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About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills (2022)

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Re: About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills (2022)

#2
"Literacy" is a ridiculously low metric as per the UN, I've read that a grade 6 reading level easily qualifies.

So it's not really a case of "low literacy skills" in terms of offical stats, but that the stats are lowish.

But what does one expect? For 100 IQ to be an average, there will be many below that number. The goal is to train all citizens as mich as possible, and literacy stats are to reflect that attempt.

Re: About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills (2022)

#3
post #2

"Literacy" is a ridiculously low metric as per the UN, I've read that a grade 6 reading level easily qualifies. So it's not really a case of "low literacy skills" in terms of offical stats, but that the stats are lowish. But what does one expect? For 100 IQ to be an average, there will be many below that number. The goal is to train all citizens as mich as possible, and literacy stats are to reflect that attempt.

> This means more than half of Americans between the ages of 16 and 74 (54%) read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level.

It’s like the second sentence in the article.

Re: About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills (2022)

#4
post #2

"Literacy" is a ridiculously low metric as per the UN, I've read that a grade 6 reading level easily qualifies. So it's not really a case of "low literacy skills" in terms of offical stats, but that the stats are lowish. But what does one expect? For 100 IQ to be an average, there will be many below that number. The goal is to train all citizens as mich as possible, and literacy stats are to reflect that attempt.

IQ has to be 55 or below in order for literacy to be unattainable, which is less than 1% of the population. Between 56 and 85 adds difficulties and requires extra education but is not insurmountable. That's about 15% of the population.

130M in the US is over 50% of the adult population. That is not a matter of statistical distribution, that is a matter of policy failure.

Re: About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills (2022)

#7
post #2

"Literacy" is a ridiculously low metric as per the UN, I've read that a grade 6 reading level easily qualifies. So it's not really a case of "low literacy skills" in terms of offical stats, but that the stats are lowish. But what does one expect? For 100 IQ to be an average, there will be many below that number. The goal is to train all citizens as mich as possible, and literacy stats are to reflect that attempt.

>But what does one expect?

I mean, at least a little bit more humility and respect for knowledge and expertise. One of the prevailing sentiments these days seems to be "do your own research!" which seems to me pretty difficult to square with the fact that the national recommendation for medical guidelines is to write at a 6-7th grade reading level to make sure most people understand the instructions.

Re: About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills (2022)

#8

If this is hinting at 1-in-3 American adults being somewhat culturally deficient or otherwise intellectually challenged then that feels about right.

> If this is hinting at 1-in-3 American adults

130m is about 1-in-2 per 2020 census.

Even more frightening, imho.

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