The Next Big Idea Reading Rewired the Human Brain. What Happens If We Stop Doing It?
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Dec 28, 2025 
Cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf, author of "Proust and the Squid," explores the profound impact of reading on our brains and society. She argues that deep reading enhances critical thinking and empathy while warning against the pitfalls of digital skimming. Wolf shares her personal struggle to regain immersive reading habits and emphasizes the importance of biliteracy—balancing print and digital literacy. They also discuss how novels enrich our understanding of others' perspectives, urging listeners to cultivate a space for reflection in their reading lives.
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Literacy Rewires Minds And Societies
- Literacy rewires individual brains and, cumulatively, reshapes how societies think and function.
- Preserving deep reading is essential to maintain our best processes of thinking as media evolve.
Deep Reading Creates Critical Thought
- Deep reading builds neural networks linking visual, linguistic, cognitive, and affective areas for inference and critical analysis.
- These processes enable readers to judge truth, detect misinformation, and practice civic empathy.
Reading As Resistance In A Noisy World
- Reading demands a special kind of silence and cognitive patience that digital life increasingly erodes.
- Choosing to read long works can function as an act of resistance to distraction.