Editor's Note
This discussion revolves around how reading can safeguard human subjectivity, the limitations of the current education system in cultivating reading habits, the positive and negative impacts of AI on reading ability, and whether traditional diligent study, immersion, and accumulation of humanities will inevitably become the pursuit of a minority when efficiency becomes the standard. The discussion goes beyond diagnosing the crisis and returns to the essence of reading: only understanding gained through reflection and struggle is irreproducible, and the ultimate answer to reading lies within each individual reader.
This publication has compiled the guest's speech as follows for readers.
Zheng Guo: The Bottom Line for Scholars in the AI Era
Eight hundred years ago, Zhu Xi lectured at Tongjiang Academy, where he personally planted two bitter catalpa trees in the courtyard. The fruit of the bitter catalpa is bitter, but its wood is hard and can be used as a large beam. Over the past eight hundred years, many sweet fruit trees have long since rotted away, but these two trees remain. Reading is similar - fleeting and ephemeral pleasures are easily forgotten, only those who have personally experienced the "bitterness" can take root in their hearts.
"Do you still read books yourself?" This question carries existential weight today. When a student uploads "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" to a large language model and receives a neat book report a few seconds later, they may miss out on Huck's gradual mental growth, and the empathy that can only be gained by completing the long journey. AI provides a condensed map, but causes one to miss the scenery, setbacks, and epiphanies that come from traversing the terrain of words.
The primary issue lies in human thinking and judgment capabilities themselves. Being accustomed to using generative AI to replace one's own reading and thinking will eventually lead to outsourcing even judgments like "to be or not to be." It's not that people have become stupid, but rather that they haven't thought for themselves in a long time. Cognitive abilities that are not used will deteriorate, which is a physiological rule. AI has provided unprecedented convenience for these tendencies, but in doing so, it has also been quietly taking away people's ability to think.
The next layer is the atrophy of judgment. Kant defined judgment as the "ability to subsume things under rules" - identifying key factors in specific contexts and making trade-offs between incommensurable values. This ability can only be cultivated in ambiguity and uncertainty, through repeated struggles with texts and personal experience. When judgment is outsourced, people are left only with the ability to receive conclusions, losing the ability to pose questions.
At a deeper level, it is the alienation of cognitive structure. Traditional reading is a relatively direct spiritual dialogue between "author - text - reader". Digital technology, especially the intervention of AI, is inserting a powerful machine intermediary. What readers chew on is no longer the original text context and emotional folds, but rather information summaries that have been "regurgitated" by algorithms. When outsourcing reading becomes a habit, the mechanism of forming the human self-perspective is disrupted.
The two camphor trees at Tongjiang Academy are still standing, unwavering through wind and rain for over 800 years. Shouldn't reading be the same? AI has arrived and will evolve, but the essence of reading - the experiences that can only be gained through personal reading - will not disappear due to technological changes.
Does reading shape one into a person or a tool, the answer lies not in AI, but in each individual's heart.
Qiu Luming: The Reading Crisis and Its Impact on Liberal Arts Education
Nubia Faces Huge Challenges Due to Weak Foundations
Reading has always had a somewhat ambiguous dual identity: it is both a means of acquiring knowledge and a form of entertainment. For humanities education, the boundaries between the two are not clearly defined. It is likely that most humanities scholars not only enjoy the pleasure of reading leisure books, but have also gained important inspiration from casual browsing. Reading often starts as a habit before becoming a professional skill.
However, in recent years, both recreational and functional reading have been declining rapidly, undoubtedly posing a huge challenge to the foundation of humanities education. Looking at a slightly longer period, over the past 20 years, despite the rapid increase in China's higher education gross enrollment rate, the competition for the college entrance examination, especially the difficulty of being admitted to top universities, has actually increased. The extracurricular tutoring supported by parents' massive investment of human and material resources has taken up a significant amount of time and played a role equivalent to classroom teaching.
This has led to three consequences. Firstly, the internalization of middle school education. Secondly, the disappearance of leisure time. High-intensity tutoring, which starts from the upper grades of elementary school, occupies almost all of students' extracurricular time, and various technological means also assist parents in arranging their children's leisure time in a more "rational and efficient" way. The long-term accumulation of changes in the middle school education stage has resulted in a lack of gaps in and out of the classroom to cultivate hobbies like reading, which seems a bit luxurious. Furthermore, the decline of traditional media, especially in-depth reporting, makes it difficult for middle school students to access enough easy-to-understand texts that can trigger their concerns and help them gradually understand complex society. Thirdly, the discipline of standardized problem-solving thinking. In current middle school education, even subjects like language and literature, which traditionally allow for some individuality, are being overwhelmed by a large number of problem-solving techniques and training on how to obtain scoring points. Most students have neither ample free time for reading nor have ever experienced pleasure from reading during their middle school education.
Evidence can also be found at the other end. As overtime becomes more prevalent and leisure time disappears, adults' leisure reading is also declining rapidly. The erosion of leisure time by study and work not only greatly increases the fatigue and pressure of ordinary people in modern society, but also fuels the popularity of entertainment methods such as short videos, which have extremely short durations, strong visual impacts, and precise algorithmic feeding, and can satisfy audience demands in fragmented time.
In terms of functional reading, AI has brought about a huge impact. Humanities education cultivates students' taste through reading and discussing classic works, gradually leading them into academic fields. The emergence of AI has disrupted this gradual process. It's not hard to imagine that a student who has never experienced the joy of reading in middle school and is obsessed with standard answers will more readily use AI to extract the key points of an essay, "assist" in completing coursework and even writing papers, all without any moral burden.
This raises the question of what the essence of AI empowerment is. If the goal of humanities training is to produce more papers, AI may be able to provide significant help, but its scope is extremely limited, and the contraction of academic positions is a global problem. If we consider humanities education as a way to understand the complex world, to understand others, or at least to establish individual uniqueness through reading, it undoubtedly still has important value. However, we still face two key questions: first, can we bravely declare that humanities education is not a form of vocational skills training? Second, is the humanities education currently provided by universities good enough?
Lu Yin: 'Reading' is a Kung Fu of Personal Experience
When it comes to reading, there's a couplet from the Qing dynasty that has been widely quoted in recent years, which says "the best thing in the world is still reading." In the AI era, this statement is even harder to believe. It's often said that "books are the ladder of human progress," but now we have elevators, express elevators, and heavenly ladders, so is it still necessary to climb the painful and laborious ladder step by step?
I think the emergence of AI is a good thing, as it is like a die that has punched out the essence of certain things. AI technology has broken through the superficial rhetoric, replaced many decorative techniques, and prompted people to question the essence of learning and reading, and what is truly worth our investment of time and energy, the "first good thing".
If one clings to this "secondary pursuit," the idle handling of book knowledge becomes a pastime that erodes ambition. Using the dividends of book knowledge to flaunt before those below and chase fame and profit above turns it into utilitarian, vulgar learning. So do not over-elevate reading and readers. If the function of books is confined to transmitting knowledge, then what difference does it make whether books are paper or electronic, whether you read them or AI reads them, whether it is close reading or distant reading? The purpose always lies outside oneself. In my view, in the AI era, only reading whose purpose lies within oneself carries irreplaceable significance.
In addition to the necessity of reading, book lovers in the AI era face another issue: is reading something that everyone should do? Is it a pursuit for the majority or the minority? AI has brought about a knowledge community, or even a knowledge convergence, but it has also intensified the atomization of individuals with no personality in front of screens. Encouraging people to read can inadvertently come across as overly preachy or patronizing.
Zhang Yuan: Reading is Always the
"Ghost in the Shell", written by Masamune Shirow, was first serialized in 1989. The work is set against the backdrop of a highly cyberized future society, exploring posthuman themes such as network consciousness, bodily modification, and identity, and is a classic representation of cyberpunk and posthuman narrative (Source: Wikipedia)
Apart from the rare prodigies, many people, despite having a natural aptitude and passion for reading, become mired in confusion and ignorance, or are born into difficult circumstances and are unable to extricate themselves, ultimately being forced to submit to reality and suffer for the rest of their lives. The only way out is through reading. Achieving the "pursuits of the elite" is the result of diligent effort, while being willing to help more people find a path to liberation is the act of a bodhisattva. For example, organizing classic reading groups and establishing new communities for book lovers, using the joy of reading to counter the pain of existence - reading is a painstaking endeavor, but also a life that is earned through hard work. Remember: as human beings, we are brave because of our passions, and we gain freedom because of our bravery.
Lei Jun: AI brings knowledge equality, but technology
Nothing Can Replace Profound Experiences and Ideas
Each generation of scholars resists the crises of their own time, which can be fundamental and overarching or subtle and mundane. The circumstances and environment of each generation's existence differ, so the spiritual paths they choose and the strategies they employ also vary. In today's era, artificial intelligence has indeed become a reality. Although its impact on my own philosophy major is limited, it still subtly erodes the sense of meaning and expectation that comes with dedicating oneself to this field. For example, in the past, learning a foreign language was seen as a key to unlocking a cultural world, but now that AI's translation capabilities have improved significantly, the emotional appeal of learning a foreign language has been diluted. Similarly, the confusion and searching that often accompanied reading and studying in the early stages, which were once an integral part of one's personal growth, can now be quickly alleviated by AI, which provides basic information, thereby reducing the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from initial exploration.
Of course, even so, I still think that artificial intelligence has brought us many benefits.
Since the early 20th century, Western philosophical research has been heavily reliant on the interpretation of elite intellectuals. Until the 1980s, this model played a leading and enlightening role. Meanwhile, most learners and enthusiasts of Western philosophy had to rely on existing Chinese materials, as foreign language materials were extremely difficult to access. A small number of intellectuals monopolized resources and gained academic status, while others lacked opportunities to delve into classic works and Western research traditions. The development of artificial intelligence has provided conditions for more people to learn and understand Western philosophy. In terms of knowledge equality, artificial intelligence has provided significant assistance. Cultivating outstanding scholars is not the only purpose of researching and learning Western philosophy.
"Jiang Biwei Reading" by Xu Beihong, 1920s, depicting the daily intellectual life of Chinese students in Europe at the time (source: artsandculture.google.com)
Secondly, the development of the humanities, apart from being driven by some powerful trends, also requires the nourishment of diverse ideas in the long run. Western philosophy, although composed of a series of heroic figures, emerged and evolved within a complex and multi-dimensional intellectual tradition, forming a rich and intricate fabric that changes with the researcher's perspective. In this regard, although the thought threads provided by artificial intelligence are often unreliable and need to be corrected and verified through reliable sources, it is not overly constrained by linear narratives, and thus still provides learners with auxiliary ideas.
For now, at least, artificial intelligence is still far from being able to replicate the research and writing of philosophy majors. It can assist undergraduates with some basic assignments, but when it comes to master's and doctoral theses, it is still unable to play a core role, not to mention high-quality, thought-provoking writing. Moreover, no matter how advanced technology becomes, we will always need to personally experience confusion, gain experience, think, and create. This kind of intimate growth and self-care is something that technology can never replace.
Miao Wei: AI Can Also Become a Powerful Tool for Learning
*Le Salon aux trois lampes* (The Drawing Room with Three Lamps), by Edouard Vuillard, 1899, depicts a dimly lit Parisian drawing room on Rue Saint-Florentin at the turn of the century. While writing "Autumn Day," Rilke was staying in Paris; the poem's "wachen, lesen, lange Briefe schreiben" (wake, read, write long letters) unfolds precisely within such quiet, enclosed Parisian interiors (source: musee-orsay.fr).
"Salomé Dancing (also known as Salomé Tattooed)," by Gustave Moreau, circa 1874. Art historian Prejmerean analyzed the painting, writing that the two large eyes and brow-shaped patterns on Salomé's body decorations collectively form a "mirroring face," while her real eyes are cast downward (source: pop.culture.gouv.fr)
Chen Ning, the translator of the Complete Poems of Rilke, once said that Rilke's translations have different appearances, and if readers are interested, they should learn German themselves and read the originals. From the Spring Festival to now, I have used Gemini to read over a dozen poems, while also using the Duolingo app, the New Request for German Teaching Materials (textbook and Bilibili teaching videos), Practical English-German Comparative Grammar (textbook), and several other grammar books, as well as Audible (Amazon's audiobook website, which has recordings of Rilke's poetry collections). Learning a language requires diligence, and AI has not changed this, but it provides some very clever methods. In the past, reading Rilke might have required reaching a German B2 level, but now it's not necessary to reach B2 to start reading. Of course, if Gemini could pronounce words and had long-term memory, it would be an even more powerful learning tool. I use textbooks and teaching videos, but this is just a result of my past learning habits. An education expert once said that the best way to learn is through "curiosity-driven exploration," but unfortunately, there's nothing in the world that can arouse people
Luodanni: The Reading Crisis and the Responsibility of Publishers
As a publishing industry professional, I believe the reading crisis has long existed. Traditional humanities reading was originally related to self-education, the establishment of values, and the formation of public judgment. After entering a consumer society, reading was incorporated into consumer logic: it had to be easy, efficient, and provide a sense of gain and immediate usefulness. In competition with short videos and other media, reading can be said to be losing ground at every turn. Therefore, the reading crisis is not primarily that "everyone has suddenly stopped reading books," but rather that the time and psychological structure required for reading are being continuously disrupted by the media environment. The crisis of reading, ultimately, is a crisis of humanity.
Reading requires continuous time, tolerance for the unfamiliar, and the ability to delve into complex texts and delay judgment. However, today's media environment trains people to react quickly, have strong emotions, and reach conclusions immediately. AI also provides an alternative to reading, allowing people to have an "as if they've read" experience without going through the actual process.
For publishers, marketing is becoming increasingly challenging. We can make a book "born" out of thin air, but it's hard to make it "grow up". A book being ordered doesn't mean it will be read; under platform mechanisms, judgment is already passed before reading even begins.
In the face of such a reading crisis, what can editors do? Firstly, restore their identity and responsibility as judges. In the AI era, what is lacking is not content, but judgment. Which books are worth publishing? This requires editors to have a broader vision and more solid professionalism. We need to keep asking: what problems does this book raise? Does it have real experience, reliable knowledge, or independent ideas and insights? Is it just catering to emotions? Does it have the ability to resist simple answers? Will it still be worth reading in a few years? These are the questions that editors, as judges, should repeatedly ask.
Second, assist readers in re-establishing their reading process. Often, readers are not entirely unwilling to read, but rather, they are unsure of how to approach a book. Editors should provide readers with a pathway to enter complex texts: why the book is worth reading, the context in which it should be placed, and which other books it can be read in conjunction with, thereby imparting a way of thinking and learning to the readers.
Third, protect the author's genuine experiences and long-form writing. AI lacks physical sensations, the author's hesitation when facing materials, and the need to bear the consequences of publicly expressing personal insights. The more that text can be generated in large quantities, the more editors should cherish writing that stems from genuine experiences. Don't rush to compress it into selling points, but rather help authors delve deeper into issues, protect complex materials, and preserve important yet less disseminated parts.
Fourth, clearer professional ethics are needed. The public value of publishers lies in providing credible, judged, and accountable content. In terms of speed, stimulation, scale, and low prices, publishing cannot compete with AI and platforms. The reason publishing can endure is trust. Readers trust a book because it has the labor of the author, the judgment of the editor, the reputation of the publisher, and the gatekeeping of professional processes behind it. If this trust is destroyed, publishing will be engulfed. The irreplaceable value of publishing and editing lies in the fact that we still believe some issues cannot be summarized in a few sentences, some experiences cannot be replaced by algorithms, and some books are worth taking the time to produce and worth taking the time to read.
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