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One in five cannot name a single author of literature, survey shows
- coldtea 10y agoAnd why would they? Literature is for free people (or people feeling unfree), people that have a sense of wonder about the world, history and society. You don't need literature to live like a zombie, work your ass off in some salaried position, and tickling your senses with superhero movies and celebrity gossip.
- bediger4000 10y ago"The most commonly named writer was William Shakespeare, while Charles Dickens came a close second." Pretty clear that "literature" means all those allegedly classic writers like Walpole, or Charlotte Bronte or anyone before 1890 that had the 1880s equivalent of a best seller. All of that material is pretty difficult for a modern reader. The pacing is different, they used a very formal grammar, and the stereotypes don't make any sense. If the point of reading is to enjoy, "literature" is the wrong thing, obviously. If the point is to get exposed to great ideas, "literature" is still the wrong way to do it. Lighten up, let people read modern stuff.