TL/DR: Attention Spans Plummet

With each passing year Our Nation’s Valued Educators record their students showing less and less ability to pay attention long enough to read anything of substance. But never fear! Modern Education has the Answer! DO NOT REQUIRE STUDENTS TO READ ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE.

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Brother Bob
October 11, 2024 4:58 PM

BTW, where are you guys at? Over the last few weeks we’ve had droughts followed by release bursts.
And for that mater, any Zo sightings?

David B
October 11, 2024 1:20 PM

I’m shocked … Shocked! that Hollow wood is giving up their EVs. Now maybe those of us who work for peanuts – but still pay THEM – can have enough electricity to watch one of their movies in one sitting, instead of a week or so because of rolling blackouts.

Liz Hasbrouck
October 10, 2024 3:39 PM

I read a LOT. I generally alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and usually spend a couple of hours each day on a book. [Yes, I am retired and have that luxury]. As Bill says, a good book will have you hooked by the end off the first page, but I tend to give it a full chapter. And, for me, it’s true that a good book becomes alive, like a movie in my imagination. I remember being in grade school and reading Charlotte’s Web under the covers with a flashlight, and crying myself to sleep way after my bedtime.

Ozella Rinehold
October 9, 2024 10:47 PM

Bill, Did you say “a three-part trilogy”?

Arthur Hotchkiss
October 8, 2024 12:01 PM

I experienced a similar phenomenon with the classics about 10 years ago (64 years sold) reading Moby Dick, Tale of two cities, War of the worlds and many more enjoyable books that I could not be bothered with in high school.

Liz Hasbrouck
Reply to  Arthur Hotchkiss
October 10, 2024 3:45 PM

Same for me, with Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility in Middle School.

Bruce Niederer
October 8, 2024 9:22 AM

Glad you mentioned Mark Twain. My family visited friends in Missouri and we stopped in Hannibal and toured the cavern Twain played in as a kid and then wrote about it in Huckleberry Finn. It was not a commercial cavern like the touristy ones – it was undeveloped and only a simple light bulbs. They turned them off for a few seconds to show us how dark it was in there. Couldn’t see your hand if it was touching your nose! Very cool!

Bruce Niederer
October 8, 2024 9:05 AM

In high school I read the JRR Tolkien books in bed at night. I graduated in 1971. We were expected to complete reading assignments in school – it was not Shakespeare but the choices were real literature. I discovered Shakespeare on my own and love it to this day. I still like reading written books etc.

Rick Notkin
October 7, 2024 1:43 PM

Again, why are paid subscribers that logged in having to see the Rumble ad every 7 minutes?!?!

Ron Swansons Alter Ego
Reply to  Rick Notkin
October 7, 2024 4:42 PM

Rick I never get stopped by an ad on this site. You must have a setting on rumble that is allowing ads. And when I say never, I do mean not one time.

ACTS (TM)
Reply to  Rick Notkin
October 8, 2024 6:04 AM

What Ron SAE said I second. I use adblockers but I don’t have anything blocked on this site at all and I get no ads. If I’m not blocking anything and don’t get ads, this site is not serving the ads you’re seeing. Providing that you’re watching the videos here on BillWhittle.com of course. If you’re going to Rumble’s page that might be different. Which only leaves a malware/adware infection on your device as an explanation. If no one else is seeing ads and you are that’s the only way that can happen. If you’ll tell me what device and… Read more »

Rick Notkin
Reply to  ACTS (TM)
October 12, 2024 7:39 AM

I’m using an iPad with Safari. Thanks.

I know that I get them on Rumble when I watch Bongino, but I haven’t paid for the subscription. My issue on that.

Rick Notkin
Reply to  ACTS (TM)
October 12, 2024 7:54 AM

Your mojo must have worked. I just watched the current RA and no Rumble ads (even though I can see “Rumble” at the bottom of the video).

Perhaps I inadvertently jumped to the Rumble site. Dunno.

Thank to you and @Ron for your help.

ACTS (TM)
Reply to  Rick Notkin
October 13, 2024 4:41 AM

You’re welcome. You’re behind the paywall in here so there should be no ads on any of Bill Whittle’s content. If there is, something isn’t working right so it never hurts to check if it’s just you or a broader issue. You see the Rumble watermark at the bottom of the video window because that’s where they’re linking the playback to. They upload there and play it back on your browser here. Sometimes it’s YouTube, mostly it’s Rumble. Other linked video may still contain ads if you’re not using an ad blocker browser extension. For Safari — Adblock, Adblock Plus… Read more »

Last edited 1 month ago by ACTS (TM)
Rick Notkin
Reply to  ACTS (TM)
October 18, 2024 1:53 PM

Just watched the latest RA—with an ad in the middle. Grrr.

ACTS (TM)
Reply to  Rick Notkin
October 19, 2024 6:35 AM

When is the last time you updated your iPad OS and Safari Browser? You have to do that regularly, best is as soon as any updates are available. If you’re already aware of updates and religiously applying them then forgive me, I don’t know how much you know about how this stuff works. I’m starting with updates because the transient nature of your ad interruptions makes me suspect a “man in the middle” problem. Updating your Operating System and Safari browser is the first step in ruling that out. Generally while iOS variants are claimed to be immune from viruses,… Read more »

Last edited 1 month ago by ACTS (TM)
Rick Notkin
Reply to  ACTS (TM)
October 21, 2024 2:09 PM

Just updated my os. We’ll see how today goes. Thanks.

ACTS (TM)
Reply to  Rick Notkin
October 22, 2024 6:28 AM

Also I forgot to mention that you should double check to see that you’re logged in behind the paywall when you start seeing ads. If you’re not logged in, then you might see ads.

Rick Notkin
Reply to  ACTS (TM)
October 23, 2024 5:35 AM

Thanks. I now always log in, but have seen ads.

ACTS (TM)
Reply to  Rick Notkin
October 23, 2024 6:44 AM

You’ve seen ads since you did the OS updates and while logged in? If so the next least invasive thing is the browser cleanup I detailed previously.

If you do that, make sure you have all of your login credentials (user and password) for any websites you visit copied somewhere safe. That’s going to clear the cache and cookies and reset the browser to default. Which will revert any customizations to their originally released state or remove them entirely.

Cathy Shepherd
October 7, 2024 6:52 AM

I’ve always loved reading, language, English, spelling, origin of names, etc., but I never “got” Shakespeare until I watched Franco Zefferelli’s 1968 movie, Romeo and Juliet. It was hugely helpful to see the words become conversations between characters. I especially understood the “I bite my thumb at thee” insult when I was able to see it and not just read it. Since that movie, which I saw at about 18 years, I’ve been able to “hear” not just Shakespeare, but all books, and not just read the words. What that newly discovered trick did for me back then has made… Read more »