The Tragic Decline of the Book,, By Paul Walker
The decline in traditional book reading among Gen Z isn't proof that the generation is "too dumb" to handle books — far from it. It's more accurate to say that IT and digital technology have fast-tracked the obsolescence of long-form print books in much the same way streaming services and MP3s rendered physical LP records mostly nostalgic relics. Books aren't disappearing because Gen Z lacks intelligence or attention spans; they're being displaced by faster, more efficient, on-demand alternatives that deliver knowledge, stories, and skills without the linear grind of cover-to-cover reading.
Look at the data: Recent surveys show a clear drop in leisure book reading. In 2025, nearly half of Americans didn't read a single book, with the habit down about 40% over the last decade. Gen Z (18-29) averaged just 5.8 books per year, the lowest across generations, while older groups like those 65+ averaged over 12. Studies from Gallup/Walton and the National Literacy Trust highlight that 35% of Gen Z K-12 students dislike reading, and 43% rarely or never read for fun. Daily free-time reading among 8-18-year-olds hit record lows in 2025, down sharply since 2005. College professors report incoming students struggling with full sentences or sustained comprehension in assigned texts, forcing adaptations like shorter excerpts or AI summaries.
But this isn't innate "dumbness." The real driver is the seamless integration of information technology into every aspect of learning and entertainment. Gen Z grew up with smartphones in hand, social media algorithms feeding endless short-form content, and AI tools like ChatGPT providing instant explanations, summaries, and even essay drafts. Why slog through a 500-page textbook when Khan Academy videos, Coursera modules, MIT OpenCourseWare lectures, or interactive simulations explain calculus, physics, or coding in bite-sized, visual chunks? STEM fields have been revolutionised by this: A full university degree in computer science, engineering, or data science is now achievable almost entirely through online platforms — free lectures, coding playgrounds like Replit, virtual labs, and open-source repositories. No dusty tomes required; just tabs, YouTube deep dives, Stack Overflow, and GitHub. The efficiency is undeniable — IT has eliminated the bottleneck of slow, sequential book-based absorption for technical knowledge.
This mirrors the LP analogy perfectly. Vinyl records weren't abandoned because people suddenly couldn't appreciate analogue sound; digital formats (CDs, then streaming) offered convenience, portability, instant access, and vast libraries without physical clutter. Similarly, books for deep, narrative, or humanities-focused learning still hold strong value — English literature, philosophy, history, or complex fiction demand the immersion and nuance that scrolling can't replicate. Classics like Wuthering Heights or Middlemarch remain challenging not because Gen Z is deficient, but because modern education often reduces them to exam fodder via study guides, SparkNotes, or TikTok breakdowns rather than fostering genuine pleasure-reading. The article from The Daily Sceptic (linked below) points out that students can pass lit courses with extracts and AI aids, mirroring how tech shortcuts bypass full engagement. Yet fields like literary analysis, creative writing, or cultural studies continue to thrive on long-form reading — it's where the slow burn of ideas pays off most.
The shift isn't a loss of intellect; it's an adaptation to abundance. Gen Z consumes more "text" than ever — Reddit threads, long Twitter/X essays, subtitles on videos, fanfiction, or interactive web articles — but in fragmented, hyperlinked forms optimised for digital brains. This makes them wizards at quick synthesis and pattern recognition, skills future jobs will prize. The downside? Potential atrophy in sustained focus or deep empathy-building from novels, as some experts warn.
In short, IT hasn't made Gen Z dumber; it's made books optional for many purposes, much like LPs became audiophile luxuries. For STEM mastery, the revolution is complete — no books needed. For the soul-stirring depths of literature? Those still hold out, waiting for anyone willing to unplug and dive in. The generation isn't failing at reading; it's redefining what counts as "reading" in a world where information flows faster than pages can turn.
https://dailysceptic.org/2026/02/13/is-gen-z-really-too-dumb-to-read-books/
