The Impact of Post-Literacy on Political Discourse

Reading fundamentally alters our brains, and historically, it has been a catalyst for revolutionary politics, as Lenin suggested during the rise of socialism. However, as societies transition from reading to consuming information primarily through streaming videos, the nature of discourse changes dramatically. Streamers often repeat themselves, echoing the patterns of oral traditions in illiterate societies where redundancy helps keep the audience engaged. Despite the ability to replay streams, viewers rarely do, leading to a culture of repetition and low-resolution discourse. This shift mirrors the oral traditions of ancient epic poets, who relied on formulas and stereotypes to convey ideas. In this postliterate culture, curiosity is stifled, and new ideas struggle to emerge.