Why Have We Stopped Reading?

I used to consider myself a reader. From elementary school to the completion of my professional career, I went to the library to rent a book to read in my free time. I would then read the back cover and take the book with me if it interested me. Even if it had negative reviews on the internet or halfway through found it boring, I didn’t stop reading until I finished it.

However, in recent years my reading hobby has been in decline. I don’t read the number of novels I previously did. I was acquiring new responsibilities and hobbies, which is understandable, but something bothered me. I expressed my dismay to family, friends, and co-workers, only to realize that most shared the same consternation. Many of us experience the same dilemma; thus, I wondered: Why have we stopped reading? 

In the United States, opinions regarding reading habits are mixed. While some claim that it is still a very popular hobby, others say that the constant use of technology has caused it to decline nowadays. However, there’s a reason it’s harder for me to read: my reduced attention span due to the constant use of technology.

Should we blame the rise of technology?

We can all choose how much to use our technological devices and implement measures such as timers that close applications after a specific time or avoid checking our cell phones frequently. Our devices only notify us; we are the ones who are distracted by these messages. A study conducted by Maxi Heitmayer found that users initiate 89% of smartphone interactions, and notifications comprise the other 11%.

“The mania of our online lives reveals this: we keep swiping and swiping through our cell phones because we are never completely satisfied,” comments Andrew Sullivan in his article, which reflects on how technology has transformed our lives. Too many mechanisms have been invented to keep us hooked, like the infinite scroll or the algorithms that track our tastes, making it difficult to stop looking at our screens. According to Electronics Hub, the global average time a person watches their cell phone screens daily is six hours and 37 minutes.

Yet, the information we receive comprises short articles or one-minute videos (maximum) piling up sequentially, causing us to lose track of time. We think we will take a five-minute break to look at this material when a half hour passes without realizing it. We could spend this lost time reading a book or doing another activity.

Technological interruptions never cease and have no schedule, so our brain, which has become accustomed to the habits of the digital age, causes our attention to focus in much shorter intervals, which prevents us from deep concentration. It doesn’t help that multitasking is the norm today, and reading is an activity that requires full attention for good reading comprehension.

Also, it is not surprising that information saturation increasingly reduces our attention. In her book, Gloria Mark claims that in 2023, people’s attention span is 75 seconds, but people can give their full attention to a screen for 47 seconds. Additionally, distractions from diligent work can require up to 25 minutes to refocus on what you were initially doing.

Our patience has also been affected, especially among the new generations. For example, creating a school report previously meant going to the library, finding the book on the topic of interest, and reading even complete chapters to obtain the desired information. Now the information we seek is at our fingertips in seconds; if we do not find it on the first page of Google, we panic. Consequently, reading books that do not captivate you during the first pages is unmotivating, which can discourage reading; so it becomes easier to switch to another activity. The algorithms in social networks track our preferences in such a meticulous way that getting hooked is extremely easy, especially when we consume small doses of information that keep us entertained, and if it’s boring, changing the topic is easy by scrolling down.

How we read has also changed, but it is more noticeable when we read digitally. While scanning is a great strategy to find information quickly, it prevents the comprehensive understanding of a text; yet, this technique has permeated how information is consumed digitally. In this world oversaturated with information, we want to get to the heart of whatever we consume; we do not have time to read ornate paragraphs or introductions.

Another notable factor is the popularity of streaming television series and movies on many streaming platforms. People find it more comfortable to subscribe one month to a streaming platform with an infinite catalog than pay the same amount for a single book that may not be to their liking and that they would rarely read again.

Here are some tips to get back to reading

Our brain has been affected by the constant use of technology, so our attention span is divided and is much shorter. Reading requires deep thinking and continuous concentration to absorb all the information. Here are some tips to help you gain back (or start building) your reading habit:

• Read short stories: Starting a long book can be overwhelming. Some short stories can be finished in one sitting, and these can stimulate your appetite to read something longer.
• Set aside a space for reading in your agenda: You can start reading 15 minutes a day and increase the time to get used to reading again. 
• Start a reading journal: After each reading session, write in a notebook what you liked the most, what you understood about the text, or what you want in your book. This is also a way to train continuous attention and confirm reading comprehension.
• Discussions with loved ones: Doing activities together with family and friends can stimulate each other’s motivation. Create a book club to discuss and reflect on a book everyone wants to read.

Reading benefits our minds and helps expand our knowledge and imagination. Technology is not our enemy; it can be an excellent tool for finding book recommendations; we just need to use it responsibly.

Having researched this article, I am much more aware of the time I spend using my smartphone. I must make space for reading, a daily activity during my years at school, which I want to incorporate again into my life. If you have the same dissatisfaction as me, I hope this article helps you get back into the habit of reading. Above all, I appreciate your attention to getting to the bottom of this text!

Translation by Daniel Wetta

Mariana Sofía Jiménez Nájera

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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0