Text is king

The "death of reading" thesis—the idea that digital technology is destroying our capacity for complex thought—is largely unsupported by current data. While screen time has increased, book sales remain robust and independent bookstores are thriving. Human desires are complex and multi-dimensional, meaning that while digital content provides cheap, immediate gratification, it cannot replace the unique cognitive expansion and intellectual depth found in reading. Text remains the foundational medium for long-lived movements and serious intellectual work because it allows for the precise, durable encoding of ideas. Even as society becomes more recorded through photos and videos, the written word retains a unique power to shape culture and influence history. Ultimately, the enduring human hunger for deep engagement ensures that text will continue to serve as the primary vehicle for human knowledge and progress.