Literacy Unplugged

Ananya Pillai

So, there’s this idea floated by Leonard Steinhorn that, um, kids today don’t actually need to read as much because they’re developing a new kind of literacy—visual literacy. He talks about how, you know, from playing video games or watching TV, kids are processing all this visual information. What do you think about that? Does it hold up?

Elliot Hargrove

Honestly, I don’t buy it. Processing visual information? Sure. But that’s not the same as understanding it. And just because you’re exposed to something doesn’t mean you—uh—actually absorb it, you know? It’s like saying watching hours of football makes you a strategy expert. It doesn’t.

Ananya Pillai

Right, and I mean, Chuck Colson raises a big concern here: that visual media like TV and video games don’t teach you to analyze or think critically about what you’re seeing. He even questions whether kids are truly learning from all this exposure.

Elliot Hargrove

That bit hit home for me. I remember once—I think I was about fifteen—I saw this fancy ad for a cologne. It had this slow-motion scene, dramatic music, a guy running through the rain to a woman. I mean, it looked like pure art to teenage me.

Ananya Pillai

Mm-hmm, sounds cinematic.

Elliot Hargrove

Exactly! But when my English teacher asked me to dissect the ad—figure out their message—I had nothing. I realized I hadn’t, uh, processed anything beyond “looks cool.” It was all surface level. Like, I wasn’t trained to ask why they picked certain visuals or, you know, what ideas they were pushing.

Ananya Pillai

That’s such a good example. Colson makes a similar point, doesn’t he? He—he argues that verbal literacy—reading and writing—teaches us to develop arguments, to think in, um, logical progression, and that’s something visual media alone just... doesn’t do.

Elliot Hargrove

Definitely, and without that, how do you critically evaluate what you’re consuming? Watching is passive; reading requires engagement. It’s a whole different level of involvement.

Ananya Pillai

Yeah, and I think what’s troubling about Steinhorn’s idea is that it could, um, discourage prioritizing verbal literacy—when kids might still need it to interpret the very visuals he’s saying they understand.

Elliot Hargrove

It’s like we’re skimming a book by flipping through its pictures. There's no deeper grasp of meaning until we, well, learn the language.

Ananya Pillai

Exactly. And these gaps in understanding aren’t just assumptions. There’s actual research showing how much of what we watch we simply, um, don’t comprehend...

Elliot Hargrove

Exactly what you were saying earlier—it’s fascinating, isn’t it? Like the study you mentioned, was it from the American Association of Advertising Agencies? It found that Americans fail to comprehend a quarter, or sometimes even a third, of what they watch on TV. A third! That’s just... wild.

Ananya Pillai

Yeah, it’s—it’s shocking, isn’t it? And I think it challenges the assumption that just spending time with visual media makes you, um, automatically skilled at processing it. Clearly, that’s... not what’s happening.

Elliot Hargrove

Right—exactly! Kids might be glued to screens all day, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually learning how to, uh, analyze what they’re seeing. It’s like passive osmosis isn’t cutting it.

Ananya Pillai

Absolutely. Visual exposure can’t replace the critical thinking skills we get from engaging with literature or philosophy. I-I mean, growing up in Bengaluru, my family had these big debates over Shakespeare versus films. And while movies were exciting, dissecting Macbeth or King Lear? That was a whole different league of depth.

Elliot Hargrove

Oh, completely. Literature forces you to grapple with ideas, wrestle with meaning. In contrast, visual media can feel... fleeting. Like, sure, that Nike ad might be slick, but are we really asking why it’s framed the way it is? Or who it’s speaking to? Or—well—what values it’s selling?

Ananya Pillai

Exactly! And Colson critiques this idea too—how visual literacy is, um, being elevated above verbal literacy when it’s not fostering those same levels of introspection or understanding. Without that deeper layer, there’s so much we might be missing.

Elliot Hargrove

And that’s where literature shines, right? It doesn't just engage your brain—it creates this loop where you’re, kind of, constantly questioning, reflecting. Visual media—it—it often stops short of that. There’s no back-and-forth with the viewer like you’d have with a book.

Ananya Pillai

Right, because books demand more of us. They don’t let us just sit there, passively consuming... which sort of goes back to Colson’s point about why we can’t afford to let verbal literacy fall by the wayside.

Elliot Hargrove

Speaking of intellectual depth, Colson paints a pretty striking picture when he talks about the Reformation. People translating the Bible into the common tongue so—well—ordinary folks could read it for themselves. It wasn’t just about religion, was it? It mirrored what we discussed: a push for intellectual freedom, for, uh, grappling with ideas on a personal level.

Ananya Pillai

Exactly. When you think about it, it was revolutionary. Suddenly, knowledge wasn’t locked away. People could, um, question things, think critically—engage with ideas directly. That’s the power of literacy, isn’t it? It’s—it’s a tool for liberation.

Elliot Hargrove

Yeah, and if we start sidelining reading and writing? That’s a step backwards. I mean, Colson's warning feels a bit dramatic when he talks about “intellectual slavery,” but honestly, isn’t he right? If we can’t think for ourselves, if we’re just handed information to, uh, passively accept... where’s the freedom in that?

Ananya Pillai

Absolutely. It reminds me of something my teacher used to say—how literacy is more than just functional. It’s—it’s fundamental to self-determination. Without it, we’re left relying on others to, um... define truth for us. That’s a scary thought.

Elliot Hargrove

Right? And here’s the thing—I don’t think Colson’s just being nostalgic for the way things used to be. He’s pointing out that without verbal literacy, we lose the ability to challenge authority or question what we’re told. It isn’t just a skill. It’s, like, the foundation of democracy itself!

Ananya Pillai

So true. And I think there’s something empowering about realizing that. It’s, um, it’s not just about defending literacy but remembering why it matters. Why it’s worth preserving. Without it, we lose the—how should I say it—the ability to shape our own narratives. To think and speak freely.

Elliot Hargrove

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Honestly, I think conversations like this remind us how easy it is to take literacy for granted. But it’s something we need to fight for—not just in schools, but, well, in the way we engage with the world every day.

Ananya Pillai

Right, and on that note, I think it’s a good time to reflect on all that we’ve talked about today—how literacy isn’t just a skill, but a doorway to freedom. It helps us connect, question, and grow.

Elliot Hargrove

And that’s all for today, everyone. Thanks for tuning in. Keep reading, keep questioning, and we’ll see you next time.