The future of reading

This New Yorker piece by Caleb Crain looks at the past, present and future of reading, including some interesting observations of the effect of reading upon cognitive development, thinking patterns, etc. Although it wanders around a bit, it is well worth reading.

Buried amidst the other facts and figures of this piece is a reference to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Among other things, this study concluded that only 13% of American adults studied were "proficient" at reading prose, which included being able to perform the following "sample tasks"

-comparing viewpoints in two editorials
-interpreting a table about blood pressure, age, and physical activity
-computing and comparing the cost per ounce of food items

(see actual study here).

So let's get down to brass tacks. We're not talking about complex linear equations or distilling Dante or speaking six languages. We're talking about being able to read two editorials and compare/contrast the viewpoints presented. And apparently only a little better than one in ten Americans can do this. One in ten.

This explains a bit doesn't it? We gnash our teeth when we elect dolts, wingnuts and imbeciles, when we reject fact-based claims of reality in favor of fantastic superstitions, etc. etc. But if it's true that only in 1 in 10 of can compared two editorials, what on earth can we expect? After learning this I half expect to see Beavis and Butthead elected as governors in the near future...