The State of Illiteracy in America
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The State of Illiteracy in America
Introduction
In this paper, I base my argument on the book by Moore Michael, Idiot Nation. It refers to the state of literacy in America. Most Americans appear ignorant about so many issues affecting their lives including politics. This can be, according to many, attributed to their reading behavior. It is said that Americans spend much of their time watching television rather than reading. In this article, I am going to explore the state of literacy in America and try to prove whether the argument advanced in the book, Idiot Nation, is true or just a myth. I am going to get evidence that will support my point of view concerning the book.
Is America really an Idiot Nation?
The article argues that the Americans are stupid it is just that they are not tested with interesting material. Quoting Chomsky, he argues that if Americans can retain all those facts about sports, then they cannot be stupid. What needs to be done is to make other subjects such as politics as “engaging as sports.” He argues that most Americans spend much of their time watching television and very little time reading a book. Eleven percent of them read a newspaper which, according to the author, proves Americans are an ignorant lot when it comes to current affairs (Moore, 144).
The shocking statistics according to this article is that quite a large number of Americans, about to 44 million, cannot read, while the 200 million can read but do not (Moore, 144). This implies a nation of citizens who are very ignorant such that they do not deserve to lead the world. At least this is according to Moore in his book, Idiot Nation. Referring to the former president, the author presents a very pathetic state of the nation. He claims that even the president himself cannot read. This portrays the people that erected him as pitiful as he is. He claims that the president cannot even tell whether Africa is a continent or a nation. He cites several high-ranking officials in the government to drive his point home.
The educational system seems to be churning out illiterates as graduates. Citing the so-called high-ranking universities, the author presents alarming statics. He claims that students in these prestigious universities can hardly answer high school questions. He claims that the students could only manage to get 53 percent of the questions given right. Surprisingly, they were able to answer correctly questions about entertainment. This in deed portrays a pathetic state of a nation that wants to retain its position as a world leader, a nation whose inhabitants are so ignorant of the world they live in and one they claim to rule.
Moore attributes this state of illiteracy to negligence by politicians who blame the entertainment industry for the sorry state of affairs. The classes are overflowing, the infrastructure is in a state of disrepair and teachers are demoralized. There seems to be no curriculum change. He claims that students use textbooks “published in the 1980s or earlier (Moore 145). In her book, The Death and the Life of the Great American School System, the education system should be left in the hands of educators and not politicians or businesspersons. A truly national curriculum should be devised, charter schools educate children who need help most rather than competing with public schools, teachers are paid a fair wage for their work and that family involvement should be encouraged in education.
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that the education system in America needs a complete overhaul. If the system continues to produce graduates who know too little or nothing about their history and the world, they live in, then there is great trouble. It is time our educationists went back to the drawing board and thought carefully about what is ailing our education system. Otherwise, we will find ourselves being overtaken, and that could be very soon.
Works Cited
Moore, M. Idiot Nation. HarperCollins Publishers, 2002 (142-160)