[lbo-talk] U.S. working class: functionally literate

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

Joanna:
> I disagree. In general people want to do the best they can and they take
> pride in "knowing" and gratification in being able to help. One obvious
> difference between older and younger workers is that younger workers are
> less experienced and therefore know less. Twenty years from now these
> younger workers will be more knowledgeable and more helpful.
> 

Joanna:
That crossed my mind too, but I observed a similar divide elsewhere.  When I
was still teaching, I saw a big difference between college kids and older
folk coming back to school to supplement their education.  I am not talking
about knowing more facts, for both groups were more equal in their priors
re. the subject matter, but their communicative skills and their skill of
learning new things.  One way to describe it is "attitude" but I am afraid
it may create wrong connotation.  I am not talking about "behavior problems"
but about general interest in learning new things - which seems to be
vanishing.

Similar observations were made by other teachers and, incidentally, by my
own kid when he was still a student.  So I think the trend is there,
Yoshie's flippancy notwithstanding.  

Regarding your argument concerning speakers of English as a foreign language
- I concede you are right.  

Wojtek