Why do people learn to read?

[Lateralus]

Post your thoughts.

[ajblaise]

To aid in non-verbal communication and the ability to take in information.

[colmena]

That poll is about as useful as my nipples.

[ajblaise]

Originally Posted by colmena

That poll is about as useful as my nipples.

Depends on where you stick it.

[FDG]

I learnt because I liked to read the stories in the magazines for children

[ajblaise]

hmm yeah i remember loving Highlights magazine, it no doubt helped.

[Bella]

Because your teacher and society tells you to, there's not really a choice is there? Unless your a bum.

[proteanmix]

Literacy is mostly a 20th century thing. And you have so many forums of literacy like cultural literacy, technological literacy, media literacy, etc. Information is at such a high turnover rate (what you knew five years ago to be true may be disproven today) that being contemporarily literate is willingness to constantly be learning. Being able to read is just the minimum. Reading comprehension, critical reading and thinking skills are so important know because of the sheer volume of information we have to sort through.

Three hundred years ago being able to read was a sign of your socioeconomic status in America. Most people didn't need to know how to read because knowing how wasn't a requirement for most daily activities although it's always been a bonus. We all know knowledge is power. Denying people the privilege of literacy is a denial of the most basic tools of empowerment. When people get education and are aware of their rights they know how to fight back.

Why I learned to read? Because I had too. I actually liked reading though so just because it was compulsory before doesn't mean it can't evolve to something else. Being illiterate today is consignment to a life of mental and physical poverty. Although I guess it depends on your culture because some cultures have very rich oral, pictorial, craft traditions. Knowledge is transmitted in those forms so reading isn't as necessary. So I guess it basically depends on how literacy is defined in your culture. If you live in a culture that is highly dependent of knowledge being transmitted in written form (e.g. right now communicating on this forum) and being deemed an intelligent person is contingent upon the fact that you know how to read, then reading is fundamental.

[disregard]

If you've stepped outside recently, you'll find that people don't learn shit in America.

If you want to learn how to read and write, you must be self-motivated.

Public schools are just daycare with drugs.

[YourLocalJesus]

I did it to be able to read myself. My mother and father always read books for me, but they tired quicker than I did. So I demanded some instruction; I tried a little and found it to be kind of easy after a while.