The Fight Against Zombie Culture: the New Feudalism, Revisited
Why the humanities matter now more than ever
As literacy declines and home ownership grows increasingly out of reach, are we moving towards a new kind of feudal society?
That is the question I posed to readers in one of my earliest essays for The Crossroads Gazette. In it, I explored the historical development of mass literacy alongside our current literacy crisis, in which two-thirds of fourth graders in the United States cannot read with proficiency. As reading scores decline in the U.S. and around the world, I observed how this trend coincides with the increased presence of private equity and hedge funds in the housing market—creating the ominous potential that one’s landlord could one day be an investor, if not owner, of one’s place of employment.
I’m deeply passionate about the subject of literacy, especially as it relates to the devaluation of the humanities as a whole. It’s a multi-pronged issue, with causes ranging from screen addition to poor reading instruction in schools and not enough time spent reading at home. The broad removal of phonics-based reading instruction in the early 2000s in favor of trendy (but far less effective) methods proved disastrous.
But here’s the good news: many U.S. states are now course-correcting. Mississippi in particular has gone all-out—not just mandating phonics-based reading instruction, but expanding after-school tutoring and instituting a reading test before students are allowed into the fourth grade (thereby keeping parents accountable, and ensuring that struggling students aren’t just passed along to the next class). The results are astounding, as the state surged from 49th in the nation’s reading scores in 2013 to 21st in 2022. While most states saw reading scores decline during the pandemic, Mississippi was among the few that achieved further improvements. Other states, thankfully, have taken note.
I was inspired to revisit my previous essay upon reading Ted Gioia’s recent article in The Honest Broker, in which he explores the issue of phone addiction among school children and those fighting back against Big Tech’s aim to make zombies of us all. The advancement of generative AI has only exacerbated the issue. Gioia writes:
I’m dumbfounded when I hear ‘experts’ claim that phones are not the problem. Like tobacco companies—whose hired experts long denied the connection between smoking and cancer—they say that “correlation does not prove causation.”
But that’s just sophistry and spin.
It’s not all doom and gloom—the public is increasingly aware of the issue, thanks to teachers sounding the alarm about their students’ increased apathy and inability to focus, as well as valiant efforts of researchers (such as the sociologists and psychologists writing for After Babel, also on Substack), who are advancing the case for phone-free schools.
Now, you may be wondering, “That’s great, but what does this have to do with the Gazette?”
I possess intimate familiarity with the landscape of social media and content creation. Several years ago, I started posting short videos on Instagram and TikTok that covered topics discussed we now discuss here in Crossroads. Over time, I grew frustrated with the inherent shallowness of short-form content. Instead of delving into subjects with greater depth and nuance, one is compelled to make topics as brief and attention-grabbing as possible. Chafing against these limitations, I turned to Substack, a place where real essays and thoughtful discourse have a home. (Crossroads is also expanding onto YouTube!)
I have big dreams for Crossroads, and lately, I’ve been thinking about the broader mission of this publication, and its role in promoting the humanities. The crossroads, as the folklore enthusiasts will know, is a place of mythological significance that cuts through countless cultures and time periods. I personally see it as a place of opportunity and chance, the optimism of planting your feet in the ground and seeing all roads open before you.
As I reflect on the present moment, Crossroads takes on a new significance for me. So many of us lose touch with the subjects that ignited our imaginations as children; the demands of the workplace and the attention-draining of social media often stand in the way. I want Crossroads to be a bridge to inquiry and imagination, to inspire people to research the topics that fascinate them, and to revel in the art that came before us. Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing comments from readers who felt motivated to research a topic in depth, or who felt that a once “intimidating” subject (such as art history) had been opened up to them.
The way to fight against zombie culture is to make the arts and humanities accessible to everyone. If this publication can advance that cause by even a modest amount, then the Gazette will have succeeded.
X really doesn't mark the spot
Great Post Sister. Thank you.
Grace and peace to you....