How Reading Made Us: 1. How Reading Made Our Brains

Deep reading is a foundational cognitive process that has historically shaped human culture, democracy, and individual thought, yet it faces a significant decline in the digital age. Literacy requires a complex reorganization of the brain, creating neural circuits that support critical analysis and empathy—capacities that are increasingly threatened by the passive, fragmented consumption of short-form digital content. Data from the OECD and the American Time Use Survey reveal a sharp, global decrease in daily reading and concentration levels since 2010, coinciding with the ubiquity of smartphones. Cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf and data reporter John Burn-Murdoch highlight that while human brains remain plastic, the shift from deep, reflective engagement with print to constant digital distraction risks eroding the very cognitive skills necessary for complex thought and societal innovation.