@impact
Instagram · Carousel
@impact Alix Earle told @interviewmag that she’s never read a book, and the internet didn’t like that. Turns out that Earle’s lack of reading habits is actually on par with most Americans The Atlantic’s Rose Horowitch calls 2026 a post-literate society that relies on short-form content for the imagination and innovation we used to find and explore when we voraciously read books. ✍️ Words by @nardos.haile 🖌️ Design by @___0h00
Performance
Video #44205 · Carousel
[01]
A multi-slide Instagram carousel that uses influencer Alix Earle's admission of not reading books as a starting point for a broader discussion on declining literacy rates in the U.S. The post presents statistics and expert opinions from sources like The Atlantic and NPR to argue that society is becoming 'post-literate' due to the rise of short-form content.
[02]
[03]
356.4K66.7×Instagram viral trend report carousel@iammichellegifford · Guide Carousel
43.8KCreator tips carousel for aspiring content creators@angelagiakas · Statement Carousel
800.6KCarousel of motivational life advice quotes@workinghardpod · Statement Carousel
554.3KCarousel post arguing men should read fiction.@themarcsinan · Statement Carousel
346.4K232.6×Graphic design trends list carousel@jiacreate · Guide Carousel
466.7K72.5×Explains five viral carousel formats@rico.incarnati · Playbook
188.5KAesthetic guide to romanticizing life.@hiimlialol · Guide Carousel
726.6K73.7×Spooky Halloween social commentary memes@commonsearth · Screenshot Carousel
572.4KInspirational photo guide on being alone@hiimlialol · Guide Carousel
14.2KMinimalist book list title card@myxfamily · Guide Carousel
304.6KMotivational carousel reframing entrepreneurship struggles vs a 9-5@angelagiakas · Statement Carousel
375.5K10.4×Mental health list for daughters@sitwithmandy_ · Statement Carousel[04]
[05]
What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds
Title hook
Alix Earle saying she's never read a book ever is a sign of a post-literate society
Verbal hook
Alix Earle told @interviewmag that she’s never read a book, and the internet didn’t like that.
Visual hook
The first slide features a prominent influencer, Alix Earle, juxtaposed with a collage of classic book covers that are crossed out with a bold red line. This immediate visual conflict between a modern celebrity and rejected literature creates a strong, intriguing hook.
[07]
The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back
Hook
The Provocative Thesis (Slide 1): A bold, overarching statement that connects a specific, timely event to a larger societal issue. It's designed to be controversial and intriguing, immediately establishing the carousel's argument.
Payoff
The Personal Mirror CTA (Slide 6): A direct question posed to the audience that forces personal reflection on the topic and is explicitly designed to generate comments and engagement. The final slide (7) serves as a 'Credibility Anchor' by listing sources.
[08]
The structural pattern this video runs on
Framework
The Pop Culture to Problem Framework
This framework leverages a recent, viral celebrity or pop culture event as a hook to introduce and explore a broader, more serious societal trend. It uses the celebrity as an entry point to make a complex issue feel immediate and relatable, then backs it up with data and expert opinion before turning the question back on the audience to drive engagement.
The Inciting Incident (Slide 2)
Presents the specific, concrete event (e.g., a quote, an action, a news story) that serves as the narrative's anchor. This grounds the abstract thesis in a real-world, newsworthy example.
The Macro-Level Evidence (Slide 3)
Zooms out from the specific incident to provide authoritative data, statistics, or expert quotes that validate the initial thesis and establish the problem's scale.
The Relatability Bridge (Slide 4)
Re-contextualizes the issue to show how it affects or is reflected in the general population, not just the initial subject. This makes the audience feel implicated in the trend.
The Consequence Breakdown (Slide 5)
Lists the tangible symptoms or negative effects of the broader trend, raising the stakes and explaining why the issue matters.
Alix Earle told @interviewmag that she’s never read a book, and the internet didn’t like that. Turns out that Earle’s lack of reading habits is actually on par with most Americans The Atlantic’s Rose Horowitch calls 2026 a post-literate society that relies on short-form content for the imagination and innovation we used to find and explore when we voraciously read books. ✍️ Words by @nardos.haile 🖌️ Design by @___0h00
Statement Text · photo_0
Alix Earle saying she's never read a book ever is a sign of a post-literate society
Statement Text · photo_0
As one of the most popular influencers, Earle, like most Americans, doesn't read: a stark reflection of where literacy is at today.
Statement Text · photo_1
Alix Earle shocked the internet when the influencer revealed to Interview Magazine, “I’ve never read a book. Like, maybe Dr. Seuss?”
Statement Text · photo_1
The shock around Earle’s reading habits, or lack thereof, seems less surprising given that it’s on par with the decreasing literacy rates in the U.S.
Statement Text · photo_2
THE END OF READING IS HERE
Statement Text · photo_2
In research for The Atlantic’s article, “The End of Reading Is Here,” journalist Rose Horowitch found that in the U.S., people who read a book or an article on a typical day have decreased by about 40% in the last two decades.
Statement Text · photo_3
As one of Gen Z’s most popular faces in media, who’s to say 25-year-old Earle has never read a book — she did go to the University of Miami, after all.
Statement Text · photo_3
However, what is concerning is that most people can relate to her lack of reading habits.
Statement Text · photo_4
The symptoms of a post-literate society have shown up in the simplification of books, the proliferation of short-form content online, and a loss of imagination in children, according to NPR.
Question Text · photo_5
How many books have you read this year?
informational · photo_6
Sources: The Atlantic www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/08/reading-crisis-postliterate-age/687618/ Slate slate.com/life/2026/10/alix-earle-justin-hailey-bieber-celebrity-reading-literacy.html NPR www.npr.org/2026/07/11/nx-s1-5886268/are-we-living-through-the-end-of-reading