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Reading the newspaper at breakfast is an old TV trope. If TV is any indication it's socially acceptable to read things during the first meal of the day but not the latter ones.

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This comment confuses me. The newspaper arrives early in the morning, before or around the time most people wake. It is traditionally read at the earliest opportunity, which is usually breakfast, as it can often inform the reader before they go about their day. For example, weather, or local or global events of note that may be socially relevant.

None of this is really true for other mediums. You can look at your phone wherever. It's not a shared resource for the household.

Where I grew up, the working class paper was delivered later in the day, and was traditionally read at/after dinner. On the other hand the prim bourgeoisie newspaper was delivered early in the morning and was traditionally read at breakfast. I thought that's how the blue collar / white collar divide was everywhere.

It's not just a trope, because generally, in the 20th century, newspapers were delivered in the mornings. So reading while eating breakfast and seeing what is happening in the world before you started your day is what many people actually did.

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