The Loss of Literacy in Modern America

[Warrior of Metal]

Lord Drago

If there was a choice in a poll for the poor education, I would pick that. In southern California, the idiotic teachers tell students to say, "More better," and "Much more better." My cousin, how pitiful that I am related to him as thick as marriage, keeps saying that. I'd like to give the retards that run the school system in Corona a piece of my mind...

Your cousin lives in Corona? California? That's where I live! If so, what school does he go to?  

[ChibiStarlet]

dameonmac5918

What has caused the loss of literacy is all of those things listed in the poll. Not only is it that, but it seems that society itself discourages people from being literate, because those that are literate are shown as outsiders, something that all should stay away from, because its not "cool" to be smart. And the nation wonders why America is behind in terms of education? It's because of our culture, and the way things are displayed in the media that we are as we are. Most people believe what they see on the screen and are easily swayed. What is being shown on the popular channels is that to be literate is to be mocked, terrorized, and completely isolated.

Very well put, Dameonmac5918. I'd tend to agree with you on that one. I did it when I was in school and now I'm seeing my students do it--you have to hide the fact that you're smart or literate, because that's not "cool." No one wants to be friends with the bookworm. We don't value education and intelligence nearly as much as we need to.

I also blame the internet and text messaging to some degree, but I can't blame them totally, because I think kids really need to be taught to code-switch...txting with your friends is all fine and good as long as you can then know when it's appropriate and when you need to write like a human being with half a brain. Schools need to do better with this and so do parents. That's why I really find it hard to blame TV or the internet too much, because parents should be looking out for what their kid is reading or watching. If more parents would take the time to read to their kids or show them that, hey, it's cool to be smart, kids might be more literate.

Just my 5 cents. wink  

[Zealot of Insanity]

I SWEAR IT IS NOT LAZINESS!

Seriously, I have got to be one of the laziest person in my class, yet I am literate. Why? It's because I can't stand to see the English language butchered! So, you can be lazy, but still literate! Personally, I think it's peer vandilation, but on a much more intimidating scale. Kids feel like they need to fit in. They need their attention. So, they join the "cool" "fad" of text talk, leet, and so forth.  

[Dancing Dragon of Bending]

In my opinion, I think it is laziness. Since technology is advancing, (I don't mind it advacning at all, mind you) many things are becoming faster, easier, etc. With that, it's influence is taking on the younger generations and slowly but surely affecting the older generations. It saddens me so to think that in five or ten years, where will we be? Will everyone type l33t and say "zomg lyk u r so cool!" and have no appreciation for literature of any kind? These are the questions that haunt me sometimes...

ninja  

[wrungxOUTxrainbowz]

People just don't care about learning anything anymore. They'd rather eat fattening foods and watch television. They get all of their money from welfare (NO idea if I spelled that correctly, please tell me if I did or not.) and such. They are too lazy to go to school and get the education that a lot of people would love to have. If they do go to school then they just end up sitting there like lazy bumbs and fail, they take up space that other people that want to be there and want to have an education could be taking up. Does that make sense...?  

[Mist in Shadows]

In my opinion, only one other post really had it right. The one that spoke about apathy being the problem. Laziness isn't the problem. It is more... that no one CARES. They don't care about looking stupid. They don't care about making themselves better.

In today's world, you can get pretty far on superficial qualities, and coasting. And the values from days gone by are getting twisted and warped, to allow us to not care. We are taught to not care what anyone else thinks about us. Which is a valuable lesson, for when you are being insulted or put down unfairly. But people are twisting it to allow them to continue being apathetic.

For example, many times I have tried to helpfully correct a person's spelling or nudge them gently in the direction of more proper grammar. And they get angry. I tell them I am not insulting their intelligence; I am only trying to help them learn. And their response is that they are going to do things the way they want, and they don't care what anyone else thinks. Because to care what other people think about their approach, would also cause them to have to think about changing.

And people don't care enough to change. This is why so many of us can be lazy, yet still strive to make ourselves better. Because we are not apathetic about ourselves. Which is wonderful, because it truly shows our strength. To live in a world so flawed, and so rife with chaos and strife, yet still care about making ourselves rise above it. I salute all of us.  

[Mrkurosakie]

][Black Rose 15][

In my opinion, I think it is laziness. Since technology is advancing, (I don't mind it advacning at all, mind you) many things are becoming faster, easier, etc. With that, it's influence is taking on the younger generations and slowly but surely affecting the older generations. It saddens me so to think that in five or ten years, where will we be? Will everyone type l33t and say "zomg lyk u r so cool!" and have no appreciation for literature of any kind? These are the questions that haunt me sometimes...

ninja

I agree. No offense to the girl above who said she's lazy, and literate, but sometimes when I text people on my cellphone, I admit that I will someone occasionally write text talk, because I am too tired, or lazy to type it all out myself...I know, I know *shakes head* It sounds sad, but true, and 92.968% of the time I write normal, immense literate talk.  

[Lord Drago]

Angel of Metal

Lord Drago

If there was a choice in a poll for the poor education, I would pick that. In southern California, the idiotic teachers tell students to say, "More better," and "Much more better." My cousin, how pitiful that I am related to him as thick as marriage, keeps saying that. I'd like to give the retards that run the school system in Corona a piece of my mind...

Your cousin lives in Corona? California? That's where I live! If so, what school does he go to?

Sorry I didn't get back to you on that... umm... I forget. I'll find out, something highschool. His name's Alan Cain. He's cool, but he's also a sophmore. Yeah, Corona California.  

[SonarP]

Personally, myself..I think it's a list of contributing factors. For those who say it's video games, you might wanna check this out: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21586833&page=1 . I'm a gamer-chick, and this is me just as I type. There are some things I do agree on and don't agree on...this is my story..a pictional song-poem-type-thing on how it all started. It'd place it in a guitar ballad. (SWEET! We get a story!).

At first, I was alone. But, I was cool.
I was even read the textbooks while I was in school.
Reading books under the sun,
it wasn't so much fun..
people didn't like the smart kid,
so I had to do what they did.
now i'm kool agin cuz i got frins
hoo dun give a car about sosiety.
they stopp3d c4r1n9 480u7 9r4d3s cuz th3y d1dn'7 937 9o0d 9r4d3s.
n0 1 31s3 c4r3d w3n w3 c0u1d us th3 1n73rn3t.
3v3ry1 31s3 1s d01n9 17, s0 y shud w3?

It's still in the works. :3 But I still think it's a whole bunch of factors...apathy, media, peer validation...the works. Maybe I'm not voicing it as well as I want, though.  

[Akira Valdis]

Okay, just hopping in on said subject...I have to say laziness is a huge part. As for the person who said they're lazy? So am I! I'm lazy-lazy-lazy in the fact that I never get my homework done, I dislike chores and most other work-related things, and would rather sleep all day. But there's another type of laziness in my opinion, and that's being too lazy to use your brain. Some people are too damn lazy to bother with the horrible inconvenience of having to put that E in...hav, txt, etc. (or tc. if that even works for anyone).

When texting on my cellphone, I've tried to use this 'txt tlk' people speak of, and I just can't. It scares me. Literally...it's actually really funny how persnickety I get about it. By the way...SonarP. I like your poem/thing a lot. It's amusing (and fairly honest). A lot of my friends start panicing when I use words that aren't...really that big. A three syllubal word and they say 'stop using big words'. So I agree, it is a lot of factors, and I too...have no idea how to say this correctly...but I think people understand what I'm trying to say.  

[Gummy Bear Fairy]

I think that some people want instant gratification so they tend to try to do things as fast as possible. People are also quite lazy so they don't want to have to learn about things as much I think. I know that whenever I'm online and chatting with someone I'm always retyping something if I didn't spell it properly and a few of my friends don't seem to get what the big deal is and I try to explain to them that I have to spell things correctly or it bothers me quite a bit.  

[missdixy]

While technology plays its part, I think the loss of literacy in America should be put on, well, America itself. As a nation, we have embraced the loss of literacy instead of fought against it. We've lowered our standards in education and have made it our goal to get kids to finish high school one way or another instead of ensuring that they receive a quality education.  

[Subservient Nonentity]

SonarP

Personally, myself..I think it's a list of contributing factors. For those who say it's video games, you might wanna check this out: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21586833&page=1 . I'm a gamer-chick, and this is me just as I type. There are some things I do agree on and don't agree on...this is my story..a pictional song-poem-type-thing on how it all started. It'd place it in a guitar ballad. (SWEET! We get a story!).

At first, I was alone. But, I was cool.
I was even read the textbooks while I was in school.
Reading books under the sun,
it wasn't so much fun..
people didn't like the smart kid,
so I had to do what they did.
now i'm kool agin cuz i got frins
hoo dun give a car about sosiety.
they stopp3d c4r1n9 480u7 9r4d3s cuz th3y d1dn'7 937 9o0d 9r4d3s.
n0 1 31s3 c4r3d w3n w3 c0u1d us th3 1n73rn3t.
3v3ry1 31s3 1s d01n9 17, s0 y shud w3?

It's still in the works. :3 But I still think it's a whole bunch of factors...apathy, media, peer validation...the works. Maybe I'm not voicing it as well as I want, though.

Sadly, I can understand what you wrote.  

[Chasmothyst]

(this may seem a little unrelated at first, but it I will end up seguaing into the topic) I am fine with "txt tlk" on phones (as cell phone companys tend to charge users by letter) due to the price, but using it on the computer is plain laziness. Slang on the computer is plain stupidity, and "133t" or whatever, is plain outdated. (it is from the 80's originally, right?)  

[The_0ther_Account]

If you don't mind me saying so, I blame all of the above.