In the text "The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society
" by Jonathan Kozol
, the author describes many of the struggles that illiterate people go through because of their inability to read and write. He shows the cost that this has on their lives, their families, and society at large.
Towards the end of the text, he suggests that our reaction to the problem of illiteracy tests our belief in democracy. The reason for this is that democracy rests on the idea that all people are equal. Therefore, they all deserve the same opportunities, and the same importance when it comes to rights and liberties. However, if we accept that some people in our society are illiterate, this means that we accept the fact that these people are less important, less worthy, or less deserving of education and opportunities, which is an idea that would directly oppose our democratic values.
