Doomscrolling ourselves to death (edwest.co.uk)

Article summary

The article discusses the decline of literacy and its potential consequences on society, citing the rise of television and smartphones as contributing factors. The author references James Marriott's book, The New Dark Ages, which explores the decline of literacy and its effects on public discourse and intelligence. The article also touches on the impact of social media and AI on learning and literacy. The decline of literacy is seen as a reversal of the Enlightenment and a potential threat to democratic societies.

Main themes

• decline of literacy
• impact of technology
• critical thinking
• education
• public discourse
• democratic societies
• information quality
• learning and growth

What commenters say

• The decline of literacy is a real and pressing issue that affects not only individuals but also society as a whole.
• The rise of new technologies and media is not necessarily a cause for concern, as they can also provide new opportunities for learning and growth.
• The issue is not just about literacy, but also about the quality of content and the ability to discern good from bad information.
• The use of AI and other tools can be both beneficial and detrimental to learning, depending on how they are used.
• The comparison between past and present literacy rates is not always meaningful, as the context and circumstances have changed significantly.
• The potential benefits of new technologies and media are often overstated, and their actual impact on education and literacy is still unclear.
• The decline of literacy is a complex issue that cannot be attributed to a single cause, but rather to a combination of factors.
• The importance of literacy and critical thinking is not diminished by the rise of new technologies and media, but rather underscored by the need to navigate and evaluate the vast amounts of information available.