This [^1] is the most conservative article I've read in a while, but I think there's some truth to it and I'd be interested in hearing other's opinions. Well, many of the points mentioned do not resonate such as that the decline in the Flynn effect might be related to cell phones, or that reading creates a more dissident disposition (clearly videos have been quite effective in mobilizing people against genocide for example), or that innovation is declining in the modern world. Perhaps the core that does is as follows:
1. Long-form text is more analytical, more structured, etc.
2. Analytical text produces a enlightened disposition of mind.
3. This enlightened disposition is responsible for a degree of functioning in the western world.
Politically the most interesting question is how this new mode of thought at the dictates of a our material culture might resonate with different policy advocacy and rhetorical tactics. As someone just sort of reforming their political axioms, this is more of interest for personal reasons than political reasons however. I've a tendency not to watch videos, but have lately been watching some videos liked the attached, and some anime, but could it be that avoiding these things is beneficial for the attention span.
There have been studies [^2] which indicate that short-form video has a significant negative impact on attentional functions and self-control. One could see the same being true of long-form video, and short-form text, although likely to lesser degrees.
:[^1]
https://jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-of-the-post-literate-society-aa1:[^2]
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11236742/