I don’t disagree that the decline is there and that TikTok is really bad influence, but I also think reading has moved to online writing since books offer a much slower feedback mechanism (especially if others around you are not reading them). Books offered much more than not having information to those with initiative or enough push by educators. Now information is a lot more abundant and has faster (not necessarily better) delivery methods that don’t need involve cost before getting it. The problem with free is that it’s also likely influenced / paid by others. Social Media speeds up the delivery so much with visuals and audio that everything else seems far less attractive. The lazy consumer what’s easy and emotionally entertaining. Those who have more rigor and also enjoy faster flow, may get audiobooks and listen to them T 2x speed. Yet others now use AI to drill into areas that would take a lifetime of hunting down hard to find books. Information is more liquid now. The key is ensuring smart people know how to get what is real and helpful vs stuff that just showers them if they are lazy.