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  Is Human Intelligence Declining?

Major international studies suggest that the average person’s ability to process information, reason, and solve new problems has been steadily declining over the past 10–12 years — raising a red flag.

• Overall, there’s still limited data, especially when it comes to factors like attention span and focus. However, one of the few organizations that actually tracks these trends has found a sharp rise in the percentage of people struggling with cognitive functions. Take a look at the charts:

One hypothesis behind this recent decline? The steady drop in reading habits (which we mentioned in the last edition) — especially as people consume fewer long and complex texts.

• In the most recent study conducted in 2024, for the first time, the majority of respondents reported not having read a single full book—of any genre—in the previous three months.

But It’s Not Just About Reading…

Other key metrics that could indicate “intelligence levels” are also on the decline, including basic numerical reasoning and problem-solving skills.

The percentage of adults in high-income OECD countries who cannot apply mathematical reasoning to simple statements or struggle to synthesize multiple pieces of information from a text has risen to 25%.

It’s easy to point the finger at the usual culprits—smartphones, social media, the internet—but let’s pause for a second. Those things already existed in 2015. If they were the cause, wouldn’t this trend have started much earlier?

The real difference may lie in how we use our smartphones and social media today versus a decade ago. Back then, our engagement was arguably more “active” and required more cognitive effort. Now? Not so much. Consider these shifts:

• The transition from social, interactive content (from people we know) to algorithm-driven, endless scrolling of content from strangers—highly engaging but with minimal active participation.

• The move away from long-form texts and articles (which require synthesis, inference, and reflection) toward short, captioned posts (a few sentences, little to no critical thinking needed).

• The explosion of notifications, each one pulling attention away from previous tasks—or at the very least, occupying mental space even if ignored.

Are We Doomed? Not Quite.

This decline in cognitive metrics doesn’t mean we’re on an inevitable path toward becoming a less intelligent species—let’s not be that pessimistic.

However, it does highlight an important shift: Intelligence isn’t just about potential, it’s about execution. And the way we consume content today is undoubtedly shaping how well (or poorly) we use our intelligence.

So, maybe it’s worth taking a step back and asking: Are we using our brains to their full potential—or just letting them coast? That’s the importance of reading this newsletter my friends. Congratulations if you arrive until here, that’s already more than most people would 🫢 

What else in on

• USA: Trump signs the end of the Department of Education. He signed an executive order to shut down the US Department of Education and transfer educational authority to the states. (Read)

• Israel: The country is trying to facilitate the voluntary departure of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The measure is criticized by NGOs as part of a colonization policy. (Read)

• Australia: A catastrophic once-in-50-year flood hit Australia’s remote western Queensland, receiving a year’s worth of rain in a week, flooding an area the size of Texas. (Read)

• Russia: Vladimir Putin signs decree calling up 160,000 Russians for military service. The decree says that recruitment applies to all citizens aged between 18 and 30 and covers the period from April to July. (Read)

• France: Marine Le Pen, one of the country's strongest right-wing figures, has been convicted of fraud and barred from running for public office for the next five years. (Read)

• Mayanmar: A 7.7 magnitude tremor shook Myanmar, with its epicenter near the capital Mandalay. The quake toppled several buildings and left at least 1,000 dead. Thailand also felt the tremor, with a skyscraper collapsing in Bangkok. (Read)
  

 I Said I Love You First by Selena Gomez & benny blanco: While the album isn’t without its missteps, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Let’s rip off the band aid: The biggest flaw, in my opinion, is the sequencing—opening with a spoken-word intro followed by the slow-paced Younger and Hotter Than Me disrupts the momentum. A punchier, more dynamic start would have served the project better. But once the album finds its footing, the middle section is simply great.

One of the biggest talking points around this album is Gomez’s relationship with Benny Blanco, which is woven throughout the project. While I’m personally not a huge fan of couples sharing every detail of their romance on social media, it’s impossible to deny that Selena seems to be in a genuinely great place. And that’s refreshing to see. Resilient in the face of relentless scrutiny—whether about her health, relationships, or career choices—Gomez continues to be an artist who reflects and resonates with her audience.

• Blanco’s presence, both as a producer and as her fiancé, adds an interesting layer to the album. Their professional relationship stretches back over a decade—he co-wrote and produced several tracks on Revival. While he may not have Selena’s level of celebrity, Blanco’s influence on modern pop is undeniable. And honestly, I love seeing people finally recognize his talent in this phase of his career.

At this point, Revival remains Selena’s definitive album in my eyes, but I Said I Love You First and Rare are neck and neck, battling for second place—only time will tell which one prevails. What’s undeniable is how much Gomez has poured into this record. The themes, melodies, and production choices showcase her artistic growth, and you can feel the love behind every track. Whether this album will stand the test of time like Revival remains to be seen, but for now, it captures Selena Gomez in a confident, happy, and creatively rich moment. And that’s something worth celebrating. (Rating 7.5/10)

Best songs: Bluest Flame, How Does It Feel To be Forgotten, Don’t Wanna Cry, Ojos Tristes, Cowboy

Hi there,

It’s been a while since my last time here—last time, I stepped aside to let Enzo share a bit about his book and the writing process. Did you guys like it? If so, we can definitely do more things like that.

Today, I want to talk about patience and process —something I don’t usually have much of, and, honestly, something I feel like fewer and fewer people do as time goes on.

Right now, I’m in a phase of my life where I’m planting a lot of seeds but harvesting very few. And that requires patience. The thing is, these days, we’ve shortened the time we take to process things—any and all things.

Lacan described a logical time for processing experiences, breaking it down into three stages:

• The time to see – the immediate observation of an event; it happens in the moment, without much reflection.

• The time to understand – the process of elaboration, where we not only reflect on our own perspective but also consider others’ viewpoints and the broader context of the world around us. This is where true understanding begins.

• The time to conclude – the final stage, where we reach a conclusion (right or wrong) based on our observations and reflections.

In other words, before we can truly understand something, we need time to process it. Only then can we reach a meaningful conclusion. Grief, for example, is nothing more than a process of elaboration.

But in today’s hyper-connected, fast-paced world, we’re bombarded with constant stimuli. We observe too many things at once, never giving ourselves the space to properly process them. We have tools to speed up every possible process, making us less patient when it comes to thinking things through—from the smallest daily annoyances to the biggest life decisions. We’ve become so accustomed to instant gratification that we struggle with anything that takes longer than a click.

• I recently caught myself getting impatient over a YouTube ad. And then I remembered that not long ago, streaming platforms didn’t even exist—we all just accepted commercials on TV. Sure, they were annoying, but we waited.

A few years ago, we allowed ourselves to feel boredom. We knew how to wait. And here’s the thing: It’s in the waiting—in those moments of stillness, of patience—that real processing happens.

How often do you find yourself jumping straight from observation to conclusion?

That can be dangerous in a lot of ways:

• Anxiety levels are skyrocketing. We can’t even wait for a video to load—how can we possibly wait for the natural course of life to unfold? And this impatience takes a real toll on our bodies, too. (me included)

• In difficult moments, people (especially young people) are making impulsive, sometimes irreversible decisions—because sitting with pain long enough to process it feels unbearable.

• We don’t have the patience to sit through an entire movie or a boring (but necessary) class.

• We skim the surface of a million topics but rarely take the time to truly understand or deeply engage with any of them.

We’ve shortened our time for processing, understanding, learning, and mastering things.

And why am I bringing this up? Because awareness is the first step to change. And I’ve recently became aware of how impatient I am with the processes of life.

Think about the last situation that really troubled you. Did you give it time? Did you let yourself process it fully?

• The timeline of things doesn’t run on our schedule. It’s not just about our preferred pace—it’s also about the pace of others and, sometimes, just the natural timing of life itself.

We can’t skip steps, and often, trying to do so only creates more problems in the long run. I truly believe that patience is one of the most underrated virtues right now. There’s a time to observe, a time to process, and only then a time to conclude.

This applies to everything—from the simplest annoyances to the most overwhelming challenges. And maybe, just maybe, learning to take a deep breathe and let things flow in their natural time could start making all the difference.

With love,

M.

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