How the way you read is affecting your analytical skills and ability to empathise

Having been considered rather old fashioned by my friends for still reading books end to end in physical form and consuming most of my news in print, I am pleased that the research is catching up with what I've long suspected - there are significant benefits to reading in this way that are lost when consuming information in bite sized chunks on digital devices.

It turns out that careful reading of physical material increases our ability for critical analysis and empathy, key skills in todays world. Skim reading and reading on digital devices (which usually ends up being skim reading) does not. I also believe that this loss of discipline around reading has been a significant factor in our reduced ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

The implications for a whole generation of children being brought up reading on digital devices should not be taken lightly .. do you want to be surrounded by people who lack empathy and take everything they read at face value?

I myself often skim read, it's a great way to take in alot of content quickly and has its place, But it is important to be reminded of the benefits of regularly making time to read a book or giving an article your full undivided attention and absorbing every word. A skill that we, and our children, are losing. If you don't use it, you'll lose it.

Read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/25/skim-reading-new-normal-maryanne-wolf