Recently, there has been a growing concern that students in the U.S. are not reading enough. Questions have been raised about whether students are losing vital critical thinking and intrapersonal skills caused by a lack of reading, either for academic purposes or personal enjoyment.
With the rise of artificial intelligence, both high school and college students are questioning the importance of reading when AI technology can easily provide a five-sentence summary for any book assigned in a class and social media is also an easy distraction.
Students at Illinois Wesleyan are no exception to the shift in reading habits. IWU student Leah Killion said she enjoys reading for pleasure but that she finds it difficult to sit down and read without reaching for her phone.
“Before I was on social media, I read more than I was on my phone, but now that I have access to quick and easy dopamine hits in my pocket at generally all times, reading has fallen into the back.” Killion said.
Killion’s statement on how social media has affected her reading is not unique. Many students expressed the same viewpoint that social media has damaged their ability to spend any significant time reading despite their desire to. But strong reading comprehension is vital to avoid being influenced by disinformation and to safely navigate social media.
Multiple IWU students explained that reading was beneficial in helping them relax. One IWU student expressed that they genuinely enjoyed reading to “unwind” and “cope with stress” but that they feel conflicted when they spend time reading for pleasure, rather than doing homework. Most college students struggle to find time to read for their personal interests, let alone finish readings for class, but they may be putting themselves in a perilous position for their future.
Reading, especially fiction, places the reader inside the mind of another person, fostering empathy in the process. It strengthens people’s ability to understand human emotions and exercise critical thinking skills.
These skills acquired by reading books allow people to see through fallacies, sift through false narratives presented on social media and become stronger writers.
But alarmingly, a student’s ability to read a book cover to cover is becoming more uncommon. This may be due to the changing of high school reading requirements, alongside the effects of social media and AI.
Fewer high schools are requiring students to read novels in their entirety. Many assign short stories or excerpts instead, which leaves students unequipped for a heavier reading load for college courses.
It is important that students attempt to truly understand what they are reading without relying on AI to sharpen critical thinking skills they can carry into their future careers.
Aside from shifts in student reading habits, social changes are also occurring regarding literature. There has been a growing attitude of anti-intellectualism due to the wider political climate.
This attitude has affected students with shortened attention spans who now struggle to see the importance of reading because of social narratives that encourage the use of AI summaries for efficiency.
Despite the growing popularity of these beliefs, books are more important than ever. It is critical that students continue to read books to obtain a deeper understanding of human emotions and experiences they may not relate to or identify within themselves and to gain attributes beneficial for future careers.
