Elections Matter

- by Bruce E. McKinney

Vote: it matters

In the United States we have seen a decline in literacy over the past forty years as the emphasis in education has moved from quality of learning to test taking.   For processes that require a strong grasp of language, many skills and some collecting areas will suffer, books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera among them.  These subjects require both perspective and a strong grasp of language.

 

So one way to view these candidates is about how they value education and critical thinking.

 

In the 19th century education was understood to be essential to the emerging industrial revolution and nations committed themselves to providing it.  Over the following decades a prosperous middle class emerged.

 

Today the issue is critical thinking and if there is to be a robust middle class and a market for books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera, this skill must be both taught and celebrated.  Democracy needs an educated electorate and of course so do books.