EPISODE · Sep 24, 2025 · 29 MIN
023: A Defence of Long-Form Reading In Our Distracted Age
from A Mug of Insights
This week, let's get beyond the headline and examine how our relationship to long-form reading has changed, and what we can do to rescue our attention through a digital diet. Sources mentioned in the video: The 2017 estimate of how many words we read daily: https://askwonder.com/research/words-average-smartphone-user-reads-per-day-compared-users-vision-problems-adhd-ntzomu34lThe 2023 study on The Reverse Flynn Effect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289623000156?ref=amugofinsights.org'On Ultra-Processed Content' by Cal Newport: https://calnewport.com/on-ultra-processed-content/?ref=amugofinsights.orgCompanion article for this episode: https://www.amugofinsights.org/how-i-trained-my-attention-to-read-again/Links & Goodies: Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips:https://www.amugofinsights.org/Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes:https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopiconMy classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing:https://www.rcwaldun.com/classesLegal: This episode was produced and published under the imprint of © Literary. Publication. Our design consultant for the show is Victoria Aitken, and the intro/outro music, 'Armchair Expert' was composed and performed under the music project 'The Woods' by © Johnny McFadzean.Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFqWebsite: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What this episode covers
This week, let's get beyond the headline and examine how our relationship to long-form reading has changed, and what we can do to rescue our attention through a digital diet. Sources mentioned in the video: The 2017 estimate of how many words we read daily: https://askwonder.com/research/words-average-smartphone-user-reads-per-day-compared-users-vision-problems-adhd-ntzomu34lThe 2023 study on The Reverse Flynn Effect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289623000156?ref=amugofinsights.org'On Ultra-Processed Content' by Cal Newport: https://calnewport.com/on-ultra-processed-content/?ref=amugofinsights.orgCompanion article for this episode: https://www.amugofinsights.org/how-i-trained-my-attention-to-read-again/Links & Goodies: Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips:https://www.amugofinsights.org/Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes:https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopiconMy classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing:https://www.rcwaldun.com/classesLegal: This episode was produced and published under the imprint of © Literary. Publication. Our design consultant for the show is Victoria Aitken, and the intro/outro music, 'Armchair Expert' was composed and performed under the music project 'The Woods' by © Johnny McFadzean.Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFqWebsite: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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023: A Defence of Long-Form Reading In Our Distracted Age
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