{
  "id": 11573057,
  "title": "Can Singapore turn doomscrollers become doomreaders?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/can-singapore-turn-doomscrollers-become-doomreaders",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T01:30:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/can-singapore-turn-doomscrollers-become-doomreaders-10904461/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The concept of cultivating a reading habit can be likened to a transition from rationality to fanaticism. Engaging in the deliberate act of reading for a set amount of time each day, with a consistent schedule, represents a structured and methodical approach. However, the dedication that some individuals display, often at the expense of their vision, sleep, and social interactions, reveals a more irrational side.\n\nIn Singapore, the government has launched an initiative to encourage citizens to read books instead of \"doomscrolling.\" This \"gamification\" strategy involves rewarding people with small amounts of money for recording daily reading sessions of at least 15 minutes on a government website. While the monetary rewards are modest, behavioral scientists and psychologists suggest that such incentives may encourage individuals who have a casual interest in reading to adopt the habit more consistently.\n\nThe question remains whether the habit will remain after the rewards are removed. History provides some optimism in this regard. The efforts of the Chartist press in 19th-century Britain were successful in instilling a reading habit among the working class. If Singapore's policy can achieve similar results, it could inspire similar initiatives elsewhere.\n\nThe ultimate test, of course, will be whether \"doomscrollers\" can transform into \"doomreaders.\"",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Singapore launches initiative to encourage reading over doomscrolling",
    "Gamification strategy rewards daily reading sessions with small monetary incentives",
    "Policy's success could inspire similar initiatives globally"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Singapore's initiative to reward citizens for daily reading sessions may encourage casual readers to adopt the habit consistently, potentially creating a lasting change in reading behavior.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}