Curmudgeons the world over will tell you that TV makes you go blind and expressing ideas 140 characters at a time makes you soft in the head, but some actual scientists looked into this and the results were surprising.

According to researchers at UC San Diego, people are likelier to remember information from a Facebook post than a book or article, and that’s accounting for variables like, no joke, emoticons.

More research is needed to draw firm conclusions, but one scientist speculates that the results might stem from the fact that people are better at processing natural speech, as opposed to carefully written and edited blog posts like this one. OMG.

We all have our prejudices, but it’s worth keeping the following in mind: From Facebook to Tumblr to text messaging, this next generation deals with text more than any since the popularization of Johnny Carson and the telephone. Maybe there’s a reason more people learn about current events from their smartphones than the “CBS Evening News.” And if they better retain that information, as scientists suggest, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing.

TTFN.

— Posted by Peter Z. Scheer.

In these critical times, your support is crucial...

As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.

Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality behind the headlines — without compromise.

"Truthdig’s a lifeline for anyone who values democracy especially during these challenging times.”
— Fernando Villamare, Los Angeles, CA

Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG