By Iorgboko Michael
The word illiterate is an English word which has various meanings from different versions of English dictionaries. However, all of them convey the same meaning headed in the same direction.
The Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary sees it as a person who can not read or write; or somebody with low formal education.
While the American English dictionary considers the word illiterate as being unable to read and write or having less than an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature.
However, in this present time of advancement and technology, illiteracy cannot be limited to just having a low formal education or a low ability to read and write.
Technological advancement has taken the world to a different phase where things can be done without or with less usage of paperwork. Various workplaces around the world have nothing to do with paperwork, but such works have changed societies to achieve great development in different human endeavors.
In this 21st century, the ability to impact something meaningful in society that could lead to development and improvement in human standard of living and enter society defines your level of literacy. It doesn’t matter how many degrees you have or the number of languages you speak, providing your attitude does not yield any interest or good to the society, you are nothing but an illiterate.
If a university professor who is known for tribalism, ethnicism, religion and gender bias; who has never gone on research for something that can improve society, then, he is nothing but an illiterate since the fact that his acclaimed knowledge has no good to anyone. An illiterate in this present time is a person who has many degrees but is a liability to society.
Judging by the level of technological advancement in the present time, illiteracy can no longer be seen as somebody who can not just read and write but who can scoop with the level of technology and how to apply it so that development will be achieved.
There are many people out there who do not acquire formal education but with good knowledge of technology, they achieved great things in their lives and their skills have taken them to places that even a master’s degree can’t afford to achieve.
Finally, calling a person illiterate in this present time must be that they do not have formal education and zero familiarity with advanced technology. The word illiterate or illiteracy is quite beyond the level of education, characters are sometimes considered as good tools to test the level of literacy you are. So, when mingling with friends out there who are less educated compared to you, make sure your behaviors testify you are a learned person and not the papers you acquired.
To cap it all, this day illiteracy goes beyond just being unable to read and write, it has gone far away to encompass characters and the level at which somebody responds to technological advancement and how effective they used to positively influence society.