According to Alex Iskold, author of 'Is YouTube the Next Google'"In the first half of the 20th century, people grew up reading books and newspapers. Then there was a generation that grew up on movies and television. The last shift was to the Internet. And now web video is creating yet another generation." I grew up reading books (a lot) and watching TV and going to movies (albeit less than reading). I got my first library card when I was two years old. I always laugh at that because my mom told me that I signed my name so big that I missed most of the card while marking up most of the table in the library. To this day you'll always find a book in my hand. I also remember the public service announcements about reading that were always aired on TV. (Hmmm...haven't seen those in many years).
So imagine my horror when I came across some disturbing news about illiteracy in the U.S. Yes, in 2009, functional illiteracy in North America is reaching epidemic levels and this should concern all of us. According to ABC News, there are 7 million illiterate Americans. Other sources, including the National Institute for Literacy, report that 27 million are unable to read well enough to complete a job application and 30 million can't read a simple sentence. There are about 50 million who read at a fourth or fifth grade level. The nation's illiterate is growing more than 2 million each year. A 1/3 of high-school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives, and neither do 42% of college graduates. In 2007, 80% of families in the U.S didn't buy or read a book.
I certainly appreciate many of today's technologies. I believe we've learned a lot of valuable information about our world as a result of today's incredible technologies and will continue to be amazed at what the future holds. However, while I ponder the Internet and other technological incredible advancements, I hope that we work to turn the tide on illiteracy and from time to time turn away from non-reading online activities, turn off the TV and read a book!
