Historian HW Brands predicts we are at the beginning of the end of the age of literacy
"I've had this theory for about the last 20 years that we're at the beginning of the end of the age of literacy. And so the age of literacy really sort of general literacy began when Gutenberg invented his movable press and so for the first time books were something that ordinary people could hope to buy. But we're now at a stage where it's quite possible to get pretty much all the information you need about the world without reading much."
About this episode
Historian HW Brands, author of 42 books covering the entirety of American history, joins the podcast to discuss his latest biography of George Washington and share insights from decades studying America's founders. The University of Texas professor reveals a provocative theory that humanity is entering the end of the age of literacy, arguing that the 600-year period of mass reading that began with Gutenberg's printing press is being replaced by audio-visual information consumption. Brands points to university libraries removing books and students no longer consulting written materials as evidence of this shift. The conversation explores lesser-known aspects of Benjamin Franklin's genius, including how the 16-year-old created a convincing fictional persona of a middle-aged woman to write for his brother's newspaper, and how Franklin later weaponized rumors of romantic conquests in his 70s as a diplomatic strategy to charm French society into funding the American Revolution. Brands also discusses the fragility of historical records, revealing that Lyndon Johnson's telephone recordings were nearly lost forever due to obsolete dictaphone technology, and that the last functioning machine had to be retrieved from the Smithsonian. The episode examines George Washington's path to revolutionary leadership, suggesting his commitment was partly fueled by resentment after British commanders denied him promotion despite superior battlefield performance. Throughout, Brands reflects on the craft of biography, acknowledging moments where Franklin's talents left even his biographer feeling inadequate, and discussing how different founding fathers required different writing approaches based on their personalities and the available historical record.
Key takeaways
- HW Brands predicts we are entering the end of the 600-year age of mass literacy, with information increasingly consumed through audio and video rather than reading
- Lyndon Johnson's crucial telephone recordings were nearly lost permanently because they were stored on obsolete dictaphone technology, with the last machine found in the Smithsonian
- Benjamin Franklin at age 16 created a convincing fictional persona of a middle-aged widow named Silence Dogood to contribute to his brother's newspaper after being forbidden to write
- Franklin deliberately spread exaggerated rumors about romantic affairs in his 70s in Paris as a diplomatic strategy to charm French society into funding the American Revolution
- George Washington's revolutionary commitment was partly driven by British refusal to promote him despite superior battlefield performance in the French and Indian War
- The British Empire's policy of allowing dissenters and criminals to emigrate to American colonies created an independent-minded population that eventually enabled the Revolution
- Franklin's early success came from teaching himself across multiple disciplines at a time when science was less specialized and experimental equipment could be homemade