Why We Might Be The Last Generation That Reads

Will we be the last generation that reads? The data suggests we're moving toward a post-literate society. As reading declines and AI makes it easier than ever to summarize, interpret, and think on our behalf, we're beginning to outsource more than just information retrieval. We're outsourcing cognitive effort itself. In this episode, I unpack why reading has been so important to human development, how our relationship with knowledge has changed over time, why AI raises the stakes, and what we can do to preserve the skills that matter most in an increasingly intelligent world. Chapters: 0:00 – Why we might be the last generation that reads1:00 – What reading does to the brain3:55 – The data behind the decline in reading and literacy7:00 – AI, cognitive offloading, and the path to a post-literate society11:45 – We've faced this kind of technological shift before16:00 – The Great Cognitive Divide19:30 – How to use AI without outsourcing your thinking22:00 – Why cognitive friction may become our most valuable skill Listen to the show on other platforms:Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/ Follow my work here:Website: https://www.sineadbovell.comSubstack: https://sineadbovell.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sineadbovellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadbovellX: https://x.com/sineadbovellYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sineadbovell