Self-professed misogynist influencer Andrew Tate believes reading is for people with “slow brains,” according to a recent resurfaced clip of him on X. In the video, Tate is seen bragging that his brain is too advanced for reading and that he’d rather be in constant chaos.
“I’m too smart to read. I know you’re sitting there going ‘smart people read’… no. I need action. I need constant chaos in my life to feel content. I need to be driving a supercar and f—ing fighting, f—ing a bunch of hoes and champagne… going crazy.”
I’ve seen this stat floated a thousand times, from the same single source.
I’ve yet to have anyone lay out what 8th grade reading level statement 54% of the population can’t understand.
It’s worth noting that the editorial standards set for most news outlets are at the 6th grade reading level.
Any higher and news outlets start to severely limit their potential audience.
Checking out readability formulas, like the Flesch‑Kincaid grade level formula, should help to clear things up a bit. But in general, a 6th grade reading level is where concrete language, moderate sentence length, and single step reasoning all align. Adding abstract vocab, multiple embedded clauses, or deep cultural references push text above a 6th grade level.