From https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/14phpbq/how_is_it_possible_that_roughly_50_of_americans/

Question above is pretty blunt but was doing a study for a college course and came across that stat. How is that possible? My high school sucked but I was well equipped even with that sub standard level of education for college. Obviously income is a thing but to think 1 out of 5 American adults is categorized as illiterate is…astounding. Now poor media literacy I get, but not this. Edit: this was from a department of education report from 2022. Just incase people are curious where that comes from. It does also specify as literate in English so maybe not as grim as I thought.

    • SolanumChillEse@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      48
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Cuba didn’t achieve 98% literacy by having a country of concerned parents. They had a massive education push with basically unlimited support from the government.

      Placing the responsibility of America’s failure to educate its populace on individuals is honestly kind of insidious. America needs to dedicate resources to education. Period. Their failure to do so is why so many Americans are dumber than stumps.

      • GregorGizeh@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        16
        arrow-down
        7
        ·
        1 year ago

        To add on to that, without publicly funded education those illiterates will only perpetuate and exacerbate the problem. If one generation is poorly educated their children will have even more difficulties. And their children even worse. And then they are stuck forever because without education it is uncommon to have enough money to afford a good one for their kids.

        If education is privatized and costs money no poor and uneducated person can ever climb out of their misery on their own.

    • gears@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      That’s great that you’ve fostered a love for reading, I believe that’s an incredibly important thing for a young mind.

      But i also don’t think not allowing video games at all isn’t necessary. I grew up reading and playing online games, it’s possible to ensure a balance. And today online games are a huge part of the socializing that happens. It sucks to sit at the lunch table and have your friends talk about conversations they had that you couldn’t be a part of.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      His average schoolmate has an Xbox in their room instead of books. He complains about it all the time.

      I’m skeptical.