Are Screens Robbing Us of Our Capacity for Deep Reading? Legacy is What You Put In Motion: Everyday Legacy

Are Screens Robbing Us of Our Capacity for Deep Reading? Legacy is What You Put In Motion: Everyday Legacy

The proportion of Americans who read books for pleasure is now at its lowest level ever recorded. The decline in reading for pleasure is particularly evident among men, with a 40 percent decrease, and women, with a 29 percent decrease, between 2004 and 2017. This decline in reading can be attributed, in part, to the rise of screens and constant distractions in our culture.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in his research on flow, has found that reading a book is one of the simplest and most common forms of flow that people experience in their lives. However, with the prevalence of screens, this form of deep reading is being choked off. When we read on screens, we are more likely to scan and skim, rapidly extracting the information we need. This style of reading starts to influence how we read on paper as well, diminishing our ability to engage in deep reading.

Anne, in her studies, has conducted experiments where participants are split into two groups, one given information in a printed book and the other given the same information on a screen. The results show that people understand and remember less of what they absorb on screens. This leads to a spiral effect - as we transition from books to screens, we lose the capacity for deep reading that books provide, making us less likely to read books in the first place.

Every time a new medium comes along, it changes the way we see the world. McLuhan argued that each medium carries its own message, shaping how we perceive and interact with reality. However, the idea that these mediums have inherent messages is flawed. The world is complex, and to truly understand it, we need to focus and think deeply. Very few things worth saying can be explained in 280 characters or less. We must think for ourselves and not solely rely on the shallow nature of social media platforms.

In the pursuit of deep understanding, there are three actionable pieces of advice we can follow:

1. Set aside time for deep thinking: Life is complex, and if we want to truly understand it, we need to dedicate time to deep thinking. This means setting aside distractions and allowing ourselves to focus on one thing at a time. By doing so, we can dive deeper into complex ideas and gain a more profound understanding.

2. Embrace the value of deep focus: In a world filled with constant distractions, there is value in leaving behind our other concerns and narrowing our attention to one thing. By focusing sentence after sentence, page after page, we can fully immerse ourselves in the material and absorb its richness and depth.

3. Seek to understand others: It is worth thinking deeply about how other people live and how their minds work. This empathy and understanding of others' perspectives can lead to a more compassionate and connected world. By engaging in deep reading and thought, we can broaden our understanding of different cultures, ideas, and experiences.

Legacy is not something we leave behind; it is what we put in motion through our lives. When we consider the end, we realize that what truly matters is people, not things. Legacy is who we are and how we uplift the lives of others while we are alive. It is a way of living purposefully and investing in the things that will have a lasting impact. By focusing on people and living a noble way of life, we create a legacy that will inspire future generations.

In conclusion, screens may be robbing us of our capacity for deep reading, but by actively setting aside time for deep thinking, embracing the value of focus, and seeking to understand others, we can reclaim the pleasures of deep reading and live a life of everyday legacy.