[ProllyInfamous]

The hardest part of a 2026 reading of Amusing Ourselves is that nothing within the pages is extraordinary anymore — the book is plainly boring once you know about the internets... definitely groundbreaking, for its time.

[sahildeepreel]

Fair point. However, books like these show where society is heading and what values we are promoting as a society.

As an aside, what was really interesting to me was learning that in 1850s white Americans had a 95% literacy rate (highest globally) and were able to easily follow debates between presidential candidates that lasted 3+ hours, and ask relevant questions.

I doubt even the most educated people would be able to do that today. Certainly, I would find it extremely difficult to do so.

[ProllyInfamous]

>I doubt even the most educated people would be able to do that today.

Certainly this is a valid point.

>able to easily follow debates between presidential candidates that lasted 3+ hours, and ask relevant questions

This is likely one reason for keeping the masses month-to-month (~70% in US, 2024~). I hate to quote this madman, but Father Jones once said (before flavor-aide-ing his entire congregation):

>>~"Keep them poor and tired. If they're poor they won't have time to organize; if they're tired they won't have energy to fight back"~

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>1850s white Americans had a 95% literacy rate (highest globally)

Working in construction these past few decades, some of my favorite co-workers have barely been able to read — yet are brilliant field electricians (that often can read blueprints — but fuck this engineer they'll proudly mumble, often ["what the hell was he thinking, here?! wuz he thinkin'?!"]).

fuck this guy . laughter

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I fully support returning to a time when countries had smaller populations and embraced technologies in running themselves, their more-isolated population's needs.

As an older millenial american, I fully support the breakdown of USA into smaller territories (too large to reasonably rule, IMHO).