Definition of literacy

Scribner goes into a deep discussion on what it means to be considered literate. Literacy does not have a simple meaning on whether one can read or write, it is much more complicated than that. Literacy also carries different meaning for different cultures and societies thus making it harder for a single broad definition. Without knowing a definition for literate, it is impossible for one to judge the literacy of a society. Literacy can stem from many means as Scribner described it is adaptation, power, and saving grace. Literacy as adaptation means one learns enough to understand and function in a given society. Literacy as power describes it as having an elite, more literate, knowledgeable group because of their literacy. Literacy as a saving grace can provide one with more meaning in their life based off readings, commonly associated with religious affiliations. Hedges and Carr never state a clear definition for literacy and focus on literacy as an individual process when Scribner describes it as a social process. Without stating a definition, neither can say that society is becoming more illiterate. Both though imply a meaning for literacy as power or understanding, when literacy encompasses much more than that. With this generalized meaning of literacy, they attempt to show that people are becoming more illiterate. This is hard to prove though because what it means to be literate in society is changing. With the introduction of the Internet, how society reads and takes in information has changed, thus changing the definition of literacy. Thompson sees this new change as a drastic, but going in a good direction. Unlike Hedges and Carr, he sees the Internet as a means for people to write more than previous generations. Through this, he says young people have learned to write and interest a particular audience, something that was hardly seen in previous generations writings. Looking at it like this, one of the most pressing concerns for literacy is forcing people to be literate in mediums that may not be important in the future. Scribner said “today’s standards for functional competency need to be considered in the light of tomorrow’s requirements” meaning literacy today may change in the future. If one does not prepare for the future, one who is literate now may become illiterate.