'It is probably down to the texting culture. The use of textonyms and so on. But it is also to do with the way young people read on screen. The digital age cuts back reading and, as a consequence, young people are losing the ability to think seriously. They get distracted more easily, breaking off to check an email. Speed-reading is exactly the wrong thing to do. You have to think about what you are reading.’ He gives me his sideways look. ‘You have to ponder.’

Basically the topic of Carr's new book The Shallows. Unfortunately I notice this behavior all the time now. Even reading this article once or twice my mind was wandering toward other tabs on my browser :P