Studies in the past several years have shown that adults, particularly young adults, are reading less and less literature than ever before. These studies note that literature reading cultivates critical thinking and analytical skills because of the focus one is required to keep when reading. Furthermore, as a corollary to the drop in literature reading, studies have also shown that the amount of analytical writing that high school and college students are now required to do is a joke and that the writing skills of college and graduate level students have declined and are continuing to decline. High school and college students are lucky anymore if they are required to write any kind of term paper that requires students to begin with a thesis and support that thesis with well-reasoned discussion.
And now, more disheartening news appeared yesterday: a great percentage of high school students who have taken a "college prep" curriculum in high school are still unprepared for the rigors of college level courses. You can read a summary of the study on this topic here.
I may sound like an alarmist (think Dana Carvey's Grumpy Old Man character), but this issue is being buried in today's discussion of current affairs, which is more likely to consist of the latest update on Lindsay Lohan's latest social gaffes instead of more weighty issues.
Without citizens possessing a well-rounded education, the nation is bound to suffer at every level, particularly at the cultural, social, and economic levels.
Man, I really do sound like a grumpy old man.
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