'The ratio of literacy to illiteracy is constant, but nowadays the illiterates can read and write’. Alberto Moravia (1907 - 1990) Italian novelist. The Observer (London)
In our world today, the word literate or illiterate is encapsulated in the description of varying, different or distinctive intellectual capacities (where intellectual representation is given).
Why? Beyond the general conceptual belief of an illiterate being someone who doesn’t know how to read or write, if you describe someone as musically, technologically, or economically illiterate, you infer that they are musically, technologically, or economically ignorant (that is to say they are mutually ignorant).
What makes others literate is the lack in knowledge or ignorance of many others.
Little wonder, nowadays, literates are no more people who can read and write because virtually everyone can read and write.
It’s of obvious necessity to ascertain that if everyone can operate the computer system very well then it will become awkward placing importance on what everyone can do by generalizing people as computer literates.
If more people were financial literates, there will be no necessity for segmenting indicating that others have to learn these skills.
Literacy and illiteracy therefore can also be found in the development or lack of development of certain skills. People are called literates because others are lagging behind. Equally, people are called illiterates because others are mentally engaging ahead of them.
Let’s observe the trend. If we describe someone as Literate in a particular field, the implication is;
- It’s an area many people do not know anything about,
- They have good knowledge and understanding of that field,
- They made some discoveries in areas many people are not interested in.
Interest begot discovery.
Everyone has shown great signs of illiteracy at one point in time. Everyone is an illiterate to a certain degree; we are all without appropriate information in most areas of life.
If you are not researching on anything in life, it will be difficult to be wholly literate. What makes you literate is what others don’t know. Your level of literacy is tied to your desire for discovery.