The David McWilliams Podcast Are Teenagers Getting Dumber?
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Oct 1, 2026 Why are teenagers losing ground in reading, maths, and concentration? This discussion explores falling PISA scores, the reversal of the Flynn effect, smartphones replacing patient reading, and AI-driven intellectual shortcuts. It also examines grade inflation, softer exams, Ireland’s uneven results, and whether wealthy societies have reached a ceiling in cognitive gains.
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David McWilliams Bans Phones From Lectures
- David McWilliams bans laptops and phones in his economics lectures to protect concentrated attention.
- Students initially react as if losing a limb, but handwritten notes keep them engaged instead of competing with TikTok.
Repetition Makes Difficult Ideas Click
- Learning depends on patience, repetition, and trial and error rather than instant understanding.
- Constant distraction prevents the delayed moment when difficult material finally makes sense.
PISA Scores Show A Lost Year Of Ability
- OECD PISA scores peaked around 2012 and have since declined across maths, reading, and science.
- Fifteen-year-olds now test roughly like fourteen-year-olds did a decade ago, while low performers rose to one in five.
