# Modern Society Is Becoming Illiterate

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4YY9OQoNY
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/7e4YY9OQoNY
Generated: 2025-10-25T10:33:15.4+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The decline of reading among US teenagers, evidenced by data showing those who read 'almost every day' dropping significantly while those who read 'hardly ever' increase, is linked to the rise of smartphones and short-form digital content, threatening the rational, critical thinking skills essential for a functioning modern democracy, according to James Marriott's analysis.

**Key Points:**
- The percentage of US teenagers who read almost every day in their leisure time dropped sharply between 1985 and 2020, while those who read hardly ever increased dramatically, as shown in an FT graphic (00:34).
- James Marriott argues that this decline in reading correlates with falling global PISA test scores in math, reading, and science since 2012 (00:43).
- The print-based world fostered orderly, logical reasoning, requiring skills like classifying and inference-making, which are undermined by the short-form, emotionally driven content of smartphones and TikTok (01:25, 02:07).
- Marriott suggests that modern society risks running on the 'intellectual apparatus of a pre-literate society' if reading skills decline further (02:11).
- While smartphones provide access to more information, the format privileges emotional appeals, rage, and fear over the rational, structured arguments found in long-form print (04:09, 08:58).
- Michael Walker notes that even before smartphones, moral panics existed around TV, but the current situation is different because smartphones are constantly accessible and addictive (04:08, 17:20).
- The solution proposed is not to eliminate technology but to actively cultivate the critical thinking skills traditionally fostered by reading long-form texts (17:14, 18:43).

![Screenshot at 00:34: A chart from the Financial Times illustrating the sharp decline in US teenagers reading 'almost every day' since the 1980s, crossing paths with the rising trend of those reading 'hardly ever'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-00-34.png)

**Context:** This discussion features Michael Walker interviewing James Marriott, a Times columnist and Substack writer, about Marriott's recent article, 'The dawn of the post-literate society and the end of civilisation.' The core concept revolves around the idea that the shift from reading long-form print to consuming short-form digital content (like TikTok videos) is eroding the rational and analytical skills necessary for maintaining a healthy democracy and society.

## Detailed Analysis

The conversation centers on James Marriott's thesis that modern society is experiencing a decline in literacy, primarily driven by the ubiquitous use of smartphones and short-form digital media, which he argues erodes the capacity for rational, deep thought cultivated by reading long-form print. Marriott cites data showing a dramatic drop in US teenagers reading frequently since the mid-1980s, coinciding with a dip in global PISA scores. He references media theorist Neil Postman, noting that the orderly, logical structure of print fostered critical skills like inference-making, which are antithetical to the emotional, rage-driven, and short-attention-span nature of social media content. Michael Walker acknowledges that past media (like TV) caused similar panics, but argues the constant accessibility of smartphones makes the current situation more pervasive and damaging. Marriott further notes that while information is democratized, the current digital environment prioritizes emotional appeals and algorithmic promotion of sensational content over reasoned debate, potentially leading to a society governed by irrationality, which he suggests is already visible in contemporary political discourse. He concludes that while returning to a pre-print era is impossible, actively cultivating the rational skills derived from reading long texts remains crucial for societal health.

### Teen Reading Trends

- Decline in 'Almost Every Day' reading among US teens since 1985
- Rise of 'Hardly Ever' readers tracking near 50% by 2020
- Correlation with declining PISA scores since 2012

### The Argument for Print

- Print fosters orderly, logical knowledge classification and inference-making (Postman quote)
- Digital media promotes emotional, sensational, and non-linear thinking (TikTok/short videos)

### Societal Impact

- Risk of running advanced civilization with 'pre-literate' intellectual apparatus
- Erosion of rational political discourse and tolerance
- Digital media algorithms favor rage and fear over reason

### Historical Context

- Pre-smartphone moral panics existed (e.g., TV), but the current crisis is exacerbated by constant, portable access to addictive content
- The shift from the Printing Revolution to the Digital Revolution

### Counterarguments/Nuance

- Acknowledging that many excellent podcasts and Substack writers still exist
- The fact that many people still value reading, even if it's a minority activity

### Personal Experience & Conclusion

- Marriott admits to being pessimistic about the trend
- Walker notes his own profession (YouTuber) relies on digital media, creating a paradox
- The solution involves actively encouraging deeper engagement with complex texts.

![Screenshot at 00:01: Michael Walker introduces the topic by holding up a smartphone, referring to it as an 'addictive demon'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-00-01.png)
![Screenshot at 00:24: Text overlay displaying the title of James Marriott's article: 'The dawn of the post-literate society And the end of civilisation'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-00-24.png)
![Screenshot at 00:34: FT graphic showing US teenagers' leisure reading habits: 'Almost every day' reading declines while 'Hardly ever' reading rises steeply.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-00-34.png)
![Screenshot at 00:43: Chart showing Global PISA test scores in decline across Math, Reading, and Science since around 2010-2012.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-00-43.png)
![Screenshot at 01:25: Text overlay showing a quote from media theorist Neil Postman emphasizing that engaging with the written word requires powers of classifying, inference-making, and reasoning.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-01-25.png)
![Screenshot at 02:11: Quote overlay stating the core concern: 'We may be about to find out that it is not possible to run the most advanced civilisation in the history of the planet with the intellectual apparatus of a pre-literate society.'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-02-11.png)
![Screenshot at 04:00: James Marriott gestures emphatically while explaining the difference between persuasive techniques in long-form writing versus short digital media.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-04-00.png)
![Screenshot at 09:59: James Marriott gesturing broadly, arguing that the structure of digital content bypasses rational argument in favor of emotional appeals.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-09-59.png)
![Screenshot at 11:13: James Marriott using his hands to illustrate how print shaped public discourse by demanding logical engagement, unlike modern media.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-11-13.png)
![Screenshot at 18:38: Michael Walker discussing the societal impact, contrasting his own experience consuming long-form content while walking his dogs with the current environment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/7e4YY9OQoNY/00-18-38.png)