How do illiterate people survive?

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bjork

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I just had a guy come in and he explained that he couldn't read. He was friendly and seemed to know how to count, because he knew that his $5 was a five. But I wonder about what kind of jobs he could hold or how he would even know that his check was right if he did work?

I wanted to ask, but he was a pretty big dude and he could've crushed my skull in about 0.5 seconds. Maybe he's a bodyguard or something?
 
Well, for one thing they don't spend all that much time browsing wonderful sites like GAF so that makes them more efficient...
 
bjork said:
I just had a guy come in and he explained that he couldn't read. He was friendly and seemed to know how to count, because he knew that his $5 was a five. But I wonder about what kind of jobs he could hold or how he would even know that his check was right if he did work?

I wanted to ask, but he was a pretty big dude and he could've crushed my skull in about 0.5 seconds. Maybe he's a bodyguard or something?
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hillary%20clinton.jpg


Because they have Hillary Clinton to fight for them!

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He might be illiterate but still know basic math. Actually I'd say knowing the math would be more important than reading in a lot of jobs. There are a couple retail jobs where he would only need to know how to make change properly. But I'd guess he does manual labor jobs, something in construction maybe.

The world must be a harsh place for those that can't read.
 
Grizzlyjin said:
He might be illiterate but still know basic math. Actually I'd say knowing the math would be more important than reading in a lot of jobs. There are a couple retail jobs where he would only need to know how to make change properly. But I'd guess he does manual labor jobs, something in construction maybe.

The world must be a harsh place for those that can't read.
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If anything, knowing how to read signs at construction sites would be one of the most important requirements of the job. Chances are he can read a little bit and knows the basics but not enough to read an entire book.
 
i remember reading something about this nhl coach who couldn't read or write and he hid it for a while by asking a select few to do all his stuff
 
Eriatarka said:
How does one end up not knowing how to read? Were they really bad at school or something?
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Yeah, and even if they failed miserably in school they're bound to at least snap up some things along the way... unless they have some mind-blockage. I mean, there is text everywhere.
 
Not everyone goes to school, you know.

Truly told, I simply cannot imagine it. Living a life without the ability to read, to me, is almost like not being able to breathe.
 
You know I just realized that you can very very safely make fun of illiterate people on message boards.

I mean really, how would they know?
 
Azih said:
You know I just realized that you can very very safely make fun of illiterate people on message boards.

I mean really, how would they know?
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One of those Text -> Speech programs I presume. They could activate it on gaf, hear everyone making fun of them, and go on a homicidal rampage. You never know.
 
Mejilan said:
Not everyone goes to school, you know.

Truly told, I simply cannot imagine it. Living a life without the ability to read, to me, is almost like not being able to breathe.
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Can you imagine living in Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, or some other place where you couldn't read the script?
 
Eriatarka said:
How does one end up not knowing how to read? Were they really bad at school or something?
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I think a lot of them have a learning disorder, and either they are to ashamed to say anything or they don't realize it and feel like people will make fun of them for being dumb.
 
woodchuck said:
i remember reading something about this nhl coach who couldn't read or write and he hid it for a while by asking a select few to do all his stuff
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I heard about that too. I also heard about something I thought was even crazier: An illiterate man who graduated college and became a teacher.
Story
 
bjork said:
I just had a guy come in and he explained that he couldn't read. He was friendly and seemed to know how to count, because he knew that his $5 was a five. But I wonder about what kind of jobs he could hold or how he would even know that his check was right if he did work?

I wanted to ask, but he was a pretty big dude and he could've crushed my skull in about 0.5 seconds. Maybe he's a bodyguard or something?
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tokkun said:
Can you imagine living in Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, or some other place where you couldn't read the script?
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east asia historically has had virtually 100% literacy.
 
You know besides the internet I almost never HAVE to read anything in my daily life. I work at a mine and we know what to do, there's no instructions or web pages to go through to get the work done.

My car has almost no words and is easy enough to operate by just being explained how. Eating and cooking are pretty straight forward as well as watching tv and going to sleep. Not much else I can think of.
 
Ecto311 said:
You know besides the internet I almost never HAVE to read anything in my daily life. I work at a mine and we know what to do, there's no instructions or web pages to go through to get the work done.

My car has almost no words and is easy enough to operate by just being explained how. Eating and cooking are pretty straight forward as well as watching tv and going to sleep. Not much else I can think of.
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Not really true, you go shopping and what not still? I had some aboriginal dude asking me what all the labels said in the frozen food section, seeing as homebrand dont have pictures plastered all over them........ i had a chuckle then felt sorry for him, then went meh fuck it.
 
I'm illiterate and I survive fine.

For instance, I get by on GAF simply by hiring an illegal immigrant to read aloud to me and post my replies by dictation. It seems to be going fine *shrug* no hernandez, you can't eat inside today. I don't care if there were 5 BILLION mosquitoes outside and this was South Africa, you're not eating inside. Do you want me to report you? Wait, are you still typing all of this
 
Some part of the back of my mind realizes that people actually exist that can't read, but something prevents me from really grasping this concept. I guess that's partly due to the fact I read obsessively and cannot imagine life without the ability to read.
 
One of the greatest coaches in NHL history was illiterate and used the excuse that he didn't have his glasses and had things read to him
 
tokkun said:
Can you imagine living in Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, or some other place where you couldn't read the script?
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Yes sir. I moved to Israel fresh out of high school, and didn't speak a word. Nor did I even know the alphabet. Lived there for five years. Now I'm back in the US, and Hebrew is my third language.

It's not easy learning a new language from total scratch, as an adult. But it's doable. I hated not understanding 75% of the signs out there. Some have crappy English translations, but it's not the same.
 
Mejilan said:
Yes sir. I moved to Israel fresh out of high school, and didn't speak a word. Nor did I even know the alphabet. Lived there for five years. Now I'm back in the US, and Hebrew is my third language
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What made you do this? That sounds like a cool story.
 
there was a guy who taught grade school for something like 20 years before he got caught for not knowing how to read. I'm sure his wife helped him everyday to make lesson plans and what not.
 
Yeah, I wonder the same thing every time I turn on the TV, especially the "music" channels such as MTV and BET. It seems like there's a new language invented every time I flip through the channels.
 
Mejilan said:
Yes sir. I moved to Israel fresh out of high school, and didn't speak a word. Nor did I even know the alphabet. Lived there for five years. Now I'm back in the US, and Hebrew is my third language.

It's not easy learning a new language from total scratch, as an adult. But it's doable. I hated not understanding 75% of the signs out there. Some have crappy English translations, but it's not the same.
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And hebrew is like one of the top hardest languages to learn isn't it?

i'm not jewish but it's up there amongst the most interesting languages to me. I simply do not have the courage to try to learn it.
 
Why are there ads for Bjork ringtones in a thread about illiterate people?

I have never met someone who was illiterate in America, but I did meet a few people in developing nations who were illiterate and they seemed to be able to do everything just fine. They even seemed to be quite intelligent on occasion, but obviously were never given a chance to go to school.
 
ItAintEasyBeinCheesy said:
Not really true, you go shopping and what not still? I had some aboriginal dude asking me what all the labels said in the frozen food section, seeing as homebrand dont have pictures plastered all over them........ i had a chuckle then felt sorry for him, then went meh fuck it.
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There are pictures on most food so you know what your getting. You could survive on foods found in the deli and fresh areas easily by just picking up and pointing to shit you like.
 
Sol.. said:
And hebrew is like one of the top hardest languages to learn isn't it?

i'm not jewish but it's up there amongst the most interesting languages to me. I simply do not have the courage to try to learn it.
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I couldn't say. If nothing else, it doesn't use a Romance language alphabet. It's certainly tougher than learning Spanish after knowing English (or vice-versa, as my case would be...)

bjork said:
What made you do this? That sounds like a cool story.
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I had just graduated from high school, and has been accepted to Rutgers University, and my parents thought it would be a great time to pick up the family and GTFO of the country. Of course, since I had finished high school one year advanced, I was a minor and couldn't really stay behind. But, you know, I'm not bitter or anything. Having been born in Israel, I suppose it was about time I went and got to know the land of my birth. How else would I have developed my love/hate relationship with Israel, wasted five years of my life, and thrown my career plans forever off track? But hey, I got another language out of the deal! But, you know, I'm not bitter or anything. ;p
 
Mejilan said:
I had just graduated from high school, and has been accepted to Rutgers University, and my parents thought it would be a great time to pick up the family and GTFO of the country. Of course, since I had finished high school one year advanced, I was a minor and couldn't really stay behind. But, you know, I'm not bitter or anything. Having been born in Israel, I suppose it was about time I went and got to know the land of my birth. How else would I have developed my love/hate relationship with Israel, wasted five years of my life, and thrown my career plans forever off track? But hey, I got another language out of the deal! But, you know, I'm not bitter or anything. ;p
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Wow, sounds like wild times. Still like your family at all?
 
Haha, yeah, we get along just fine, in all honesty. My brother and I are here, our parents and sister still live there. It's a bit tough, since we are all a very, very close-nit family, but we get together on a yearly basis, and that helps. I'm actually due for a trip back.

Edit - My dad and I have unresolved issues, but that's more due to his horrible life decisions than the whole Israel thing. All bitterness aside, I don't really regret finally getting to know Israel, her people, and her culture. It's just that I'd have much preferred doing so on my own terms.
 
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