The Ezra Klein Show
Best Of: This Is Your Brain on Deep Reading. It’s Pretty Magnificent.
User's personalized AI podcast notes AI-generated based on their snips
AI-generated based on their snips
1. Many people are barely skimming the surface of what they read, resulting in less consolidation in memory. The process of reading is just as important as the content being read. Plasticity plays a role in how we read and the levels of attention we bring.
2. Plasticity of reading is influenced by the medium and educational background. How we read on a medium affects what we understand. Digital screens offer exciting affordances.
3. The shift to reading on screens has led to a habit of skimming. The mindset of reading on screens influences how we read print. Reading can shape our thinking and inner landscape.
4. There is a state of deep focus and expansive thinking that can be accessed through uninterrupted reading. This state is associated with plane flights where there are no distractions. In this state, the reader can gain flashes of insight and unlock new perspectives. The experience is described as meditative and epiphanic. The speaker expresses a desire to prioritize and engage in uninterrupted reading more often.
5. The speaker associates a specific state with plane flights where they can read without distraction. This state is characterized by focus on the text and expansive, associational thinking. Flashes of insight in this state can unlock problems and generate new ideas. The speaker recognizes the value of this state but struggles to prioritize it in their daily life.
6. A good society consists of three essential lives: productivity, leisure, and reflection. The contemplative life is often overlooked but is crucial for gaining insight. Insightful experiences activate different regions of the brain and form new connections. Reading is a valuable tool for both personal reflection and communication with others.
7. Having lifted the constraint on what we can know and share doesn't guarantee economic growth or societal advancement. Despite increased access to information, economic growth and societal wisdom have not accelerated. Increased connectivity and quantity of knowledge have not translated into civilization-wide betterment. The ability to reflect upon and develop insights upon information has been reduced. Passing on our best thoughts and making meaningful connections with information has declined at a wide scale.
8. Training our minds away from cognitive patience is a real concern in society. The novelty bias is a reflex that dates back to our hunter-gatherer days. The novelty reflex is being hyperstimulated from infancy. Children can become complete victims to the novelty reflex. Distractibility and hyperstimulation are major concerns for pediatric experts.
9. The former head of FTX's crypto exchange believes books should be shorter and more concise. The value of a book may be diminished by the time spent reading it. We should focus more on the states of mind and cognitive processes we engage in. Contemplation is more important than mere information or facts.
10. The affective aspect of reading is important. Feelings elicited by an author are a form of knowledge. Heart and brain are both needed in reading. Reading can provide insight and an inter-sanctuary.
11. Centering one's thinking can help prepare for the day ahead. Finding a way to disconnect from work through imagination is important, whether it be through films or novels. Ending the day with reading can be a good way to unwind and avoid excessive screen time.
12. Managers should take time for themselves to reflect on who they are and their best selves. Finding a secret place or corner of the day to refine oneself is important. Engaging in activities like reading or listening to music can help in remembering one's true self. Individual differences exist in how people find their apex of reflection and self-discovery.
13. Children can learn programming and coding alongside reading, but it is important for deep reading processes and critical analysis to be taught as well. Tommy Cut Sear from Israel combines literacy and empathy in her program called Islands of Understanding.
