New York Times Essay Revisits John Berger's Art Writing as Antidote to Digital Scrolling

A New York Times magazine piece published on October 18, 2026, argues that John Berger's essays on art and artists offer a counterweight to the distracted habits of endless online scrolling. The essay's author singles out Berger's writing about art and artists as the portion of his work that resonates most strongly today. In the piece, the writer describes the experience of reading Berger as akin to standing beside him inside a museum, or even seeing a painting or sculpture through his eyes. The essay frames this effect as a lesson in attention: readers find themselves paying attention to Berger's own attention. The article appears in the magazine section of The New York Times and is titled "John Berger Is The Antidote To The Scroll." It does not present new reporting or archival discoveries, but rather a personal reflection on why Berger's art criticism retains value in a media environment dominated by scrolling. The piece was surfaced through ArtsJournal's Belknap blog, which linked to the Times article alongside a screenshot image.