Steven Johnsons thought-provoking departure from the norms of contemporary thinking, EVERYTHING BAD IS GOOD FOR YOU, poses the theory that pastimes such as playing video games and watching TV, far from leading to brain rot, may in fact be increasing their participants reasoning power. While traditional reading may enable the brain to think in a certain way, Johnson speculates that the constantly shifting situations and problem-solving techniques involved in participation in contemporary video games encourage nuanced and flexible responses. Likewise, the increasing complexity of modern TV plotlines may now require more intellectual interpretation than was needed by previous generations of couch potatoes...