The Changing Landscape of College Reading
Back in 2011, I had the opportunity to teach a college course centered on the significance and value of work. This was a general-education class, typically viewed by students as a hurdle to jump over before delving into their major fields of study. Many of my students were not particularly enthusiastic readers, and the demands of their jobs often limited their time for academic pursuits.
I assigned a total of nine books, fully aware that this was a tall order. Nevertheless, my students rose to the challenge magnificently. The majority excelled in their reading quizzes on classics such as Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” and Plato’s “The Republic”. Our classroom discussions were vibrant and engaging, with our desks arranged in a circle that fostered open dialogue.
Fast forward 13 years, during which we’ve navigated a global pandemic and witnessed the rise of generative A.I., and that ambitious reading list now appears not only daunting but almost impractical. In the past four years, I have refrained from assigning an entire book to my students.
Across the nation, college educators are reporting a significant decline in students’ motivation and capacity to engage in independent reading. In response, many instructors are adjusting their methods by assigning less reading material and allowing students to complete readings during class time.
While it’s easy to lament the loss of a reliable avenue for learning and enjoyment through reading, I am beginning to realize that students who opt not to read may be making a rational choice based on the professional landscape that society has laid out for them. In this contemporary vision, productivity often appears to be detached from traditional labor, and compensation seems increasingly unrelated to individual talent or effort.
For years, students have been led to believe that the primary purpose of college is to prepare them for careers, often sidelining the intrinsic value of learning itself. The process of deciphering an author’s argument may not equip students with the skills they need to succeed in an economy that seems to thrive on “vibes” rather than substance.
Recent advertisements for Apple Intelligence, an A.I. feature, make this perspective unmistakably clear. In one particularly striking ad, actress Bella Ramsey utilizes artificial intelligence to compensate for her lack of preparation in reading a pitch email from her agent. The project is approved, seemingly without question. But does the quality of the project matter? In this new paradigm, it appears it does not; what matters is the perception, as the “vibes” will ultimately dictate outcomes.
