Originally published at crisis magazine
First Things editor Mark Bauerlein spoke September 12 at Belmont House, in Washington, D.C., about his latest book, The Dumbest Generation Grows Up, the sequel to his 2008 Dumbest Generation. Both books are about the consequences of letting a generation come of age on screens. The earlier book warned against potential effects; the latest examines what happens when that generation crosses the line into what should be chronological adulthood.
Readers can delve into Bauerlein’s books to digest the full range of problems the screened generation faces. I’ll limit myself to three.
First, screen dependency decimated reading and, consequently, knowledge skills. Screen-based learning was originally touted as a way to tailor education to an individual child’s interests and levels, but—especially after the Covid lockdown—it has become apparent that putting the libraries of the world at the click of a button has not elevated the literacy or cultural levels of young people.
Orthodox. Faithful. Free.
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