Combo articles that spell out the major problem all generations are running into: the decline of critical thinking.

• The Atlantic: I’m a High Schooler, AI is Demolishing My Education

• The Economist: Is the Decline of Reading Making Politics Dumber?

I get it, books have lots of text, and reading is a process. But there are no dark pattern designs in books to optimize your time and drive attention engagement — and for good reason. It is a meditative experience, tapping our brainwaves and requiring us to think: understanding, interpreting, philosophizing, imagining, and yes, some books and study material encourage reflection and critical thinking.

We all know what happened here. The train has left the station and mass consumption patterns aren’t going to go backwards. I don’t have any suggestion for a fix. But I really feel for teachers and ex-critical thinkers everywhere.