Illiterate People
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What are your thoughts on illiterate people?
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18
Lime Pawpaw
Towns Folk
I define illiterate as not being able to read or write at all 
And I go out of my way to avoid people like that. They're far too ignorant and arrogant (for some reason I'll never know seeing they can't even read and write) and (in my country) stop their children from going to school so they can be literate, which is a terrible thing to do.
And I go out of my way to avoid people like that. They're far too ignorant and arrogant (for some reason I'll never know seeing they can't even read and write) and (in my country) stop their children from going to school so they can be literate, which is a terrible thing to do.
izzyz
Pokemon Trainer
Towns Folk
I don't look down on someone who cannot use the English language so well. I think it's unfair and quite mean to just discriminate against someone because of their weakness. Instead when I encounter people who are like this and seem to be struggling I offer to help them, and be as kind as I would like to be treated if I were in their shoes. If it is someone who struggles with reading/writing and they are treating me arrogantly I base my responses around whatever conflict caused them to feel this way and try to work through the problem. If any of the above cannot be done, then I ignore that person.
PersonSP
Writing- 'n-Drawing-aholic
Towns Folk
In my country there are next to no illiterate children (nearly none as children with a mental handicap might struggle to learn how to read and write) as by law they have to go to school until they are 18. Personally, I feel sorry for people who can't red or write. Not only do they miss a lot of our world but they will always be stuck at the bottom layers of society as well.I define illiterate as not being able to read or write at all
And I go out of my way to avoid people like that. They're far too ignorant and arrogant (for some reason I'll never know seeing they can't even read and write) and (in my country) stop their children from going to school so they can be literate, which is a terrible thing to do.
I can't imagine the reason people keep their children away from school is to stop them from becoming literate. As far as I'm concerned it has to do with ignorance and poverty. That is why by looking at the literacy rate you can tell a lot about the welfare of the country as a whole. Under dictator government or governments where only the rich have power you will see quite a low literacy rate as when you keep the people stupid you keep the power to yourself. (Crudely put.) To get a society strong people have to be able to communicate which means they have to be able to read and write. There is even a campaign in my country to help immigrants who are illiterate. It turns out that most of the time they are simply too ashamed to admit they cannot read or write and therefore don't dare to seek help. I am not sure about the situation in your country (I don't know where you're from) but the illiterate in my country most certainly aren't ignorant and arrogant, they just need a helping hand.
1
18
Lime Pawpaw
Towns Folk
That isn't the case in my country. For the youngins who can't read or write I feel very sorry because they are forced into child labour (a lot of illiterate families here have lots of children just so they can make them work to earn more) but for the older generation I have no sympathy.
Feudalism and landlords keeping people illiterate is one of the main reasons for this, as you said, and in the early years perhaps it was worse, but the people who have suffered this are now so sick-minded and have to ruin it so much for their younger ones for getting 'Western education' that I can't bring myself to feel sorry for them. It's probably very heartless of me; they deserve help but they reject it when it comes to them, they think getting an education hurts their stupid traditions or pride or 'honour.'
I hope this doesn't become too political.
What you wrote was excellently thought out and gave me something to think about; thank you for that.
PersonSP
Writing- 'n-Drawing-aholic
Towns Folk
That isn't the case in my country. For the youngins who can't read or write I feel very sorry because they are forced into child labour (a lot of illiterate families here have lots of children just so they can make them work to earn more) but for the older generation I have no sympathy.
Feudalism and landlords keeping people illiterate is one of the main reasons for this, as you said, and in the early years perhaps it was worse, but the people who have suffered this are now so sick-minded and have to ruin it so much for their younger ones for getting 'Western education' that I can't bring myself to feel sorry for them. It's probably very heartless of me; they deserve help but they reject it when it comes to them, they think getting an education hurts their stupid traditions or pride or 'honour.'
I hope this doesn't become too political.
What you wrote was excellently thought out and gave me something to think about; thank you for that.
I don't think it's too political. It is an important thing to discuss.
I do wonder where you are from now... It does not sound like anywhere in Europe or America or even China. Even when I travelled in South Africa we were stopped once by the police who asked if my sister and I shouldn't be in school. They did not know we were tourists, we had hired a car. I am a pretty spoiled person when it comes down to travelling because both my parents like to see more of the world. I think education-wise Malaysia was the worst. But even there I found the will to learn. Our guide was a devote Muslim with three daughters. He invited us over to his house just before we would leave the country. His daughters were doing their homework. He told us that he hoped that trough education they could reach a better life. I think that getting 'sick-minded' is one of the biggest problems with illiteracy. You are confined to the things you are told you cannot check any knowledge by reading. Of course that will leave people estranged by the world around them. I can understand that you find this annoying but evading those people is not a solution. However, I don't think it is heartless of you to react this way. In our book for Classical Culture (a subject which covers the Romans and old Greek heritage) there was quite a great text on this. It was about how drama on TV and of course old drama play could help people to cope with their daily lives. Freely translated it said something like; With all the horrors of the modern world, people have to turn their heart into stone. While once only the suffering of your neighbours and townsmen reached you it is now the suffering of the whole world that invades your life. And this suffering has become increasingly worse. You cannot live without shutting those things out. Drama can help people release all the emotions they evaded (about what happens to the world) and move on. I think there is truth in that. With so much going on you simply can't feel too much and so everyone has gotten a bit more stone-hearted.
Education in my country (the Netherlands, in case you were wondering) is still far from perfect though. They try to split up education in levels so that everyone can learn up to their maximum capability. However, less intelligent people usually get bad education. The teachers are less devoted to their work and know less about the subjects they teach. Gifted education is still causing trouble to. Out of boredom gifted children will lose interest in school and their grades drop dramatically. However there are some bills in the making and some bills being executed that will improve both of those levels. In my opinion our education system is far better than for example the American or the Italian system but there is always room for improvement.
I hope we don't spam the thread too much with those long posts.
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423
Content at Heart
Towns Folk
Hehe, now I kind of feel bad for cringing around illiterate people. I've never thought of it from an uneducated standpoint. I agree with almost everything that was said (quite convicting, might I add). I guess sometimes it's not a person's fault that they are illiterate, it's just their financial circumstances which hinder them from ever receiving a proper education. And to think with all of the technology today people would have a greater interest in learning; ultimately improving themselves. However, most people do not. I bet the people who truly want to excel in education and knowledge don't have the proper tools to do so. This doesn't just apply to literacy, but to anything and everything.
PersonSP
Writing- 'n-Drawing-aholic
Towns Folk
Kyubey
Trust Contracts. They never hurt you.
Towns Folk
PersonSP
Writing- 'n-Drawing-aholic
Towns Folk
Well judging by Spinnerwebs description they did not move on they more or less got stuck... But on the other hand your point of view is yet another way to look at it. I think you're right that we shouldn't look at those people like "boohoo poor creatures who can't write" but it is a big problem. We don't live in the Romance, the noble savage doesn't exist.
but it is a big problem. We don't live in the Romance, the noble savage doesn't exist.
Fawn
Pokemon Master
Towns Folk
I also kind of cringe at people whom are illiterate on the interwebs.
ajaja i'm illiterate 2
I don't mind the ones who actually can't really spell or speak and whatnot that great in English as it is not their first language and they don't really study to become all that educated with it. But the ones who just use it to troll or annoy other folks are simply irritating and should just stop being buttholes.
ajaja i'm illiterate 2
I don't mind the ones who actually can't really spell or speak and whatnot that great in English as it is not their first language and they don't really study to become all that educated with it. But the ones who just use it to troll or annoy other folks are simply irritating and should just stop being buttholes.
