Is TikTok making us stupid? A new study has found those who read for pleasure from an early age are cleverer than those who scroll social media. Experts worry about our future.
Reading really does boost brain power
Bookish: Research reveals that reading for pleasure physically reshapes the young brain, offering a stark warning that social media addiction may be creating a group of people with lower intelligence. Glossary
Menial - Jobs that do not require much skill.
Tallies - Matches or agrees with something else.
Cognitive - Relating to the processes of thinking and reasoning.
Virtuous Circle - A repeating chain of events where one good thing leads to another, making a situation better and better.
Caste system - A form of social classification where your position in society is determined by the group you are placed into.
Segregation - A racist policy separating White and Black Americans. It was used in the southern United States from 1877 to 1968.
Algorithms - Any set of rules followed by a computer. In the context of social media, “the algorithm” refers to the intelligent AI that learns the interests of the user and presents them with posts that it thinks will interest them.
Atrophy - When a part of the body (like a muscle or part of the brain) wastes away or becomes weaker because it is not being used.