The National Endowment for the Arts released the results of its reading survey this week. The survey, started in 1982, has measured the number of people who read (or don’t read, as the case may be), and is commonly cited by those that believe we’re getting stupider. With only 50% of adults not reading anything (book, short story, play — I don’t think the tabloids at the grocery store count), they almost have a point.

This year was different, though. Readership is up across the board, and one of the largest increases was seen by yours truly. 18 to 24 year old males saw a 21% increase in literature reading in the last 4 years. Other increases were seen by African Americans, Hispanics, and high school drop-outs (interestingly, college educated folks didn’t change).

Dana Gioia, the chair of the NEA, seems a little biased against the young folks with their new technologies:

A decline in both reading and reading ability was
clearly documented in the first generation of teenagers and young adults raised in a society full of videogames, cell phones, iPods, laptops, and other electronic devices.

Yet the report continues to talk about high book readership among online readers:

84 percent of adults who read literature (fiction, poetry, or drama) online or downloaded from the Internet also read books, whether print or online. For adults who read online articles, essays, or blogs, the book-reading rate is 77 percent.

Once again, proof that our parent’s generation just never will understand. Technology increases reading and literacy, just not necessarily in traditional media.