I feel that you should be taught to read. If that includes forcing a kid to practice their phonics flash cards, so be it. You can't get anywhere in this world not knowing how to read and write. I was literally forced to learn, but I did, and I'm glad. I love reading now.
A most definitely, reassuring YES! Kids, and even teens, should be FORCED to read. Mandatory reading from K-12th grade, hell yes.
It's despicable the level of academic degradation seen in our society today just because people didn't read as a child/teen. Sure, there may be no statistical evidence, but I bet you, children who read avidly from 3-8th grade did better on their SATs. (Now are SATs, the marker for success, that's another topic).
Just like ChopstickBoB said, if you can't read in this day and age, you're going to essential fail at life. Reading is required for any sort of activity. Sure, you could be taught by imitation and spoken word, but seriously? No one is going to want to walk someone through something step by step.
Imaging working at a place, not knowing how to read, and on your first day your boss says, "oh, I don't know how to work it, just read the instructions." You're probably like "oh, F-!"
Reading should not be optional, it should be mandatory. Content is debatable, and I say should be up to the reader, but there should be reading no matter what.
As far as adulthood is concerned, I think reading should never stop. It's the fastest way to learn about anything.
I'm confused as to where this topic belongs. Despite being about books/reading, it is not about any specific ones, so it doesn't fit in Popular Media (where it is while I'm typing this)... I'm guessing this would possibly fit best under the 'olitics/etc' part of the World events section, since this is more or less about whether it should be mandatory or not?... If not, then the Tavern... Errr. If another mod think I misplaced it, just move it somewhere else.
On topic, I think the individuals should be taken into consideration. Forcing everybody to read a lot just doesn't work. Not everyone have the same capabilities.
Me, I haven't' finished a book since the last of the Harry Potters came out. I just can't focus through that many pages anymore, despite earlier in my life truly loving to read... Being forced, ugh. It wouldn't have a positive effect. But that may just be me...
I agree Zophia. I have been home/private schooled all my life. I have experienced many different types of people in the areas I have lived, and not everyone is capable of sitting down and reading an entire book. My brother is extremely smart, but you can't get him to read to save his life! The only thing I've seen him read all the way through, was the Twilight series. I myself, can sit for hours and read almost anything. We were both taught the same way, but I guess it just never stuck with my brother.
Once someone knows how to read, they take it for granted and have no idea why it's important. Try surviving one day without being able to read. No internet, no travel, no news, no politics, no individuality. You must accept what people tell you because you have no idea how to interpret anything through reading. If several people tell an illiterate that the Iraq War was justified, they are going to believe it because they have no way of reaching a different opinion.
Reading needs to be stressed hard in education. Literacy is so overlooked, but one of the most important things in life.
Looking back, this topic is fairly ill defined, as it is actually asking two questions. A comprehensive answer should answer both:
1. Should people be forced to learn the mechanics of reading? I.e. be literate but nothing further.
2. Should people also be forced to read in the 'liberal education' sense of the word? I.e. reading for cultural and intellectual development; classical literature, philosophy, and history.
My answer is still no to both, but in reference to a liberal democratic state, the school systems should be structured in a way to properly address both questions 1 and 2, as they currently do. Again, though you are required by law to be in school until you are the legal age of 18 (in the States) technically you can refuse to read (and subsequently fail) and leave upon the legal age.
I'd like to hear peoples opinions on this.. I personally think no because if they don't want too they shouldn't have too.
Learning the basic skills requires some amount of forced reading. Beyond that, if a person makes a choice to be ignorant, they can become detrimental (and perhaps a burden) to themselves and others.
I think reading is very important. My parents would always try to coerce me to read when I was younger. They would tell me that for every hour I read I can play an hour of video games and I would have to keep a reading log so I couldn't fake it. I hated reading though, it was so boring haha. But the better and quicker you are at it, the faster you can complete things. Its really helpful to read well and attentively. There is nothing you can do nowadays without reading. You wouldn't even be able to start a video game if you couldn't read instructions, buttons, etc. And the internet would be pointless...unless you are on youtube watching random stuff I guess...
I have not read anything above me or will I read anything below me. But if you know this then might as well read this part. Where in Sam's hell will you need to know what the square root of the 597 is? I find children are being fed information that they won't need. Most adults forget basic math because they can't use it. I find it would be better to teach them morality and social actions. Getting back to the topic, people don't usually get paid for reading. Some, but children don't say "I want to read for the public and get paid for knowing extravagant and superfluously large words". I didn't say that. I don't know who the hell your friends are. You could read if you want to be a poet or a writer or have it as a hobby but forcefully making someone read goes against reading which is expressing thoughts and emotions. "I don't wanna re-", "DO IT OR I'LL FAIL YOU!". I rest my case. So I hope you, the jury, agrees with the truth. My truth. Truthification. Californication. RHCP. Acronyms. ADD.
well,you read to be literate and..who don't wants to be literate?
reading(in terms of novels) should be in a form of a hobbie,and i see no reason why anyone should be "forced" to read something that was ought to be enjoyed to begin with.
reading(in terms of education) of course education is not a must....though essential i feel that education should be implemented to a certain level of degree so that people will have an equal chance of having a job in the future.
Confuzzling post. I'mma guess your asserting American freedom and how the government wants us all to be super-smartikal.
Reading is a very good part of our lives and it influences not only our thinking but our vocabulary, without it many people would be lost and jobless, life would be harder. In terms of education of course you have to read, if it develops things and helps you get "smarter", then of course why not go for it?
In America you are forced to go to school by legal limits and at the age of 16 you can leave if you want, while your in the custody of your parents I suppose that depends on whether people will force you to read or not.
Take it this way: LIfe forces us to read if we wish to be successfull, unless if you want to be the dropout shithead that phailed in life and couldn't even pass the exam for a G.E.D., let alone go to college.
So mainly we usually are, when we're adults we read for our own reasons, fun, eucation, religion, whatever. Hey, it saves us from Alzheimers. The Government or anyone else cannot IMPOSE reading on us, Freedom is a right. It can be ovverrated, but we force ourselves to eat, so that doesn't really matter. And for those who can't theirs usually food-aid, after all, the US not only supports itself but we do 50% of world aids, I think we'll manage.
So you can't really force, so the questions out of hand.
Life Forces it upon you if you wish to lead your life with success in mind. If not, well, have fun reading like a third grader.
