James Marriott
@j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
Columnist at The Times
I really enjoyed talking to Novara Media about why the post-literate society is an unfolding political catastrophe and why we need the mainstream media
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4Y...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4Y...
Modern Society Is Becoming Illiterate
YouTube video by Novara Media
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I really enjoyed talking to Novara Media about why the post-literate society is an unfolding political catastrophe and why we need the mainstream media
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4Y...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4Y...
Reposted by James Marriott
Here's the stamp on the back!
October 15, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Here's the stamp on the back!
For all the pessimism around at the moment, in the context of history we are living in an unimaginable golden age. Many of the problems of the C21st are the unprecedented problems of success - ironically, that is what makes them so difficult to solve
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Beware the novel problems of our success
True, we have never had it so good but no previous human society has had to face the challenges of such achievement
www.thetimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:43 AM
For all the pessimism around at the moment, in the context of history we are living in an unimaginable golden age. Many of the problems of the C21st are the unprecedented problems of success - ironically, that is what makes them so difficult to solve
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Reposted by James Marriott
Finally read this superb piece by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
jmarriott.substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Finally read this superb piece by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
Reposted by James Marriott
Amazing essay by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
Convincingly weaving the connection between literacy, reading, innovation, creativity and public engagement in democracy. And by corollary - the decline of literacy / reading a harbinger of democracy’s fall. Read it.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Convincingly weaving the connection between literacy, reading, innovation, creativity and public engagement in democracy. And by corollary - the decline of literacy / reading a harbinger of democracy’s fall. Read it.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Amazing essay by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
Convincingly weaving the connection between literacy, reading, innovation, creativity and public engagement in democracy. And by corollary - the decline of literacy / reading a harbinger of democracy’s fall. Read it.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Convincingly weaving the connection between literacy, reading, innovation, creativity and public engagement in democracy. And by corollary - the decline of literacy / reading a harbinger of democracy’s fall. Read it.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Reposted by James Marriott
quote is h/t james marriott
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
September 22, 2025 at 7:35 AM
quote is h/t james marriott
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
Reposted by James Marriott
This is fantastic by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social Articulates so well our (intentional?) societal regression
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
jmarriott.substack.com
September 28, 2025 at 9:27 AM
This is fantastic by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social Articulates so well our (intentional?) societal regression
Reposted by James Marriott
A hugely important article by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social on how an astonishing decline in reading books, brought about by the smartphone, is fuelling authoritarianism and threatens the greatest setback for civilisation since the fall of the Roman Empire.
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
jmarriott.substack.com
September 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
A hugely important article by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social on how an astonishing decline in reading books, brought about by the smartphone, is fuelling authoritarianism and threatens the greatest setback for civilisation since the fall of the Roman Empire.
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
An absolutely fascinating conversation about "how to read a painting" with the brilliant Bendor Grosvenor
The great James Marriott and I discussed how to look at pictures, and had a go at deciphering Holbein’s Ambassadors.
jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-to-rea...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-to-rea...
September 25, 2025 at 11:55 AM
An absolutely fascinating conversation about "how to read a painting" with the brilliant Bendor Grosvenor
Reposted by James Marriott
The great James Marriott and I discussed how to look at pictures, and had a go at deciphering Holbein’s Ambassadors.
jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-to-rea...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-to-rea...
September 25, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The great James Marriott and I discussed how to look at pictures, and had a go at deciphering Holbein’s Ambassadors.
jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-to-rea...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/how-to-rea...
Reposted by James Marriott
The big tech companies are reversing the intellectual and political gains of the Enlightenment and returning us to a New Dark Ages of ignorance, rage and superstition - it's the most important story of our time
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
September 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
The big tech companies are reversing the intellectual and political gains of the Enlightenment and returning us to a New Dark Ages of ignorance, rage and superstition - it's the most important story of our time
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
The big tech companies are reversing the intellectual and political gains of the Enlightenment and returning us to a New Dark Ages of ignorance, rage and superstition - it's the most important story of our time
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
September 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
The big tech companies are reversing the intellectual and political gains of the Enlightenment and returning us to a New Dark Ages of ignorance, rage and superstition - it's the most important story of our time
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
Reposted by James Marriott
My magnum opus - a unified field theory of why the post-literate society spells disaster for civilisation as we know it
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
jmarriott.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
My magnum opus - a unified field theory of why the post-literate society spells disaster for civilisation as we know it
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
In the eighteenth century the rise of literacy precipitated the greatest transfer of knowledge into the hands of ordinary men and women in history and helped to destroy the old feudal order in Europe.
As literacy recedes a neo-feudal future looms.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
As literacy recedes a neo-feudal future looms.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 1:25 PM
In the eighteenth century the rise of literacy precipitated the greatest transfer of knowledge into the hands of ordinary men and women in history and helped to destroy the old feudal order in Europe.
As literacy recedes a neo-feudal future looms.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
As literacy recedes a neo-feudal future looms.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
My magnum opus - a unified field theory of why the post-literate society spells disaster for civilisation as we know it
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
jmarriott.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
My magnum opus - a unified field theory of why the post-literate society spells disaster for civilisation as we know it
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-o...
Reposted by James Marriott
Great @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social piece that neatly counters the usual push back that, as this echoes past changes in communication things will be fine. Print *did* change society and how we think - so did TV, I think, fwiw - so just waving concerns away re smartphones + social media is foolish.
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
open.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Great @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social piece that neatly counters the usual push back that, as this echoes past changes in communication things will be fine. Print *did* change society and how we think - so did TV, I think, fwiw - so just waving concerns away re smartphones + social media is foolish.
Reposted by James Marriott
Good piece by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social on the violent nihilists of America
www.thetimes.com/article/2d27...
www.thetimes.com/article/2d27...
This age of extreme nihilism threatens us all
Charlie Kirk gunman appears to have roots in foetid online communities where users can’t cope with their atomised lives
www.thetimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Good piece by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social on the violent nihilists of America
www.thetimes.com/article/2d27...
www.thetimes.com/article/2d27...
I wrote this about the most boring and destructive trend of our time: the politicisation of everything.
We are becoming incapable of seeing anything - art, TV, adverts, brands, food - through anything other than a political lens. There is more to life!
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
We are becoming incapable of seeing anything - art, TV, adverts, brands, food - through anything other than a political lens. There is more to life!
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Is there nowhere to hide from politics now?
Polarised campaigns in public life extend from zebra crossings to dog food and they’re fuelling dangerous radicalism
www.thetimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 8:53 AM
I wrote this about the most boring and destructive trend of our time: the politicisation of everything.
We are becoming incapable of seeing anything - art, TV, adverts, brands, food - through anything other than a political lens. There is more to life!
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
We are becoming incapable of seeing anything - art, TV, adverts, brands, food - through anything other than a political lens. There is more to life!
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Reposted by James Marriott
This is very good by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
Is there nowhere to hide from politics now?
Polarised campaigns in public life extend from zebra crossings to dog food and they’re fuelling dangerous radicalism
www.thetimes.com
August 25, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This is very good by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social
Reposted by James Marriott
💊 Optimisme permanent rime souvent avec engourdissement, estime le chroniqueur James Marriott du “Times”, de Londres.
Et si vous embrassiez enfin le pouvoir de la pensée négative ?
www.courrierinternational.com
August 23, 2025 at 11:01 AM
💊 Optimisme permanent rime souvent avec engourdissement, estime le chroniqueur James Marriott du “Times”, de Londres.
Reposted by James Marriott
I suspect attraction derives from comforting thought that we can get back to a happy & uncorrupted mode of human existence, if we only eat properly and tune into ancient wisdom. Of course, that uncorrupted life never existed
(£) www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
@j-amesmarriott.bsky.social is right
(£) www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
@j-amesmarriott.bsky.social is right
Stop hunting for that mythical happy era
Modern obsession with caveman diets or natural neolithic lifestyles is futile: there has never been a simple, carefree past
www.thetimes.com
August 19, 2025 at 11:05 AM
I suspect attraction derives from comforting thought that we can get back to a happy & uncorrupted mode of human existence, if we only eat properly and tune into ancient wisdom. Of course, that uncorrupted life never existed
(£) www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
@j-amesmarriott.bsky.social is right
(£) www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
@j-amesmarriott.bsky.social is right
Reposted by James Marriott
cannot recommend cultural capital enough as a newsletter
My latest newsletter rounding up everything interesting I read in books and on the internet last week: the great cat massacre, Hunter Biden, Chinese diamond factories, the political gender gap and a reader poll on which is the best century
jmarriott.substack.com/p/interestin...
jmarriott.substack.com/p/interestin...
Interesting links and quotes: cat massacre, Hunter Biden, diamond factory, political gender gap, superiority of C18th
Plus more links and quotes
jmarriott.substack.com
August 18, 2025 at 12:57 PM
cannot recommend cultural capital enough as a newsletter
Reposted by James Marriott
I often write disparagingly about the internet’s slide towards video but YouTube has also educated me in poetry, philosophy music and art
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
A YouTube Education
In art, science, philosophy, music and more
jmarriott.substack.com
August 15, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I often write disparagingly about the internet’s slide towards video but YouTube has also educated me in poetry, philosophy music and art
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
I often write disparagingly about the internet’s slide towards video but YouTube has also educated me in poetry, philosophy music and art
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
A YouTube Education
In art, science, philosophy, music and more
jmarriott.substack.com
August 15, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I often write disparagingly about the internet’s slide towards video but YouTube has also educated me in poetry, philosophy music and art
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...
Here is a YouTube education - a list of videos which form a kind of curriculum in the humanities and the sciences
jmarriott.substack.com/p/a-youtube-...