The United Nations has declared September 8th International Literacy Day. According to the folks there who keep track of such things, some 774,000,000 adults around the world lack minimal literacy skills. That's roughly 18% of the world's adults.
While scholars debate over just what constitutes minimal literacy, we'll turn our attention to what people agree on: the magic and power of reading.
More than 2,000 years ago, the Chinese philosopher Confucius warned: "No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance."
In more modern times, the Indian nationalist Mohandas Gandhi pointed out another value of reading: "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."
Other modern leaders have viewed literacy as a powerful force for all sorts of good. American president Lyndon B Johnson called "A book . . . the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance" while British Prime Minister Gordon Brown described "reading . . . [as] a ladder out of poverty . . . probably one of the best anti-poverty, anti-deprivation, anti-crime, anti-vandalism policies you can think of."
And another American president, Bill Clinton, thought the policy aspects of literacy were worth spelling out. "Literacy is not a luxury"; he said; "it is a right and a responsibility."
1 comment:
It's hard to imagine not be able to read. All the brilliant books I would not have read. Thanks for reminding us.
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