World Literacy Day: Mundane Prerogatives

BY: Michelle Angeline Villanueva

PHOTO BY: Kristine May Ramirez

"Privilege is invisible to those who have it." I have never thought that these words could be so flexible—not only relating to sexism, racism, and social issues. To expand it, it may also be applied to the simplest of things. The simple thing of having a roof to live in, parents that support your education, being able to buy school supplies, feeling the heat of the sun as it touches your skin, playing to your heart's content, and all things that are taken for granted may unknowingly be a privilege for the people who does not have it. And so, to this day and age, information and resources are what I call a privilege of our generation.

For what it takes years and manual labor to create, books are now being printed after the creation of the printing press and its innovation. To all of the people who have the privilege of owning a book today, it was good to remember that it was once rare to own even just one. Since it needs a skilled hand to write every page carefully and legibly as it takes a long time, only the elites can afford a book. 

Even better, books are not the only resources we have right now. It is faster, more efficient, and contains a lot more information all contained in one. Access to the internet has made information transform from a privilege into something normal. It is the same with how people disseminate information, in which letters and mails take months to travel and be received. While it taught people to be patient, the convenient way we receive our long distance messages in a second is still undeniably improved our lives.

Ironically, in several cases, the more access we have right now, the less we tend to read and process everything. And while having all of these, we still have yet to learn how to utilize what is in front of us. 

Additionally, people knowing how to read and write—which should be a necessity—are still privileged. According to the UN Statistics Division, there are over 781 million illiterate people who are over fifteen years old, in which 496 million are women. Even if the statistics have been said to be improved, it is still significant to recognize that not everyone is able to read and has a chance to improve the quality of their life. 

Women, on the other hand, had fought for their rights to education making the way for our generation to have access to literacy. However, some are still being oppressed in low and middle income countries such as Afghanistan, having only a 23 percent literacy rate for women.

As everyone celebrates World Literacy Day, it serves as a reminder that alongside knowing is the responsibility of being a part of the change and constant improvement. People who are privileged enough are also the ones who are honored to be a part of advocating literacy and a more sustainable society. People can indulge in the simple things in their daily lives because ideas and education have progressed. We have shared knowledge, used it, and innovated. 

The World Literacy Day has a sole purpose: that everyone should have education rights, for the entirety of it and not just its partiality. And so, to those people who have information within the grasps of their hands, it is a blessing and not just the mundane thought of simply having.