Backlash Over Reading Comments

Influencer Alix Earle sparks online outrage after claiming she has never read a book.

Alix Earle, an influencer with over 14.6 million followers on TikTok and Instagram, has caused outrage after answering a question about reading in an interview with Interview Magazine editor-in-chief Mel Ottenberg. She replied, "I've never read a book. Like Dr. Seuss." The video was shared across social media and many attributed her comments to the country's literacy crisis. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, less than half of U.S. adults will read a novel in 2021 and a study found that reading for pleasure has declined by over 40% over the last 20 years. Sarah Madaus, a librarian at a New York City high school, called her comments "embarrassing" and warned that reading in the entertainment industry requires extensive vocabulary, understanding of context and knowledge of thematic elements to create engaging content.