The Quest for CULTURAL LITERACY

 

Chapter 7

The Quest for Cultural Literacy

Can you answer the following questions? 

• Who is credited with composing The Odyssey, and who is the protagonist of the story?

• Who discovered the formula, E = MC-squared and what phenomenon of physics does it describe?

• Who won the Battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, exactly one year to-the-day after being crowned Emperor of the French at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris?

• What black athlete won three gold medals at the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin?

• What famous English nurse became known as "The Lady with the Lamp" during her service in what war from 1853-56?  

• Who did Abraham Lincoln refer to as "the little lady that made this great war?" What war was he referencing, and what did the woman do that led Lincoln to say this about her?

• What English politician was most prominent in the movement to abolish the slave trade in the United Kingdom in 1807? 

• Who is the richest black female in the world? 

• What South African president of the 1990s is credited with helping to curtail apartheid?

• What was the name of the Native American Man who created the first system of writing for his people, and to what tribe did he belong?

• What professional tennis stars constitute "The Big Three"?

• What do the following acronyms stand for (or refer to): NATO, MLB, DNA, MI6, NFL, DOD, HTML/HTTP?

• In what war were the following battles fought: Mons, Ypres, Somme, Verdun, Passchendaele, Tannenburg?

• What athletic and acrobatic American silent film star of the 1920's was nicknamed "The Great Stone Face?" 

• What invention of the 1960s and subsequent technological development of the 1990s rivalled Johan Gutenberg's Printing Press in terms of its transformative worldwide influence?

See Footnote (1) for answers to these question.

If you can answer all or most of these questions, I congratulate you! It means you are a highly educated and culturally literate person. If you can answer many of these questions, I also congratulate you. It means you are well on your way to becoming highly educated and culturally literate.

If you can only answer a few of these questions, it means you have made a good start, but still have a way to go on your quest to become well educated and culturally literate. If you don't have a clue about the answer to most or all of these questions, don't despair! It's never too late to begin the process of become more educated and culturally literate. 

Cultural literacy refers to being well educated in key knowledge points spanning a variety of relevant topics within a given culture or society. These topics include, but are not limited to: language (including figurative language), literature,  history,  philosophy,  politics, religion and theology, mythology, math, science, entertainment, pop culture, and sports. 

CULTURAL LITERACY

Being educated, literate, and conversant in key knowledge points spanning a variety of different topics within a given culture or society.

Being culturally literate allows you to converse intelligently with a variety of people on a spectrum of topics. It bespeaks the possession of a solid, well-rounded general education about life, the world, and the universe. Being culturally literate garners positive social attention and builds credibility among those with whom you associate—especially when you communicate your knowledge and sophistication in a relevant, modest, and listening-centric manner. Perhaps most importantly, cultural literacy will open up doors of opportunity for you both personally and professionally. 

We live in a world of specialization and specialists. This is a good thing. After all, much of our medical, technological, social, and civil advancements have arisen because of the rise of specialization and the tremendous synergy that cooperative interdependence creates. As the acronym T.E.A.M suggests, Together Everyone Achieves More.

SYNERGY refers to the power and productivity that is unleashed when individuals work together effectively and cooperatively. In his famous work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey taught the principle of synergy by using a simple mathematical formula as follows: 1 + 1 = 3 (or more). In Covey's words, when two (or more) people work together effectively and cooperatively, the "whole [becomes] greater than the sum of its parts." (2)  He then elaborates as follows:

"Compromise means that 1 + 1 = 1 1/2. Both [parties] give and take. ... [but] synergy means that 1 + 1 may equal 8, 16, or even 1,600. ... [Synergy] produces solutions better than any originally proposed, and all parties know it. Furthermore, [all involved] genuinely enjoy the creative [process that generates synergy]." (2a)

Specialization combined with Creative Cooperation
creates all kinds of wonderful SYNERGY 

A great deal of power is unleashed when individuals specialize to become experts in a narrow personal or career niche. The most advanced societies on Earth are those that are the most successful in working together interdependently through individual specialization. Conversely, the most underdeveloped societies are those that prioritize individual independence (doing everything for oneself) above interdependent specialization.

This is not to say that independence is not important and should not be valued. As Dr. Stephen R. Covey has pointed out, independence is clearly a higher state of being than dependence, and remains a vital stepping stone along the road to interdependence. Nevertheless, INDEPENDENCE is on a lower ontological level—and is ultimately a prerequisite to an even higher state of being, namely: INTERDEPENDENCE.  (2b)

In a world that rightly values specialists and specialization, it can be easy to forget the dual importance and unquestionable personal and professional value of obtaining a wide swath of general knowledge that spans a spectrum of disciplines. Regardless of your individual or career specialization, the pursuit of a well-rounded education and the pathways to leadership and influence is a journey that includes cultural literacy.  

A Self-Action Leader's Quest for Cultural Literacy

Odessa Opera House in Ukraine

According to the educator, E.D. Hirsch, Jr.—a preeminent expert on cultural literacy—"to be culturally literate is to possess the basic information needed to thrive in the modern world."  (3)  According to Hirsch, "The breadth of that information is great, extending over the major domains of human activity from sports to science."  (4)

Hirsch and his colleagues, Joseph Kett and James Trefil, explain further that, "by definition, cultural literacy falls between the specialized and the generalized ... [and] to become part of cultural literacy a [point of knowledge] must have lasting significance." (5)

Cultural literacy is an outgrowth of deep reading and mature communication skills. This is because, as Hirsch points out, effective "oral and written communication requires a lot of shared background knowledge." (6)  Increasing one's cultural literacy involves the process of acquiring that "shared background knowledge." 

"We all know that reading is the most important academic skill, and that there is a big reading gap between the haves and the have-nots in our schools [and communities and nations].  (7) To have a good general reading ability, you need to know about a lot of things.  (8) We [also] know that reading skill is a key not just to a child's success in school, but also, in the Information Age, to his or her chances in life. ... True literacy—reading with comprehension—requires a lot more than sounding out the words on the page. Those who possess the needed, taken-for-granted knowledge [of the culturally literate] can understand what they read, and those who lack that knowledge cannot. The haves learn ever more from what they read and hear; the have-nots fall further behind and lose the chance to become participating members of the wider community."  (9)

To specialize means to know a lot about a little, whereas to be culturally literate means to know a little about a lot. While it is both possible—and usually preferable—to find success by focusing on one niche area of expertise in your career, the best way to maximize your long-term potential for both professional success and personal fulfillment is to strive to become culturally literate as well. To become culturally literate, you must acquire a basic understanding of the key knowledge points spanning all major subjects, not merely an advanced comprehension of one or two. 

A fascinating component of cultural literacy is that most of the information needed to acquire it has already been available for a long time. It consists largely in subjects like history, philosophy, literature, theology and religion, math, science, and art, the fundamentals and heroes of which have been around for centuries and change gradually (if at all). 

In the words of Hirsch and his colleagues:

"Over ninety percent of what one needs to know [to be culturally literate] has remained stable in all subjects except the obvious ones of recent history, science, and technology. And even in those subjects, the core of needed knowledge has remained very stable. The core contents of a first-rate school curriculum are not arbitrary elements, and in most areas of learning they do not change either rapidly or radically over time. (10) Most striking of all, 80 percent of literate culture has been in use for more than a hundred years!"  (11)

Hirsch, et al., calls the "disappearance ... of literate culture (that is, traditional history, myth, and literature) ... from the early curriculum ... a mistake of monumental proportions."  (12)

"We help people in the underclass rise economically by teaching them how to communicate effectively beyond a narrow social sphere, and that can only be accomplished by teaching them shared, traditional literate culture. Thus the inherent conservatism of literacy leads to an unavoidable paradox: the social goals of liberalism require educational conservatism. We only make social and economic progress by teaching everyone to read and communicate, which means teaching myths and facts that are predominantly traditional. Those who evade this inherent conservatism of literacy in the name of multicultural antielitism are in effect elitists of an extreme sort."  (13)

At Freedom Focused, we do not suggest educators favor cultural literacy over specialization, or vice versa. Rather, we encourage a balanced promotion of both in a way that can be creatively catered and flexibly applied to all students. In the cogent words of Hirsch and his colleagues: "the real test of any educational idea is its usefulness."  (14)

We enthusiastically concur with this practical statement of common sense. Whether you are promoting specialization, cultural literacy, SAL, or something else entirely, the only thing that really matters in the end is that the pedagogy promotes practical successes, productive contributions to self and others, and positive legacies that continually build and fortify solid character.  

Cultural Literacy and Specialization in my Own Life

I am very much a specialist in a few key areas, such as: writing, speaking, teaching, editing, organizing, and leading. I have invested tens of thousands of hours learning, developing, practicing, refining, and polishing these five skills over the past four decades. I also have natural aptitudes and talents in these same areas. As a result, I have gotten very good at them as a specialist. 

In addition to the acquisition of these skills, I have spent an additional 20-30 thousand hours in the pursuit of cultural literacy. This quest includes 19 years of formal education, reading and studying a wide variety of different subjects through different mediums (e.g. books, newsprint, Internet, magazines, periodicals, etc.), watching a lot of educational and entertaining multimedia, engaging in conversation with and asking questions of an array of individuals spanning a spectrum of different cultural, political, racial, gender, religious, educational, and vocational backgrounds, and then synergizing it all through an ongoing process of deep, reflective, critical thinking and journaling. 

My home office library in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

To illustrate the value I place on my own cultural literacy, consider the contents of my home office library.  The accompanying picture is too small to make out individual titles of books in my personal collection, but suffice it to say, among the 1,000-plus volumes in my office and home are titles spanning the following fields or subjects:

• English, American, and World literature (including fiction, nonfiction, drama, poetry, and letters)
• History & politics
• Biography & autobiography
• Geography
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Theology & religion
• Mathematics (including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus)
• Science (including astronomy, chemistry, geology, and physics)
• Health & Wellness
• Humor
• Music
• Education
• Genealogy
• General reference

In addition to this eclecticism in my home library, I have also decorated my office over the years in ways that capture my interest in and passion for a variety of subjects and endeavors related to cultural literacy. Such topics, not already listed above include the following:

• Marriage and family
• Childhood mementos
• Academic degrees 
• Athletics and Sports (including baseball, basketball, football, tennis, track & field, cross-country, road racing, and triathlon)
• Art
• Hobbies (e.g. archery, military, and historical reenacting)
• Personal achievements, athletic medals, and other awards
• Patriotism
• Cityscapes and maps
• Inspirational quotes and poems
• Pictures of historical and other heroes
• Entertainment & technology

My intent in sharing this information is not to impress you with what a well-rounded, culturally literate person I am. Nor is it my purpose to persuade you to embrace the same interests and hobbies as I do. My goal is merely to impress upon you that being a well-rounded, culturally literate person is a valuable asset that will bless your life and benefit your career in many ways—as it has blessed mine.

Cultural literacy aides Creativity

I have benefitted greatly over the years from my pursuit of an eclectic education and my embrace of an array of hobbies, interests, and experiences. One such benefit is the ability to come across to others as intelligent, well-educated, and highly experienced. Another benefit is being an interesting and engaging conversationalist—not because I can brag about how much I know and have done, but because I can ask thought-provoking questions that engage others—and then season the repartee with relevant contributions I know will pique my audience's interest. This then serves as a preface to deepening each tête-à-tête in a mutually enjoyable and meaningful way. 

People who are well-rounded and culturally literate have more power and influence than those who are not. Being culturally literate is like being skilled in language and communication skills—it empowers you within your sphere of influence, and beyond. 

But it is not something you can buy at the store and download quickly to your brain; it takes concerted effort over long periods of time to become culturally literate. If you are willing to pay the price, you can eventually become a highly literate person, culturally and otherwise.  

A key component of Self-Action Leadership is making education a high priority in your life—and not just in terms of your formal education that ends after you finish high school, college, or graduate studies; but in terms of your informal education that continues throughout your life. And cultural literacy is a key component of continuing education. 

At Freedom Focused, we place an especially high value on cultural literacy because we want our leaders, managers, trainers, consultants, and workers to understand the world around them, the history of that world, the way it operates today, and what the future is likely to hold. We further desire that our Agents at all levels and in all functions continually feed their minds through deep and broad reading, study, investigation, inquiry, action research, and other calculated and wise experimentation in the name of learning. 

We value cultural literacy so highly, in fact, that we even require leaders, managers, and trainers to pass a 500-question cultural literacy test that spans 13 different subjects before offering them a job.

These areas of inquiry include:

• Geography..................................................75 Questions 
• History........................................................75 Questions
• Literature....................................................50 Questions
• Philosophy..................................................25 Questions
• Government & Politics...............................25 Questions
• Science........................................................25 Questions
• Mathematics................................................25 Questions
• Health & Medicine......................................25 Questions
• Art...............................................................25 Questions
• Theater & cinema........................................25 Questions
• Music and entertainment.............................25 Questions
• Sports..........................................................25 Questions
• Theology & Religion..................................25 Questions
• Business and Industry.................................25 Questions
• Technology & Agriculture..........................25 Questions

Self-Action Leadership is about more than being a good person and leading yourself to do the right things. It is also about realizing your potential on a personal, professional, and ontological level. Continually working on your communication skills as part of an ongoing pursuit of cultural literacy will help you in realizing these grand existential objectives. 

Being culturally literate enlarges the mind and gives you the tools to learn about a spectrum of different races, cultures, religions, and philosophies representing people and events from different walks of life all around the world. Cultural literacy also expands your opportunities to learn from others and relate to them on a deeper level. It gives you the tools to think more deeply and introspectively as you strive to examine yourself and your worldview in pursuit of light and truth.  

For me personally, cultural literacy has enabled me to relate to and make connections and build relationships with a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds and hierarchical stratifications. It has also empowered me with an empathy for those whose backgrounds, upbringings, and ancestral histories differ from my own. As a result, I am a more compassionate, sensitive, and tolerant human being. It has simultaneously empowered me to become a person of influence among those whom I converse and associate.  

Simply stated, cultural literacy helps us to bridge divides, promote authentic intercultural and inter-ideological connections, and achieve greater social and cultural harmony in the process. And if there is one thing our world stands in desperate need, it is HARMONY and UNITY and the productive and synergistic problem-solving capabilities and potential that only unity and harmony can engender. 

In Your Journal

1. What are you currently doing to enhance your cultural literacy?

2. What is something you could begin doing right now to further enhance your cultural literacy?

3. In what way/s could you better build upon common beliefs in an effort to promote greater harmony and unity in your family, organization, community, and nation?

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 363rd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 176th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

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Chapter 7 Notes

Footnote 1: 

Question 1.  Homer, Odysseus / Ulysses (Roman/Latin equivalent)

Question 2.  Albert Einstein, gravity

Question 3.  Napoleon Bonaparte

Question 4.  Jesse Owens

Question 5.  Florence Nightingale, Crimean War

Question 6.  Harriet Beecher Stowe, American Civil War, Wrote the bestselling novel: Uncle Tom's Cabin

Question 7.  William Wilberforce

Question 8.  Oprah Winfrey

Question 9.  Nelson Mandela

Question 10.  Sequoyah, Cherokee

Question 11.  Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic

Question 12.  North American Treaty Organization, Major League Baseball, deoxyribonucleic acid, Military Intelligence Sector 6 (UK Foreign Intelligence Service), National Football League, Department of Defense, hypertext markup language/hypertext transfer protocol

Question 13.  The Great War (World War I)

Question 14.  Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton

Question 15.  The Internet

Question 16.  Jesse Owens

Footnote 2).  Covey, S.R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York: NY: Fireside. Pages 262-263. 

Footnote 2a).  Ibid. Page 271. 

Footnote 2b).  Ibid. See page 53.   

3).  Hirsch, Jr. E.D. (1987). Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Page xiii.

4).  Ibid. 

5).  Hirsch, Jr., E.D., Kett, J.F., and Trefil, J. (2002). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Completely Revised and Updated. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Page xi. 

6).  Hirsch, Jr. E.D. (1987). Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Page 19.

7).  Hirsch, Jr., E.D., Kett, J.F., and Trefil, J. (2002). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Completely Revised and Updated. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Page vii, viii. 

8).  Ibid. Page xiii.

9).  Ibid. Page vii, viii.

10).  Hirsch, Jr., E.D., Kett, J.F., and Trefil, J. (1993). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. 2nd Edition. Revised and Updated. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Page viii.

11).  Hirsch, Jr., E.D., Kett, J.F., and Trefil, J. (2002). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Completely Revised and Updated. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Page xvi. 

12).  Ibid. Page xv.

13).  Ibid. Page xvi.

14).  Ibid.