Reading in the Age of Distraction 2024

About Reading in the Age of Distraction

Reading in the Age of Distraction (RAD) is a series of conversations featuring acclaimed local and international thinkers on the science of reading, and reading well in the digital age. In the third edition of RAD, we dissect the latest digital trends that shape how we read such as audiobooks, BookTok and AI. 

RAD 24 is taking place on Saturdays, 6, 13, 20 & 27 July 2024, from 10am – 11.30am.

The Smart Reader: The Best of Print and Screens

6 July 2024, Saturday, 10am – 11.30am

Reading on screens is here to stay. We once thought the ubiquity of screens with its accompanying distractions will kill our ability for deep immersed reading. Thanks to the rallied efforts of reading experts and thinkers, all hope is not lost as we have developed a better understanding of how the digital medium affects how we read and how to manage them. Still, reading print continues to be key in fostering critical skills. So how do we make the best of both print and screen?

Join Dr Annika Schwabe and Professor Ladislao Salmerón as they discuss how we can build reading practices to optimise reading for both mediums, including audiobooks.

For some background reading for this session, do check out Naomi Baron's  How We Read Now , Maryanne Wolf’s Reader Come Home and Marshall McLuhan’s Understanding Media (Summary).

Readers & Robot Writers: Open Chats on AI

13 July 2024, Saturday, 10am – 11.30am

When the internet and social media burst into the homes of the everyday man, it was hard to foresee the impact it would have on the way we read. Today, we have reached a new technological milestone with ChatGPT. Fears of being tossed aside by sentient AI beings have renewed or started afresh. But perhaps, the impact of AI could be more subtle than the extermination of the human race. We could start with how AI could affect the way we read. In this session, hear Author Stanley (Qiufan) Chen and Associate Professor Dennis Yi discuss and speculate how AI will impact reading and literacy in the future.

New Gen Readers: Decoding Algorithms & BookTok

20 July 2024, Saturday, 10am – 11.30am

Long before reading became the quiet solitary experience we now know, words were read aloud. And before they were scribed onto pages, stories were passed through word-of-mouth. With BookTok and BookTube, reading has made a comeback as a buzzing social activity, claiming space on our tweets and feeds. This has helped create a vast community of readers online. How has social media affect how we read? Is what we are reading shaped by invisible forces of the algorithm? In this session, join Dr Federico Pianzola and Associate Professor Simone Murray as they discuss the phenomena of social reading today to help you become a discerning reader.

The Ritual Effect: The Reader's Edition | RAD 2024

27 July 2024, Saturday, 10am – 11.30am

In the age of endless distractions, habits and routines offer a semblance of calm and consistency to our lives. However, as we engage in these tasks repeatedly, we tend to switch to auto-pilot, carrying them out mindlessly and thoughtlessly. Could this be why so many of us struggle to build a consistent reading habit? In his book, The Ritual Effect, Dr. Michael Norton writes about the benefits of shifting from a habitual to a ritualistic mindset and how we can harness rituals to help add intentionality and pleasure to our lives. Find out how we can apply this to building a reading ritual by joining us for a talk with Michael himself!

Updated 04 Feb 2025