With so many things taking our time and attention, namely screens, it’s no wonder that no one is reading anymore. Or, let’s just say that these are the repercussions of instant, cheap entertainment.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 54% of U.S. adults (over 130 million people) read below a 6th-grade level. - The Policy Circle
I was at one time a habitual reader. Starting from the age of 8, books were my second source of entertainment other than playing outside until the street lights came on. I thrived and lived in books. And I believe books are what shaped my imaginative mind.
Fast forward to 2026, I’m 35, and read nowhere as near as I used to as a kid. Life did get in the way, but our world changed. I filled my time with screens.
I’m now stepping back, recognizing the harm, and reclaiming my attention for the sake of my brain health. I’ve also recognized that not only did my reading skills weaken, but also my literacy and writing skills. I am, in fact, like you. I want to strengthen what used to be strong. I’m no longer letting Big Tech siphon my attention and time. Our brain health and attention are precious commodities that they shouldn’t have easy access to. And not only do they have easy access to them, but they are abusing them for their capitalist benefit.
If you, like myself, feel like your brain isn’t quit snapping like it used to or are struggling to even pick up a book and read, then you’re in the right place. This newsletter is not for those who are already guided in the practice of reading, but it’s for those who don’t know how to start.
The Sunday Dispatch
Every week, I will put together three non-mainstream reads to nourish a different part of your mind. These reads will help you get jump-started on your cognitive health journey.
To Cultivate Empathy | The Human Experience
“The Psychologist Carl Rogers and the Art of Active Listening” by M M Owen (Published in Aeon)
The attention economy has profoundly affected people’s behavior. Everyone wants to talk, but no one wants to listen. This essay is about how true empathy requires us to be intentionally quiet. It offers a powerful reminder of what happens when we speak impatiently and how to hold space for another person's story and voice.
To Spark Imagination | Curiosity & Ideas
Frontispiece to William C. Barnes, Joseph McCann, and Alexander Duguid’s A Collation of Facts Related to Fast Typesetting (1887) — Source. Twilight of the Velocipede (The Public Domain Review)
This read gives you an interesting look at the 19th-century craze and panic surrounding early bicycles. Reading this opened my eyes to how we are also reacting to the advancements of AI. You see how people back then also reacted to rapid technological shifts, and it offers a surprising, mind-expanding mirror for how we process AI today.
To Elevate Literary Skill | Prose & Craft
In Praise of the Long and Complicated Sentence (Literary Hub)
A masterclass on cadence and sentence architecture. It demonstrates how great prose works like music, showing you how to read (and write) expansive sentences that stretch your attention span without losing clarity.
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Before You Go
I challenge you to close your tabs, put your phone in another room, and pick one of these article/essays to read for the next hour.
And when you’re finished, leave a comment below or share one idea, sentence, or detail that stood out to you most.
Until next Sunday,
Rizzy from PushToRead