"I used to think there were two types of people: the ones who only use subtitles when necessary, and the unappreciative philistines who use them for no good reason. I was willing to die on this hill, arguing that they distracted from the purity of the audiovisual experience: the cinematographer's attention to detail, the glimpse of a tear in an actor's eye, the punchline of an expertly timed joke, and so on."
"But I have been forced to recognise just how alone I am on this hill: in 2021, a survey found that 80% of 18-25-year-olds used subtitles all or some of the time, while a new survey run by streaming service U found that 87% of young Britons are using subtitles more than they used to. There is no longer a debate about subtitles: among my peers, two types of people have given way to mostly one type."
"Why is this practice so common among people my age? If you aren't hearing-impaired and are fluent in the language of the dialogue, what is it about subtitles that makes them more appealing? An easy assumption is that this is the result of a short attention span, passivity and a lazy nature, a failure of generation Zombie. But having experienced watching TV with and without subtitles, I'd say the former doesn't beget lazy viewing so much as a quicker information download."
Surveys show widespread subtitle use among young people: 80% of 18-25-year-olds used subtitles all or some of the time in 2021, and 87% of young Britons now use subtitles more than before. Less than a quarter of boomers used subtitles despite experiencing more hearing difficulties. Subtitles enable faster information uptake and support multitasking, especially when viewers double-screen; 80% of Gen Z and millennials reported double-screening while watching. Subtitles also help comprehension in noisy environments, across accents, and for rapid dialogue. Increased subtitle use reflects a values shift and cultural conditioning linked to big tech and changing viewing habits.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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