The Death of Reading

Journalist James Marriott argues that society's abandonment of reading threatens democracy and reverses Enlightenment gains. He and host Russ Roberts trace the history of literacy from ancient Mesopotamia through the 18th-century Reading Revolution, debating whether reading underwrites rational politics. They also explore the Republic of Letters' role in the Industrial Revolution, compare the abilities of books and movies to convey complexity, and conclude with the analogy that informational junk food may spur intentional reading as a mental workout.