Why do people learn to read?

[Lateralus]

Post your thoughts.

[ajblaise]

To aid in non-verbal communication and the ability to take in information.

[colmena]

That poll is about as useful as my nipples.

[ajblaise]

That poll is about as useful as my nipples.

Depends on where you stick it.

[FDG]

I learnt because I liked to read the stories in the magazines for children

[ajblaise]

hmm yeah i remember loving Highlights magazine, it no doubt helped.

[Bella]

Because your teacher and society tells you to, there's not really a choice is there? Unless your a bum.

[proteanmix]

Literacy is mostly a 20th century thing. And you have so many forums of literacy like cultural literacy, technological literacy, media literacy, etc. Information is at such a high turnover rate (what you knew five years ago to be true may be disproven today) that being contemporarily literate is willingness to constantly be learning. Being able to read is just the minimum. Reading comprehension, critical reading and thinking skills are so important know because of the sheer volume of information we have to sort through.

Three hundred years ago being able to read was a sign of your socioeconomic status in America. Most people didn't need to know how to read because knowing how wasn't a requirement for most daily activities although it's always been a bonus. We all know knowledge is power. Denying people the privilege of literacy is a denial of the most basic tools of empowerment. When people get education and are aware of their rights they know how to fight back.

Why I learned to read? Because I had too. I actually liked reading though so just because it was compulsory before doesn't mean it can't evolve to something else. Being illiterate today is consignment to a life of mental and physical poverty. Although I guess it depends on your culture because some cultures have very rich oral, pictorial, craft traditions. Knowledge is transmitted in those forms so reading isn't as necessary. So I guess it basically depends on how literacy is defined in your culture. If you live in a culture that is highly dependent of knowledge being transmitted in written form (e.g. right now communicating on this forum) and being deemed an intelligent person is contingent upon the fact that you know how to read, then reading is fundamental.

[disregard]

If you've stepped outside recently, you'll find that people don't learn shit in America.

If you want to learn how to read and write, you must be self-motivated.

Public schools are just daycare with drugs.

[YourLocalJesus]

I did it to be able to read myself. My mother and father always read books for me, but they tired quicker than I did. So I demanded some instruction; I tried a little and found it to be kind of easy after a while.

[lowtech redneck]

I learned to read (well), because reading is fun and I'm a process-oriented person. Otherwise, my reading skills would be about as good as my foreign language skills...and the only thing I remember from my Spanish classes is that el clase es muy abburido (sp). I learned to read remedially because of parental and societal socialization.

[Lateralus]

Literacy is mostly a 20th century thing. And you have so many forums of literacy like cultural literacy, technological literacy, media literacy, etc. Information is at such a high turnover rate (what you knew five years ago to be true may be disproven today) that being contemporarily literate is willingness to constantly be learning. Being able to read is just the minimum. Reading comprehension, critical reading and thinking skills are so important know because of the sheer volume of information we have to sort through.

Three hundred years ago being able to read was a sign of your socioeconomic status in America. Most people didn't need to know how to read because knowing how wasn't a requirement for most daily activities although it's always been a bonus. We all know knowledge is power. Denying people the privilege of literacy is a denial of the most basic tools of empowerment. When people get education and are aware of their rights they know how to fight back.

Why I learned to read? Because I had too. I actually liked reading though so just because it was compulsory before doesn't mean it can't evolve to something else. Being illiterate today is consignment to a life of mental and physical poverty. Although I guess it depends on your culture because some cultures have very rich oral, pictorial, craft traditions. Knowledge is transmitted in those forms so reading isn't as necessary. So I guess it basically depends on how literacy is defined in your culture. If you live in a culture that is highly dependent of knowledge being transmitted in written form (e.g. right now communicating on this forum) and being deemed an intelligent person is contingent upon the fact that you know how to read, then reading is fundamental.
Would you have learned to read if it wasn't compulsory?

[whatever]

Reading is pretty necissary if you want to do much in society- from getting a job, getting a drivers license, reading the bus schedule or figuring out how to prepare what you bought from the grociery store. Unless you have someone going around with you reading everything outloud for you, your SOL if you can't read.

I learned to read for the same reason YLJ did- I wanted to hear what was in the book but my parents lost the patience in reading everything that I wanted to hear, so they taught me to read (my mom is an elementary school teacher- that came in useful!) :)

[Edahn]

Why? Most people don't choose to learn to read themselves. It's a decision that's made on their behalf when they're young because of tradition, necessity (it's usefulness), peer pressure, and I'd imagine because it serves as a vehicle for parents to bond with their kids (which ties back into tradition).

[proteanmix]

Would you have learned to read if it wasn't compulsory?

It's like getting a high school diploma to me, you're much better off with it than without it. Chicken or the egg. Did I learn to like reading because I could or would I have wanted to learn if I didn't have to? I think at such a young age it wasn't a decision I would've known how to make. If I were older and presented with the opportunity of learning to read (and I lived in a society where illiteracy would be detrimental) then yes, I would learn.

[Hexis]

First of all for the post I feel its needed to properly function in our society, and it has become a thing that most people take for granted, but it truly is in America.

But personaly I feel its a start to a greater path, knowledge is power and with out the ability to read im already more powerful than someone who cant.

[FDG]

I personally learnt to read exclusively by myself when I was 3 y and 6 m old*brags* because my mother sometimes was tired to recount me stories before going to bed: thus, I decided to do it myself.

[Falcarius]

To annoy Americans on the internet.;)

Only joking, what Mademoiselle Whatever said:

Reading is pretty necissary if you want to do much in society- from getting a job, getting a drivers license, reading the bus schedule or figuring out how to prepare what you bought from the grociery store. Unless you have someone going around with you reading everything outloud for you, your SOL if you can't read.

I learned to read for the same reason YLJ did- I wanted to hear what was in the book but my parents lost the patience in reading everything that I wanted to hear, so they taught me to read.

[kyuuei]

You're TOLD to read when young generally because later on you'll need it in society to function and excel.

I know here in America we were founded upon ideals of being self-reliant, and learning the skills and trades necessary to soar to your potentials and limits. Reading is a very big part of being able to succeed in America, so naturally your parents and schools force you to learn it.

[Athenian200]

I think most people learn the basics merely because it's necessary to function in our society. I learned because I was curious and wanted to gain access to the sleeping knowledge hidden in the symbols. I learned when I was 3, but I have not mastered it yet.

[kyuuei]

I think most people learn the basics merely because it's necessary to function in our society. I learned because I was curious and wanted to gain access to the sleeping knowledge hidden in the symbols. I learned when I was 3, but I have not mastered it yet.

Exactly. If we didn't need it, it wouldn't be thrown at us so young in life. No one is taught quantum physics as a child, because you tend to learn it on your own. It's not a BASIC requirement to excel in society.

[Aimahn]

Some people are just compelled to read by their curiosity. I remember when I lived in Kenya I would always be curious to learn from adults so I apparently had a pretty extensive grasp of the local dialect and little to no understanding of English(verbally or orally) because it wasn't necessary for furthering my understanding at the time. When I moved to England without any formal teaching I learned a lot of the basics by my own will, not because it was imposed on me.

[booyalab]

Ask the 4-6 year olds who are currently in the process of learning how to read. I don't think any of them would reply "because it's necessary to function in society".

[Edahn]

Ask the 4-6 year olds who are currently in the process of learning how to read. I don't think any of them would reply "because it's necessary to function in society".

So what? They may not fully understand the causes behind their education.

[Jack Flak]

99% of the time people learn to read because they're taught by someone else. I fail to see how this is misunderstood. I don't remember learning to read, I was very young.

[LadyJaye]

Because it became my intention to take over the world. So it helps to be able to read road signs, blah blah blah...

[Edahn]

It assumes that the understanding children have about the circumstances under which they learn to read determines the outcome of the question. That's not true.

The question asked why people learn to read. The superficial answer, reading the question literally, is that it's not a choice at all, so the question doesn't make sense. Great. I think a little bit of intuition suggests that the question is asking why people are taught to read, since a whopping majority of people don't ever choose. Maybe lab was being funny. (Trying.) :devil:

[GZA]

I said B, but I should have said C.

We do it because we are forced to in school, and we are forced to in school because it is neccesary to function in society, and we are unconcious of it's importance at the time so none of that matters.

So bassically we do it for shits and giggles, I guess.

[Victor]

Almost all of us learn to read because we are forced to.

The invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century led to the dream of universal literacy.

But it was only when the State introduced free, compulsory and secular education that universal literacy was achieved - and only in affluent countries, particularly in the West.

Everyone learns to speak their own language naturally and intuitively at home, but to learn to read and write we are compelled by State Law to attend special State institutions with specially trained staff.

And as we learn to read and write, we learn the habits of counter-intuitive thought.

And counter intuitive thinking is essential for understanding modern science, modern economics and modern politics.

In fact counter-intuitive thinking is necessary to understand the modern world.

And this is why we learn to read and write - to understand the modern world around us.

For instance we learn to read and write to understand Astronomy rather than astrology.

We learn to read and write to understand the Origin of Species rather than creationism.

And we learn to read and write to understand Psychology rather than the pseudo psychology of MBTI.

So we learn to read and write in order to understand ourselves and the world around us.

But the immediate problem is that astrology, creationism and MBTI make us feel good intuitively, while Astronomy, The Origin of Species and Psychology require us to think and understand - and this is hard work but immensely satisfying and immensely rewarding.

[Nocapszy]

So bassically we do it for shits and giggles, I guess.

Why else ought we do anything?

[01011010]

It's necessary and it's taught.

[dorareever]

because it's fucking awesome??


I suppose it depends. Some learn to read because they want to have fun with books, some because it's required, like most other skills.

I don't know of anyone "forced" to learn how to read. Most kids are pretty curious about it, and the rest, well...we are "forced" to learn how to dress ourselves or tie up our shoes as well I suppose. I hardly would call that "forcing". More like adapting to the world.

Also if the parents are readers most normal children probably will learn how to read without even noticing, while playing. I can't even remember when I learned to read, or what my motivation was.