[esperent]

> read a book or magazine

Assuming that reading a physical book/printed magazine is inherently better than using your phone in the same situation is just a kind of snobbiness.

Someone in those photos could have been watching a veritasium video, or studying their college notes on their phone. Someone in the earlier years with a book could have been reading Mills and Boone.

But either way, who cares? Why are we judging what people do to pass a few minutes of their day in an inherently boring place like the subway?

As to the value of boredom, sure. But environment matters too. I think there's very little value to boredom on a subway. If you want to make a personal choice to be bored on the subway, go for it. But I don't see any valid reason to judge other people for choosing otherwise.

[Mistletoe]

It’s not snobbiness. We have a mountain of literature out now showing how detrimental smartphone usage is to the human mind. Reading has no such drawbacks.