I’d posit that we just puritanically glorify anything perceived as difficult, regardless of the correlation with “intellect.” I’m fine not having the same attention span as people who had to less stuff to do hundreds of years ago.

What if I watch a movie in 56 two minute clips while someone extrudes playdoh in the corner?

Reading might not make you intellectual, but if you read because you thought it made you intellectual, it definitely made you insufferable.