Illiterate America

[super kid]

In my English class we are doing a lot of readings on illiteracy in America. It is a big problem and more than 92 million Americans have low or very low literacy skills. I just want to get what everyone's point of view is on this subject, and how you believe it hurts the country.

Edit: In America I mean the United States.

http://education-portal.com/articles/Illiteracy:_The_Downfall_of_American_Society.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Shameful-Secret-of-Illiteracy-in-America&id=23757

http://lci.typepad.com/leaders_resou...-literacy.html

[foilman8805]

Re: Illiterate America

Please provide some reasonable (and credible) statistical evidence that supports that claim. I'll be more willing to discuss the implications of this with a bit of fact at hand.

You're saying that a very, very large portion of the population struggles with reading issues...I just want to make sure that's actually correct.

EDIT: I'm aware you mean the United States.

[Izzy]

Re: Illiterate America

The united states has around a 99.7% literacy rate. I don't think it is hurting anyone but the individuals themselves.

edit: nvm the sources I found only say 99%

[super kid]

Re: Illiterate America

Links in first post. I really just want to know how you think illiteracy a problem and how it can hurt people in the United States.

[devonin]

Re: Illiterate America

This government study showed that 21% to 23% of adult Americans were not "able to locate information in text", could not "make low-level inferences using printed materials", and were unable to "integrate easily identifiable pieces of information."

Maybe not illiterate, but certainly literacy deficient.

[vantilburg]

Re: Illiterate America

Just how inept would one have to be with reading to be considered illiterate? Would it be being able to read the material, regardless of the time required, or would it be able to analyze the material and understand what it's saying?
Because cognition varies on many levels

[foilman8805]

Re: Illiterate America

super kid, maybe you should start by sharing your own viewpoint with us. Stimulate a little discussion?

[Syhto]

Re: Illiterate America

Even if there is a problem with illiteracy in the united states, what more are you going to do? Children are mandated by law to attend school. Even parents are being thrown in jail over these things. I'm assuming most of the illiteracy issues stem from those with special needs.

[benguino]

Re: Illiterate America

There is not much we can do. Many of the illerate (or should I say literate deficient) people can't properly read and write either because they are too lazy to learn or they have some mental health condition.

[Reach]

Re: Illiterate America

Well, if we look at the trends, from studies I have read, literacy is about as high now as it was 30 and 40 years ago, maybe even higher in certain areas (e.g. quantitative skills).

So if America is illiterate, it has always been illiterate.

Is it even possible to change this without increasing the intelligence of the country? Probably, but there's a limit. A certain portion of the population is always going to be illiterate; their IQ is too low to ever be literate. Many people that are also borderline in intelligence are never going to do well enough in school to become literate, and most of their parents are unintelligent as well.

The easiest way to increase literacy would be to...increase the intelligence of the country as a whole, but good luck putting into motion a plan that would restrict reproduction in those that are less able.


So yeah, it's a problem in that the greater the portion of illiterate people in the population, the greater the portion of people unable to do skilled work, which contributes to GDP, quality of living, etc.

However, given that America is pretty much on top of the totem pole in these terms, I can't seriously see it as a problem, at least speaking relative to other countries. I would worry more about the literacy rates in poor countries, which would severely hamper their ability to develop skilled work in medicine and business etc.

[Izzy]

Re: Illiterate America

Maybe companies should stop hiring people who aren't capable of adequately doing the work they need to.

Let natural selection roll in a little and things should work out. People will be more driven to become more literate then they are over the generations and possibly america will become a little more intelligent as a whole.

[Crashfan3]

Re: Illiterate America

True, Izzy, but even the most brain-dead can get jobs serving up burgers and fries.

Plus, even if the parents can't make money, that still doesn't stop them from making stupid decisions (since they're stupid), and having seven or eight children. Those children have seven or eight children, and so on... it's a disease that can't be cured.

We can create dams to keep the river held back, but we can't stop the mighty flow, so to speak.

The only way I can think of to greatly reduce the problem, as immature as it sounds, is with some kind of Hitler scenario, or some other form of massive human intervention.

The chances of that happening again in the next century are unlikely, which is a good thing. The last thing modern humanity needs is more genocide.

[Izzy]

Re: Illiterate America

I don't believe that children are doomed from the get go. People are stupid because of their lack of motivation or education. I think the child of two unintelligent people can be educated to the point of excellent literacy.

Literacy is a concept of knowledge and knowledge is gained after birth, not inherited.

I understand there is a point after being born that makes it nearly impossible to learn how to speak. But there have been cases of completely feral children being taught how to read and understand a language.

It's possible that stupid people are most likely not well off and would then give less education opportunities for their children, but that seems like the only issue to me.

[Crashfan3]

Re: Illiterate America

Yeah, but how many kids born in situations like even think that's possible for them?

Every now and then you hear about some charitable organization picking one or two kids out of poverty and giving them a good home, and they turn out all right, or some kid who's determined and dedicated to make something out of himself actually succeeds.

Unfortunately, most of the time, it's seems to be "like father, like son". Dad's a drunken, unemployed hopeless wreck, and so Billy ends up the same way.

I know there's no facts or statistics to back that statement up (that I know of anyway), but to put it simply: genetics gives them a bad start, and while there may be a glimmer of hope, an environment that discourages learning, or some other form of abusive environment, generally kills that last bit of hope off.

[MrRubix]

Re: Illiterate America

I don't believe that children are doomed from the get go. People are stupid because of their lack of motivation or education. I think the child of two unintelligent people can be educated to the point of excellent literacy.

Literacy is a concept of knowledge and knowledge is gained after birth, not inherited.

I understand there is a point after being born that makes it nearly impossible to learn how to speak. But there have been cases of completely feral children being taught how to read and understand a language.

It's possible that stupid people are most likely not well off and would then give less education opportunities for their children, but that seems like the only issue to me.

My parents did not go to college and barely got through high school -- I turned out alright.

What was vital for me, though, was learning to read very early and being given a computer at a very young age. Best things my parents ever did for me.