Sam Kahn, an essayist and co‑founder of The Republic of Letters, says he is undertaking a deliberate effort to regain regular reading after a ten‑year decline. He notes that his reading peaked in childhood, when books served as a gateway to knowledge and adulthood, but fell sharply during middle school, college, and later adult life.

Kahn describes several factors that limited his reading. In school, social pressure labeled extensive reading as socially undesirable, and teachers did not provide advanced English opportunities. At college, his father warned that recreational reading would signal social failure, leading him to prioritize campus activities. After graduation, he perceived serious reading as childish, though occasional visits to used bookstores provided temporary resurgence.

His reading further waned as he entered relationships, where partners redirected his focus toward shared entertainment, and as financial concerns made long‑form reading seem irrelevant compared to scrolling. He also cites the rise of social media, which he characterizes as an addictive slot machine, as the most significant barrier. The 2020 documentary *The Social Dilemma* prompted him to recognize his phone checking as a compulsive behavior.

To counteract these forces, Kahn has adopted structured reading practices. He reads primarily for research tied to writing projects, treating books as tasks with defined goals. He records observations in Apple Notes while reading, enabling him to produce reviews without revisiting the text. He limits phone use by activating airplane mode and setting timers for set reading periods, and he has disabled notifications to reduce distractions.

He acknowledges that the habit remains fragile and that contemporary writing quality and his own digital addiction continue to impede progress. Nevertheless, he frames continued reading as an obligation to preserve deep concentration and cultural continuity in an era dominated by algorithmic media.