Cultural illiteracy

Nature

There are startling gaps in the knowledge of people in history, literature and other cultural subjects because of an over emphasis on teaching students how to think without giving them any content. Curriculum emphasizes skills over knowledge. Teachers are taught to stress methods over subject matter. Text books are flea markets of disconnected facts. Even testing programmes such as the Standard Aptitude Test avoid evaluating substantive knowledge.

Background

Cultural illiteracy emerged as a recognized global concern in the late 20th century, notably following E.D. Hirsch’s 1987 work highlighting its impact on social cohesion and educational standards. As globalization accelerated, educators and policymakers increasingly observed that insufficient shared cultural knowledge hindered communication, civic participation, and mutual understanding across societies. Subsequent international studies and debates underscored the problem’s persistence, linking it to challenges in multicultural integration and the erosion of collective identity.

Incidence

A recent survey in the USA found 43% of 17 year old tested could not place World War I in the correct half century, 39% could not do the same for the writing of the USA Constitution and nearly a third placed the date of Columbus's first landing in the New World after 1750.

Claim

Cultural illiteracy is a serious and urgent problem. When people lack understanding of history, literature, and global traditions, society becomes fragmented and intolerant. This ignorance fuels prejudice, weakens democracy, and stifles creativity. We cannot afford to ignore cultural illiteracy—it erodes our ability to communicate, collaborate, and empathize with others. Addressing this issue is essential for building a more informed, united, and resilient world.

Counter-claim

Cultural illiteracy is vastly overblown as a problem. In our interconnected world, people can easily access any information they need with a quick search. Expecting everyone to know the same cultural references is outdated and elitist. What truly matters are skills like critical thinking, empathy, and adaptability—not memorizing trivia about art, history, or literature. Worrying about cultural illiteracy distracts from more pressing issues facing society today.