Literacy is Corruption

By Devon

There are so many topics in Knoblauch’s article Literacy and the Politics of Education. The author starts out strong by stating that literacy is not just education; literacy is an actual term which has huge boundaries and space for self-defining. First Knoblauch mentions how cultures have thrived in the past without a writing system and that writing is only a recent skill. Some Indian cultures see writing as evil. There are other tribes and cultures that pass on tradition orally.

Knoblauch mentioned that with the creation of writing also came the beginning of different classes and suppression. In the Middle Ages leaders of high status and their staff were allowed to read and write to keep documents. This goes onto how the more education a person has, the higher they are than other individuals. These classes can be seen in the military where soldiers will construct weapons and use them where the officer in command dictates.

The author also goes into the topic that now days literacy levels are going down due to the lack of interest in reading and writing, and that more time is spent watching television. Knoblauch also wrote about that children need to be taught more about present day writers. Also individuals from other cultures must not be left out. More literature from other cultures should also be taught to students.

My favorite part of the article was how Knoblauch wrote that societies have gone far without literacy. The author also mentioned what another writer said that humans and animals are divided by language and literacy divides the civilized from the savages. First of all the Vikings spread much of their traditions orally. They were also masters of naval and land warfare. Second I remember that in the medieval era the Catholic Church did not allow peasants to learn how to read or allow them to read the Bible. This was to keep the followers to hear only what the priests wanted them to hear. Finally, what good came to Native Americans or Africans when Europeans came with education and literacy? Last time I checked the answer was slavery and suppression. So I can see how literacy can be seen as corruption.