Jakartass Home thoughts from abroad. Alien thoughts from home.

Every so often I get to read an online article which offers the theory that the internet is destroying our brains. Or maybe not. Certainly, those of us with access to it, however limited that may be, have changed our reading habits, ergo the ways we take in and use information.

Some, such as Jeremy Wagstaff in his syndicated column Lost in the Flow of The Digital Word in the Post argues that "digital rules, and ebooks now make more sense than papyrus."

He bases this on the 'fact' that online bookseller Amazon "is now selling more ebooks than hardbacks." Hardbacks are not my reading fornat of choice, and I can't be bothered to check Amazon's stats for paperbacks or used copies sold, nor do I wish to attempt to quantify the number of books bought online from publishers or readily available in specialist and chain bookstores.

Jeremy has written to me to say that "the device doesn't need to be connected for you to read, only to download. And the file sizes are small. And you only need one app to make it happen."

Fair enough, but batteries need regular recharging. Besides, I've always loved the feel and smell of books, the pleasure of turning over a new leaf, and their neat arrangement (usually) on my shelves where they await a reread.

Given that I've had to reformat the hard drive on my computer umpteen times as well as creating backups, I still manage to lose documents and files. So, what is the lifespan of a soft-copy book on forever being 'improved' electronic reading aids?

Anyway, I digress a bit as this post isn't supposed to be about the medium, but the message. Whether we read a novel on the iPhone, a Kindle or in a hardback paper format, what is important is, as Jeremy states, that "we lose ourselves in the reading … [and} … tune out what is around us."

If the quarter page colour ad in yesterday's Post wasn't placed by Astra International, the major car importer and assembler in Indonesia, I'd be somewhat less cynical. (Spot the punctuation error!)

ONE educated child will lead to ONE educated family. Imagine the result of ONE million educated children, they will create ONE illiteracy-free generation!

There's a problem of numeracy in this. It is widely expected that the main results of the recent census will be published this week and they will show that the population has grown to 238 million. If the literacy rate as given by UNESCO was 92% as at 2007, then there are c.22 million illiterate citizens. Given that the 'educated' classes tend to have smaller families, then it's going to take a lot longer than one generation.

But, hey, Astra has a message of hope.

Roll up your sleeves!
(Most us prefer short sleeves, but no matter, do carry on.)

Let's share the spirit of nurturing the nation's youth and help them become the next generation that has confidence to meet challenges in tomorrow's world.
(Because our generation is going to leave them with a pretty fucked up world?)

So, what is literacy?

At a basic level, it's the functional skills of reading and writing, as well as oral communication. However, this does not necessarily equate with what I term as 'productive communication', the ability to hold opinions and to engage in reasoned discourse and debate. That requires a fifth element: analytical thought rather than emotional responses.

That so much that is read is now written as tweets to 'friends' and unseen 'faces' is only self-nurturing, a futile search for community aided by the very tools which Jeremy says encourages folk to read books in "short bursts".

I've always got a book 'on the go'; it's got pages I can touch and fold over to mark my place for the next time I'm stuck in a traffic jam or my flight is delayed, or for the loo when I've got the trots, or ….. for those moments when I can't work out where my next post is leading.

The main challenge in Indonesia today is to disengage from myopic and instant reactions, to examine and deal with the root causes of the evils of sectarianism, corruption and greed, and to engage with all communities which one is part of. This should not be a matter of self-preservation as much as growth.

And that's my message. Concentrated rather than cursory reading is a challenge, yet ultimately offers long-lasting pleasure and a focus into new worlds. The new horizons opened up are an index of possibilities and are therefore truly nurturing. That is true education, not the stultification offered by Astra.

However, I would like to share in their justification for taking up such valuable space.