Recent events, which I will not get into in depth on this site, have clearly demonstrated that ignorance, lack of knowledge, and inability to think critically are genuine problems in the world today. I have seen questions on social media sites and in news story comments that wonder about the educational background of some people writing posts. I have done the same.

The educational reality for people in the United States is diverse and ineffective in many ways. Plenty of people have not been taught or failed to learn how to think properly about different important subjects. This is not about indoctrination or changing anyone’s mind. It is about destroying ignorance that damages everything from the overall fabric of our

society to how well people get along with their next-door neighbor.

When the schools failed to destroy ignorance, what options do we have? Families are supposed to take up the slack or, in fact, be the primary educational and guidance force in a young person’s life. However, so many of them failed to do that, too. This could be due to lack of ability or knowledge on their part or simply because they do not want to or feel it is not their responsibility. That shows the type of ignorance that the world needs less of.

There’s a simple solution: reading.

Reading widely improves:

  • Factual knowledge
  • Vocabulary and grammar
  • Global understanding
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Human behavior
  • Critical thinking skills

Reading books, articles, news stories, and even things like social media posts and comments from everyday people provide these things in copious amounts. It is important to read WIDELY or you risk narrowing your mind instead of enriching it.

Reading destroys ignorance because it gradually and naturally improves all the things that improve cognition and our thought processes.

Factual Knowledge

The more you know about history, government, science, culture, and everything else, the greater your base of understanding is to make smart decisions about what’s going on in the world. It also helps keep you from looking like a fool in conversation.

Vocabulary and Grammar

The ability to understand the written and spoken word is essential to destroy ignorance. Also, the way you communicate with others helps to increase and improve the possibilities of sharing knowledge and empathy.

Global Understanding

The world is a very large place with many different realities in it. Too many people are ignorant of what happens outside their borders and how it affects their lives. Reading about other cultures and experiences can fight dangerous types of ignorance like racism, classism, and other types of bigotry.

Emotional Intelligence

Part of understanding and regulating your own emotions is understanding the experience of other people’s feelings, too. Reading can improve emotional intelligence and empathy through demonstrating how people are different and the same.

Human Behavior

Behavioral similarities and differences require empathy and understanding, too. Everyone has a reason for saying what they say or doing what they do. Reading nonfiction and fiction demonstrates a wide range of human behaviors can foster psychological understanding and improve relations in the real world.

Critical Thinking Skills

Far too many people read one thing and get sucked into an echo chamber of similar claims and thoughts. While they may be reading a lot, they are not reading widely and therefore not getting the benefit of improved critical thinking skills. This is one of the most insidious problems demonstrated in recent events and throughout history. Read from a wide variety of sources and practice your critical thinking skills by judging the source and the information it provides.

Ignorance destroys societal bonds, can rip apart families and friend groups, brings down businesses, and sometimes gets people punched in the mouth. In this information age when a new article or post shows up every microsecond, it is more important than ever before to seek out information from different sources and read critically.

Many people can’t regulate these things on their own because the educational system or their families failed them. The best thing to do is read widely and don’t stop. Challenge yourself to seek out new sources of written information, borrow or buy books you may not have considered in the past, and never use one source as the sole answer to any of the important questions plaguing our world today.