The reason the internet can hook us more than a book is that the internet responds to us. If we get tired, we can dumb down our surfing, but dumbing down what you're reading is harder.
Dumbing down doesn't mean "philosophy versus Call of Duty". It just means what's intuitive versus what takes conscious effort. Heck, Call of Duty could demand conscious effort.
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You can't? I find it to be a world of difference between reading a scientific reports and a youth novel for instance. Or some kind of classical literature compared to a comic book.
You can, but not in the moment. You have to pick up a different book to do that and most people don't read more than one book concurrently. So you just put the book down and do something else.
Whereas on the internet, you can very quickly flip to comment threads if you get tired of reading articles.
You can do that when you're reading with a tablet, eReader or Phone
Yes I agree, that's what too often happen to me. Plus I can read a phone without using any hands. But op talked about dumbing down the reading and if they meant the medium, well there's lots of things you can read on the internet as well.
But that would require switching the medium wich again takes conscious effort.
However, I find myself reading 2-3 books for exactly that reason.
Yepp, so as you say this is a question of medium, not reading.
You're right :) what I mean is that the internet demands a couple of keystrokes or a click to change content. A book may require getting up from my chair, or worse, going to a store and waiting a couple of days for them to get the book I want.
A lot of the internet is literally designed to be addictive. Engagement algorithms are a thing that exists.
you can read "dumber" books, but the internet literally responds to you.
Also constant novel content
I see what you did there with the word "novel" 👀
This is more of a comparison between more things vs less things.
This is why I am addicted to Brandon Sanderson's books. The man writes epic fantasy in the simplest style I've ever seen of any author.
Same boat, almost done with the first book in Mistborn trilogy and I know it's gonna get even better.
There is also the "unexpected" or "unknown" and social character of the internet.