The First Step Toward Progress

Hey Everyone, I hope you are all fine and doing great. This post is my entry for the weekly featured content in the #Hivelearners community. Today's topic to write about is LITERACY.

Let me tell you something honestly. I wasn’t always someone who thought about “literacy” or “education” in a deep way. For many years, I also believed that if someone spoke English, wore modern clothes, or used a smartphone, they were educated. But with time, I realized that real literacy is something else. It’s not about speaking fancy or looking modern. It’s about understanding life, making better choices, and becoming a better human being.

You see, literacy is not just about going to school or getting a degree. It’s about learning how to think clearly, how to ask the right questions, and how to treat people with respect. A literate person doesn’t just read books, they understand the world around them. They try not to hurt others, they take responsibility for their actions, and they think before they speak or act.

Many people today are confused between literacy and modernization. They think that wearing jeans, using English words, or following trends on social media means they are educated. But in reality, that’s not literacy at all. That’s just copying others without understanding why. Modernization is fine, but when it makes us forget our culture, our values, and our respect for others, then it becomes a problem.

I remember meeting a man once in a small village. He couldn’t speak English, he wore simple clothes, and he had never been to college. But the way he spoke about life, about honesty, about helping others, it touched my heart. He had learned all this through reading in his own language, through listening to people, and by thinking deeply. That’s real literacy. It made him a better father, a better neighbor, and a better citizen.

Now think about this: if most people in a country can’t read or write, how will they understand health warnings? How will they vote for the right leaders? How will they help their kids with schoolwork? That’s why literacy is not just for one person, it’s important for the whole country.

Countries like Japan and Finland focused on education after hard times. Today, they are successful and peaceful. It didn’t happen by building big buildings or importing foreign brands. It happened because they educated their people and made them think. That’s the power of literacy.

We need to be careful today. There’s too much focus on looking modern but not enough on real learning. Our young generation knows how to use the internet but doesn’t know how to sit with their elders and learn from them. We’re losing our values in the name of progress.

So, what’s the solution? It’s simple. Let’s bring back the importance of real literacy. Let’s build schools that don’t just teach how to pass exams but also how to live life with kindness, truth, and care for others. Let’s teach kids to read, write, ask questions, and stay connected to their roots.

I’m not against modernization. But I believe it should come after we are grounded in who we are. Let’s not leave behind our basics. our language, our morals, our culture, just to look modern. Let’s be truly literate first.

In the end, I just want to say: literacy is not a luxury. It’s a need. It’s what makes us better people, better parents, and better members of society. So, let’s spread real literacy, simple, honest, and powerful. That’s how we’ll build a better future.