In a screen saturated age, is literacy under threat?
Jan 17, 2024
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Professor Maryanne Wolf discusses the threat to literacy in a screen-saturated age, emphasizing the importance of deep reading for moral understanding. The conversation explores the connection between literacy, knowledge, and morality in literature and pop music, highlighting the transformative power of engaging deeply with texts. The value of being stopped in your tracks by literature and art is emphasized, advocating for intentional reading practices to nurture attention in a digital world.
Deep reading cultivates moral growth through character immersion and reflection.
Physical books enhance deep engagement by providing spatial memory cues.
Deep dives
Importance of Deep Reading and Attention
Deep reading, as discussed in the podcast, involves immersing oneself in literature to understand characters deeply, fostering moral growth. The significance of attentiveness and patience in reading is highlighted, contrasting with superficial reading habits influenced by screen culture. Through encounters with literature that demand reflection and attention, individuals can develop moral habits and empathy, essential for meaningful engagement with texts.
Literacy as a Spiritual Exercise
The podcast delves into literacy as a spiritual exercise that cultivates moral faculties. Mary Ann Wolf emphasizes the transformative power of deep reading in opening individuals to encounters beyond their ego. Reading, when done thoughtfully, fosters critical analysis, empathy, and cognitive skills, enabling readers to hone their ability to comprehend and infer complex narratives.
Challenges of Digital Consumption Habits
The discussion raises concerns about contemporary digital consumption habits that promote quick, fragmented reading. The rapid pace of digital media hinders deep reading practices, leading to attention deficits and superficial comprehension. Mary Ann Wolf underscores the necessity of intentional and disciplined reading to counteract the erosion of deep reading in a screen-saturated society.
Physicality of Books and Spatial Contributions
The physicality of books is highlighted as enhancing the reading experience by offering spatial memory cues and a tangible connection to the text. The spatial qualities of physical books aid in retaining information and revisiting specific passages, emphasizing the role of material books in fostering deep engagement with literature. The podcast underscores the unique value of physical books in preserving focus and facilitating immersive reading experiences.
Professor Maryanne Wolf joins Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens to discuss whether we are entering an age of widespread moral illiteracy — an incapacity to engage in the processes that make up the habit of deep reading.
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