Critique of Modern Reading Culture and the Decline of Intellectual Depth in Contemporary Books
By
speckx
The kind of bagel that ruins lesser bagels for you.
Summary
The article critiques modern reading culture, arguing that contemporary books lack the intellectual rigor and depth of classical literature. It contrasts today's emphasis on reading quantity over quality with historical practices where reading was a serious intellectual exercise. The author suggests that modern books often prioritize entertainment and accessibility over substantive content, leading to a decline in meaningful reading experiences.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledIt's a symptom of our growing illiteracy that the act of reading is considered an intellectual exercise.
The same sentiment could get you 1M likes on TikTok today. But your great grandfather was reading Cicero in Latin.
This sentiment would be familiar to an Englishman in the 1300s (in fact, 14th century English criminals convicted of manslaughter could avoid hanging by reading a single verse of the Bible).
So why do you even read books? Have you ever thought about it?
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