Degradation of English language, loss of literacy and ability to read interest in books

 I loved reading from an early age, which was not so unusual for someone of my generation and those that came before us. Most of what we knew, aside from practical knowledge and conventional wisdom, came from reading books, magazines and newspapers. We also wrote a lot. Letter writing and letter reading was for most people an enjoyable pastime. 

Because we read a lot, we also knew how to express ourselves effectively in writing. We weren't all pros at it, of course, but even poorly educated or indifferent students usually had the basics down and knew how to spell simple, frequently-used words and phrases. When you read professionally edited material regularly, it's hard not to pick up on the rules of grammar, punctuation, and style. That doesn't happen anymore, and social media has played a big part in the change.

I am almost convinced at this point that America's schools are filled with English teachers who have given up on trying to teach students the difference between 'you're' and 'your', 'then' and 'than', 'lost' and 'loss', and a dozen or so other words that most of us use on a regular basis. There is no other explanation for the frequency with which high school and even some college graduates routinely misuse these words in writing.