3 ms·

Fifty four percent of American adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. The situation in America is not some temporary aberration, it is a perma

Fifty four percent of American adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. The situation in America is not some temporary aberration, it is a permanent change in the status quo. Anti-intellectual populism is the new normal, and any thinking person who values their safety should be weighing anonymity and silence as viable options.

whatshisface 2y ago
The Bolsheviks didn't want people who got the message and shut up. They were extremely paranoid about them. They wanted people who had been raised in the new system or who had supported it when the choice was free. I don't think that self-interest is morally right as a guiding principle or that people who have written things as clearly "aware" as your comment have the option you're suggesting.
- stevenAthompson 2y ago
  I understand and respect your moral position, I just feel that I have an even stronger moral requirement to take care of myself and my family first, and I think that others should do the same. As the stewardesses say, you should always put on your own oxygen mask first.
  - whatshisface 2y ago
    Sure, but nobody is going to read that comment and think, "this guy is a solid Bolshevik."
    - stevenAthompson 2y ago
      You're not wrong.
kenfox 2y ago
I wonder if the low literacy rate is partly an artifact of non-English speakers. The 54% stat seems to come from PIAAC which only evaluates English literacy in the US https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/faq.asp https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/faq.asp The US hasn’t historically had high literacy rates though I definitely agree we are back to McCarthy levels of anti-intellectualism. Probably worse.
geoduck14 2y ago
>Fifty four percent of American adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level I have a 4th grade child. When she was in 3rd grade, I realized that a 3rd grade education allows you to function in many different forms. A 3rd grade reading level is more than enough for living in nearly every situation. I would hope that full grown adults develop other "intellect" skills that help them in life, but as far as reading level - 3rd grade is plenty.
- stevenAthompson 2y ago
  The world is now complicated. Simple people can't fathom it, and they make bad decisions because they're incapable of understanding the rules of they game they're stuck playing. Furthermore, not all clever people are kind and some will happily take advantage of the disparity in intellect. I understand the allure of the simple answer, but "Trade schools are good enough, we need more plumbers anyhow!" only works until Joe the Plumber has to sign a contract, read a EULA, or steer the fate of our entire nation by voting.
- MrSkelter 2y ago
  This is a take so misguided it seems like parody. Reading isn’t just about successfully understanding words. It’s the ability to decipher context, particularly in long texts in which metaphor and subtext are important. You need look no further than the current crop of VCs and tech leaders who can all clearly barely read. Andreessen, Musk, Zuckerberg all love to point at classic science fiction and modern media while making comments which articulate how completely they have missed the point. When musk says the Cybertruck is “…something Blade Runner would drive” or Andreessen quotes Marinetti as a hero, or Zuckerberg unironically uses “move fast and break things” as a motto it’s clear how little of what they have read they understand. People today are praising translations of Hitler’s speeches. They do this because they cannot connect the points he’s making to the inevitable outcomes of those attitudes. They lack the ability to see into the text and truly understand it. That’s why a 3rd grade reading ability is a problem. Zuckerberg and Musk are dropouts. It’s shows.

whatshisface 2y ago

The Bolsheviks didn't want people who got the message and shut up. They were extremely paranoid about them. They wanted people who had been raised in the new system or who had supported it when the choice was free. I don't think that self-interest is morally right as a guiding principle or that people who have written things as clearly "aware" as your comment have the option you're suggesting.

stevenAthompson 2y ago
I understand and respect your moral position, I just feel that I have an even stronger moral requirement to take care of myself and my family first, and I think that others should do the same. As the stewardesses say, you should always put on your own oxygen mask first.
- whatshisface 2y ago
  Sure, but nobody is going to read that comment and think, "this guy is a solid Bolshevik."
  - stevenAthompson 2y ago
    You're not wrong.

kenfox 2y ago

I wonder if the low literacy rate is partly an artifact of non-English speakers. The 54% stat seems to come from PIAAC which only evaluates English literacy in the US https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/faq.asp https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/faq.asp The US hasn’t historically had high literacy rates though I definitely agree we are back to McCarthy levels of anti-intellectualism. Probably worse.

geoduck14 2y ago

>Fifty four percent of American adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level I have a 4th grade child. When she was in 3rd grade, I realized that a 3rd grade education allows you to function in many different forms. A 3rd grade reading level is more than enough for living in nearly every situation. I would hope that full grown adults develop other "intellect" skills that help them in life, but as far as reading level - 3rd grade is plenty.

stevenAthompson 2y ago
The world is now complicated. Simple people can't fathom it, and they make bad decisions because they're incapable of understanding the rules of they game they're stuck playing. Furthermore, not all clever people are kind and some will happily take advantage of the disparity in intellect. I understand the allure of the simple answer, but "Trade schools are good enough, we need more plumbers anyhow!" only works until Joe the Plumber has to sign a contract, read a EULA, or steer the fate of our entire nation by voting.
MrSkelter 2y ago
This is a take so misguided it seems like parody. Reading isn’t just about successfully understanding words. It’s the ability to decipher context, particularly in long texts in which metaphor and subtext are important. You need look no further than the current crop of VCs and tech leaders who can all clearly barely read. Andreessen, Musk, Zuckerberg all love to point at classic science fiction and modern media while making comments which articulate how completely they have missed the point. When musk says the Cybertruck is “…something Blade Runner would drive” or Andreessen quotes Marinetti as a hero, or Zuckerberg unironically uses “move fast and break things” as a motto it’s clear how little of what they have read they understand. People today are praising translations of Hitler’s speeches. They do this because they cannot connect the points he’s making to the inevitable outcomes of those attitudes. They lack the ability to see into the text and truly understand it. That’s why a 3rd grade reading ability is a problem. Zuckerberg and Musk are dropouts. It’s shows.