For many, literature has become alien, intimidating, illegible, rather than a tradition that gives their lives meaning. The general sense is that reading is a waste of time, obscure, difficult, and pointless, a hobby comparable to coin collecting or historical battle reenactment. Reading is not treated as a path to liberty. It is treated as a chore we will be liberated from once AI does our reading for us.

What is driving the decline of reading? It may not be what you think.