27%

I know that statistics can be interpreted in many ways. They may be wildly inaccurate and, possibly, even downright lies! This distrust is what has happened in the last few years, however, let’s talk about that another time. But, being a writer, it’s disturbing to read that only 27% of Americans read a book last year. This seems to be a function of both interest and ability.

Many writers, myself among them, sometimes wonder, if anyone ever reads what they write. Are we crazy? Are we talking (writing) to ourselves? That would be kind of a Zen thing. The sound of one hand writing.

Writers, don’t go there. Some one is out there, reading.

Aren’t you?

Okay, enough of that. How about this? In an essay, in The New Yorker, called, The Twilight of Books, it said that, “According to the Department of Education, between 1992 and 2003 the average adult’s reading skills declined.” No real surprise there. But, “The proportion who were proficient, that is, capable of such tasks as comparing viewpoints in two different editorials, declined from 15% to 13%.”

What?!!? The fact that it was 15% in 1992 is frightening, but it has declined to 13%! That blew my naïve mind. I thought of this during the primaries, which are STILL GOING ON and have, so far, failed to focus on stuff that seems to be important – like, climate crisis, people dying, misspent taxpayer money in Iraq, etc.

But back to the statistics. Are these guys voting? In our democracy, all votes are equal. Well, except for superdelegates. But, 87% (!!) who can’t compare viewpoints in two editorials? It’s like letting your dog drive. Or, like having the TSA guys at the airport determine who should pilot the planes.

According to exit polls at the primaries, Hilary has been doing well with un- and under-educated voters and Obama is doing well with those who are college-educated. Shouldn’t that tell us something?

I don’t want to sound elitist, but I would feel better if voters were somewhat competent. It makes me wonder how anything gets done. And, it makes the case that those guys already in Washington are of a special group (elitists?), who have taken control of the country.

I don’t know where this leaves us. I would normally urge everyone to get out there and vote and make sure it counts, but, maybe first, we should all go home and read a book.