The Americans who can't read

[donotpissoffacow]

The US has more citizens who are illiterate - some 16 million people - than many of its developed counterparts.

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-41754308/the-americans-who-can-t-read

In addition to depriving lower class schools of money and effort, we are creating Bloviator votes.

[PJMcK]

1. But they get to vote

And drive cars.

And buy guns.

And have children.

etc.

While I'm not suggesting that the U.S. should have a literacy test for any of the above, it is rather pathetic that we're one of the richest countries in the history of the world yet somehow, ignorance is seen as a strength.

Make America Great Again, indeed.

[silverweb]

2. It really is pathetic.

I have tenants who are functionally illiterate and often wonder how they made it to adulthood, let alone retirement age. I write an occasional newsletter for tenants, keeping it simple and avoiding "big" words. Still, only about 80% read it, but the others will ask later, "What did it say?"

One tenant gave me a 30-day notice of intent to move, written in very large pencil print, ignoring the lines on the notebook paper. It looked like a 4-year-old had written it, had egregious misspellings and was barely comprehensible, but this person claims to have completed high school (and could be lying about it, but still...).

Something is terribly, terribly wrong with an educational system that graduates functionally illiterate 8th graders, let alone high school seniors.

[donotpissoffacow]

3. Nice to see the safety pin.

I tried wearing a big one for a while but people just thought I was holding my clothes together.

[silverweb]

4. LOL

I avoid that confusion by putting mine on my bag, which I wear slung over my shoulder. And that pin has a little red heart glued to it. Only very occasionally do I get a question about it. One young clerk in a fabric store was wearing a pin on his lapel and pointed to mine with a smile. No words needed.

[donotpissoffacow]

5. thanks

good idea. I may take it up again.

[silverweb]

6. Good!

I hope you do. Even if you're never called upon to demonstrate its meaning, the more of us out there sporting safety pins, the better.

[DFW]

7. It's more widespread than many realize

Before she retired, my wife was a social worker here in Germany. She said she had to work with German illiterates all the time. She said they were almost always intelligent and very clever in disguising the fact that they couldn't read or write. From people with emotional problems to severe dyslexics, they are the hidden people who fell through the cracks of German society, and, for one reason or another, are completely unable to read or write. My wife said they always had a ready reason why they couldn't do some task or other that required literacy of them. After all, they had a lifetime of learning how to survive this way, and fooling people into not noticing. It is FAR more pervasive than she ever imagined. I suppose in the States, it's no different.

[donotpissoffacow]

8. If non-readers are well adapted...

they can become extremely angry if you catch them out, even accidentally.