Posted on January 30, 2026 by jamesq

This applies to all of us in the great unwashed – not so much the country’s leaders. Among the general population, the right and left have a great deal in common. Start with ignorance. Reading is a waning activity.

86% of Americans now get their news digitally, with only 7% relying on print newspapers.

Over 50% of adults get news from social platforms like Facebook or YouTube, where the “reading” involved is often limited to headlines or short captions rather than full articles. The proportion of U.S. adults who read for pleasure daily dropped by 40% between 2003 and 2023. Engagement fell from roughly 28% of the population in 2004 to just 16% in 2023. Continue reading →