Voice! – is the room for invited writers only. The topic is the value of reading and the consequences of not reading. While the discussion will take all possible perspectives, including individual, societal, and human, the aspects may be historical, philosophical, educational, technological, psychological, scientific, ethical etc. But a discussion posted in Voice will not be allowed to make any political standing at all.

When we all stop to read

Invited Voice/

Robert Mansson

Strategy & Marketing at Readzit

Readzit was founded on a simple but unsettling realization: we all read less and less. This article reflects on what that means and the far-reaching consequences when stop to read!

When we all stop to read

The decline of reading will mean the erosion of critical thinking, imagination, and the cultural fabric that binds generations together. In a few short decades, entire populations will grow up without the mental energy to process complex ideas.

The Collapse of Critical Thinking

Reading trains the mind to evaluate, question, and analyze. If we stop reading, this ability will deteriorate rapidly. Within a generation, the skill to discern truth from misinformation will become rare and replaced by passive acceptance of whatever is most loudly repeated. In workplaces, political debates, and classrooms, shallow opinions will dominate over reasoned arguments. This will make societies easier to manipulate, as propaganda will no longer have to overcome skepticism, it will simply fill the void left by silence.

Without the habit of reading, people will lose the patience to follow a chain of thought from beginning to end. Complex ideas will be dismissed as boring or too difficult. Public conversation will shrink to slogans, memes, and soundbites, while long-form analysis and investigative journalism will fade into obscurity.

From Empathy to Isolation

Books and stories immerse us in experiences far from our own lives. When we deselect books, empathy will erode. We will start to see others not as individuals with unique struggles, but as simplified labels and stereotypes.

Newspapers and magazines help us remain connected to the wider world, giving us context for events, perspectives from other communities, and insight into realities beyond our immediate surroundings. When we deselect daily news, awareness will narrow. Issues will become distant abstractions, easily reduced to headlines, rumors, or soundbites.

This shift will deepen social polarization and ignite broader mistrust between communities. Relationships between nations, religions, and social groups will suffer as cultural understanding collapses.

As the shared human experience found in literature (collective knowledge, understanding, and stories that unite us), fades, so will the emotional intelligence needed for diplomacy, reconciliation, and peace-building. A disconnected society will be more likely to turn inward, closing its borders, both literal and emotional against what it no longer understands.

Economic Growth Depends on Informed People

The economy will not be immune to the death of reading. Industries will face a workforce lacking the analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills that reading develops. Innovation will slow as fewer people can absorb the depth of knowledge needed for scientific breakthroughs or entrepreneurial ventures.

Companies will spend more on basic training, compensating for skills once acquired in school through reading and self-study. Productivity will drop. Nations that phase the biggest decline of reading will see their global competitiveness slip, losing ground to countries that continue to nurture informed, literate citizens. The divide between economic leaders and laggards will widen sharply.

In a few short decades, entire populations will grow up without the mental energy to process complex ideas.

If reading rates decline significantly, we will see:

A weaker workforce lacking problem-solving and communication skills
Intensified competition for qualified candidates that will pushing up their wages
Higher unemployment also in knowledge-driven sectors
Unqualified work will see their wages stagnate or decline.
Less innovation, with fewer patents, startups, or new ideas
A larger gap between rich and poor, as only the educated thrive

A society where reading is rare will be locked out of the future, with generations trapped in cycles of underachievement.

The Rise of a Shallow, Easily Controlled Society

Without access to books, journalism, history, and well-researched information, people will become far more vulnerable to emotional manipulation and fake news. Authoritarian voices will grow louder, using fear and half-truths to manipulate public opinion. Democracy will wither when its citizens can no longer think independently.

Censorship will no longer require burning books. It will simply require convincing people that reading them is not worth the effort. Over time, leaders will face less accountability, as uninformed citizens stop asking questions.

Culture Without Knowledge is Entertainment Without Meaning

Culture will survive without reading, but it will be hollow. Entertainment will thrive, yet it will lose depth and connection to history, philosophy, and ethics. Without the roots of knowledge, art will be increasingly shallow, created to distract rather than to provoke thoughts or inspire change.

When meaning is stripped from culture, the public will be left with a constant churn of trends, each forgotten as quickly as it arrives. We should all remeber that civilizations do not collapse overnight, they decay slowly as their intellectual foundations crumble.

A Dangerous Global Divide

If reading disappears in only a few parts of the world, the divide between nations will grow to be dangerous. Educated societies will continue to advance in science, economics, and governance, while others phase a stagnation. This imbalance will not just be academic, it will decide who leads and who follows on the global stage.

A new class system will emerge, based not on wealth, but on access to knowledge. Those who do not read more deeply will be excluded from high-paying jobs, decision-making positions, and the ability to fully participate in modern life.

Hope Isn’t Lost, Still we have a Choice

We still have a choice. Reading will survive if only individuals commit to keeping it alive and if media, publishers, educators, and society create real incentives and easy access to diverse, engaging texts and stories. Starting with accessible content is essential. It sparks curiosity and drives readers to explore wider and deeper subjects while learning to think critically and draw their own conclusions. This gradual growth is vital for developing focused and sustained reading habits. Whether in print, on screens, or through digital platforms, the key is to build environments that encourage deep attention and meaningful engagement. Both individual dedication and collective action are necessary to safeguard the skills and wisdom upon which our future depends.

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