Derek Thompson

When I write something on a note, it acts as an extension of my memory. And this allows for more complex and analytical thought. It's amazing and incredible to me that ancient storytellers could memorize the Iliad or the Odyssey, but you simply could not, say, invent calculus or quantum mechanics. without writing stuff down from time to time.

When I write something on a note, it acts as an extension of my memory. And this allows for more complex and analytical thought. It's amazing and incredible to me that ancient storytellers could memorize the Iliad or the Odyssey, but you simply could not, say, invent calculus or quantum mechanics. without writing stuff down from time to time.

And even by some miracle, if you did, if Isaac Newton did like just think of calculus in his head, he would have to explain it in a story to someone who would explain it in a story to someone. And you would have to pass down this incredibly complex system of thought across generations.

And even by some miracle, if you did, if Isaac Newton did like just think of calculus in his head, he would have to explain it in a story to someone who would explain it in a story to someone. And you would have to pass down this incredibly complex system of thought across generations.

And even by some miracle, if you did, if Isaac Newton did like just think of calculus in his head, he would have to explain it in a story to someone who would explain it in a story to someone. And you would have to pass down this incredibly complex system of thought across generations.

The Bloomberg writer and podcaster Joe Weisenthal has written several wonderful riffs over the last few years about what he sees as this shift today from written culture to oral culture. He's called it the biggest story of our time.

The Bloomberg writer and podcaster Joe Weisenthal has written several wonderful riffs over the last few years about what he sees as this shift today from written culture to oral culture. He's called it the biggest story of our time.

The Bloomberg writer and podcaster Joe Weisenthal has written several wonderful riffs over the last few years about what he sees as this shift today from written culture to oral culture. He's called it the biggest story of our time.

Quote, many of the things that modern institutions are built on, formal logic, reasoning, examining the evidence, are downstream of the ability to contemplate the written word. End quote. Today, however, Joe thinks we're completely rewiring the logic engine of the human brain.

Quote, many of the things that modern institutions are built on, formal logic, reasoning, examining the evidence, are downstream of the ability to contemplate the written word. End quote. Today, however, Joe thinks we're completely rewiring the logic engine of the human brain.

Quote, many of the things that modern institutions are built on, formal logic, reasoning, examining the evidence, are downstream of the ability to contemplate the written word. End quote. Today, however, Joe thinks we're completely rewiring the logic engine of the human brain.

And the decline of reading in America, while surely not the whole of this phenomenon, is, I think, an important part of it. Today, we have two conversations, one with a journalist and one with an academic. First, Atlantic staff writer Rose Horowitz shares her reporting on the decline of reading at elite college campuses.

And the decline of reading in America, while surely not the whole of this phenomenon, is, I think, an important part of it. Today, we have two conversations, one with a journalist and one with an academic. First, Atlantic staff writer Rose Horowitz shares her reporting on the decline of reading at elite college campuses.

And the decline of reading in America, while surely not the whole of this phenomenon, is, I think, an important part of it. Today, we have two conversations, one with a journalist and one with an academic. First, Atlantic staff writer Rose Horowitz shares her reporting on the decline of reading at elite college campuses.

And second, Nat Malkus of the American Enterprise Institute tells us about the alarming decline in literacy across our entire student population and even among adults. And then with Rose and with Nat, we discuss what it all means. What do we lose when we lose deep reading? I'm Derek Thompson. This is Plain English. Rose Horowitz, welcome to the show.

And second, Nat Malkus of the American Enterprise Institute tells us about the alarming decline in literacy across our entire student population and even among adults. And then with Rose and with Nat, we discuss what it all means. What do we lose when we lose deep reading? I'm Derek Thompson. This is Plain English. Rose Horowitz, welcome to the show.

And second, Nat Malkus of the American Enterprise Institute tells us about the alarming decline in literacy across our entire student population and even among adults. And then with Rose and with Nat, we discuss what it all means. What do we lose when we lose deep reading? I'm Derek Thompson. This is Plain English. Rose Horowitz, welcome to the show.

Your essay in The Atlantic magazine was entitled The Elite College Students Who Can't Read Books. And it begins with Nicholas Dames, who has taught the Great Books course at Columbia University for decades. Several years ago, he had an experience that he described to you as jaw-dropping. What happened?

Your essay in The Atlantic magazine was entitled The Elite College Students Who Can't Read Books. And it begins with Nicholas Dames, who has taught the Great Books course at Columbia University for decades. Several years ago, he had an experience that he described to you as jaw-dropping. What happened?

Your essay in The Atlantic magazine was entitled The Elite College Students Who Can't Read Books. And it begins with Nicholas Dames, who has taught the Great Books course at Columbia University for decades. Several years ago, he had an experience that he described to you as jaw-dropping. What happened?