The Americans who can't read

[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.