 2010-2015 due to the triple-threat introduction of smartphones, social media, and high-speed internet in the pockets of kids as young as 10. Haidt discusses the implications on mental health and performance and possible parenting/regulatory solutions to help combat a "phone-based childhood".