I didn't really know where to put this, but since this subject involves everyone in any country, in the world... I thought this might be an alright place

I'd like some of your guys opinions on you freedom to read. How do you feel about it? Do you consider it a privelge? Do you consider your reading freedom

let me know

Hi. I think it would be helpful if you were to say something about what you mean by 'freedom to read'. Do you mean freedom from censorship or do you mean the right to be taught to read - or both? Please elaborate.

Thanks for asking, bloomsby! I have been wondering the same thing, so that I would know how to answer.

I think I know what you're asking here, it's a pretty broad question.

I guess it's something I've never thought about but yes it is a privelge.

There's freedom of mind, escapism, reading about some clever guy like Albert E or some adventurer doing things you wish you had the mental to do. I think it's one of the better ways to expand your mind. Sadly I don't believe enough of us exercise our freedom to read enough, certainly not enough variety in books. Each to their own I suppose.

There's also freedom from censorship a lot of countries don't enjoy like we do. Of course that freedom has a price. In modern times I owe it to the millions of allied soldiers that I'm not reading either German or Japanese text. 1,500,000 allied soldiers and 17 million civilians never got to enjoy it.

Try posting this subject in Book Corner and get the expressions from all the book worms in there. I'm sure you'll get some excellant views.

'In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.' Douglas Adams

If this is about freedom from (above all, pre-publication) censorship then I definitely regard it as a basic right and *not* as any kind of privilege. I take great exception to those who wish to set themselves up as moral or political nannies to the rest of us. Are they really any better than the rest of us??

Obviously, I accept that any country needs laws to protect against libel, to deter the publication of defence secrets and in a few other well defined areas, too.

As for the right to learn to read, again I regard that as a basic right and not as a privilege. In this context, I would add that I find it a devasting indictment of the British and American school systems that so many kids apparently can scarcely read after ten years of schooling. More than one generation has suffered terribly from quack teaching methods.

I think I have to agree that the freedom to read is a right, both the right to read free from censorship, and the right to learn to read. It's almost impossible to be a fully functioning member of society without being able to read, at least in First and Second World countries. And I can't help but believe that if more people in Third World contries could read, the quality of life would be improving there much faster.

I've always felt that the first year of school should be entirely devoted to teaching children to read, and to read WELL. Once a child can easily read and comprehend his textbooks, teaching him anything else will be easier for both him and his teacher.

Censorship is just plain WRONG.

Agree with you MSbatt. Freedom to read is great if you can read. It is not only people in third world countries who are missing out on this but children and adults at home. Even if they have the ability to read -Do they understand what they are reading?
Are they missing out on the classics and the best of modern literature because, let's face it, a well written book can mean different things to different people. A great classic is judged by the number of interpretations which can be found in the text. I am thinking of the Reading I did for Higher and A-Level English. Everyone had their own feelings and interpretation of the text according to their own beliefs and prior knowledge.
The poetry of Dylan Thomas and the works of Shakespeare are examples.
Reading is much more than deciphering letters and putting them together to make words.
So what are you really asking about the freedom to read?

I am against the freedom to read and in favor of censorship.

I'm for the freedom to censor the statement just above me...Coolupway..you rascal.

If we're talking about freedom to read Bibles in different countries, then you might as well say so. Not sure if that's what you mean.

I did hear of a really nice project some Parisian kids got into.
A journalist did a study and included a Chinese girl who couldn't afford to go to school...they happened to read about her...and began a project helping her and eventually her entire class to fund their school in some remote province of China. The French kids were so happy and suddenly realized that going to school was a privilege, not just a thing to be taken for granted.

I believe that everyone is entitled to be given the right to the freedom to read. It's definitely a privilige, I don't know where you come from, but personally I am humbled by the resources that are available to me that allow me to read. Others have mentioned the 'classics', I agree, But there are so many books, I read as much as I can, and after you read them, you begin to realise that there is so much more to be read(sic), and after that you read tham again and find different perspectives.

It's like trying to explain 'pi'

"Every solution breeds new problems"

Ever tried to read Thomas Carlyle? John Grisham? Ned Rorem? Marge Piercy? The post-60's David Halberstam?
Ayn Rand? Anna Quindlen? George Will?

I say STOKE THOSE FIRES, BABY!!

Leave Marge alone Coolman!
I'm on the edge of time with her!

C'mon, Briar,I laid off Erica Jong!

(Oops... poor choice of words!)

Read????
By the way, what does "freedom to read" mean in the first place?
(SORRY : I am an ENIAC when it comes to these intectual (?) topics)


God decided against giving me brains lest I use it.

I don't know if it shoud be "Freedom to read" or "Blessing to be able to read" sometimes we don't realize that people that can read are not the majority, so maybe we should be thankefull thet we CAN read, and think of reading not jsut as books, but as a way to comunicate. People that can't read, can't do very much, except working on a field, work at factories and thing like that.
In Guatemala, a little les than 50% of the country is Illiterate, where is their right to read?