@"jlocke" The difference between the Europeans and the American aboriginals is more stark, more critical than stone vs. iron. In fact, the transition from the Stone Age was not because the world ran out of stones. The real cultural turning point was the written word. Pre-literate cultures have no way of transmitting knowledge across many generations. It is the single most critical differentiating characteristic that leads to our recent success as a species.
The written word is one more example of the power of cooperation and collaborative behavior for humans. We are literally and figuratively connected to all other humans. The more we collaborate, the more powerful we are. This is a fact. A political fact, too.
But the other thing about reading and writing is that, the more of it one has done, the broader and deeper we read and write—the more informed we become. If we read widely enough, we can understand many things that elude others who are less well read.
In this forum, it’s pretty easy to tell who is well read, and who isn’t.
Now, illiteracy is debilitating, of course. Selective literacy is better than illiteracy, but broad literacy, well considered and persistently pursued, is the hallmark of the well educated. These are NOT the folks who support trump. That’s why he went to great lengths to praise his uneducated synchophants.
@"jlocke" The difference between the Europeans and the American aboriginals is more stark, more critical than stone vs. iron. In fact, the transition from the Stone Age was not because the world ran out of stones. The real cultural turning point was the written word. Pre-literate cultures have no way of transmitting knowledge across many generations. It is the single most critical differentiating characteristic that leads to our recent success as a species.
The written word is one more example of the power of cooperation and collaborative behavior for humans. We are literally and figuratively connected to all other humans. The more we collaborate, the more powerful we are. This is a fact. A political fact, too.
But the other thing about reading and writing is that, the more of it one has done, the broader and deeper we read and write—the more informed we become. If we read widely enough, we can understand many things that elude others who are less well read.
In this forum, it’s pretty easy to tell who is well read, and who isn’t.
Now, illiteracy is debilitating, of course. Selective literacy is better than illiteracy, but broad literacy, well considered and persistently pursued, is the hallmark of the well educated. These are NOT the folks who support trump. That’s why he went to great lengths to praise his uneducated synchophants.