--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question is, will we continue to…" description: "\"The question is, will we continue to fight what may be a rearguard action to defend universal literacy as a central goal of our education system, or ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/hugh-mackay-16277_action_the-question-is-will-we-continue-to-figh_1250166.jpg" --- # The question is, will we continue to fight what may be a… ![“The question is, will we continue to fight what may be a rearguard action to defend universal literacy as a central goal of our education system, or are we bold enough to see what's actually happening to our culture?” quote by Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/hugh-mackay-16277_action_the-question-is-will-we-continue-to-figh_1250166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/hugh-mackay-16277_action_the-question-is-will-we-continue-to-figh_1250166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/hugh-mackay-16277_action_the-question-is-will-we-continue-to-figh_1250166.jpg) > “The question is, will we continue to fight what may be a rearguard action to defend universal literacy as a central goal of our education system, or are we bold enough to see what's actually happening to our culture?” [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society must decide whether to protect basic literacy or confront deeper cultural shifts reshaping education. **In simple terms:** Choose between protecting literacy and confronting cultural change. Key Takeaway Prioritize critical thinking over rote literacy. Themes education culture literacy Mood thoughtful concerned Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - school curricula - policy debates - parental guidance - community workshops Key Concepts critical pedagogy cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - What values should guide modern education? - How can literacy coexist with cultural critique? A Different Perspective Literacy alone may not address underlying cultural issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-system/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literacy/) ## Related quotes > [Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-goal-before-then-reading-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Once he could read and write he would have a mind fit to rule. So ran the democratic doctrine. But instead of a mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bernays/once-he-could-read-and-write-he-would-have-a-mind-fit-to-rule-so-ran/) [Edward Bernays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bernays/) > [The ideal of universal literacy, in the West anyway, was first of all a Protestant idea - that everybody had to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/the-ideal-of-universal-literacy-in-the-west-anyway-was-first-of-all-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [It is my vision that we all will dedicate the next decade to achieve universal literacy and education for all children, especially for girls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/it-is-my-vision-that-we-all-will-dedicate-the-next-decade-to-achieve/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [The achievement of high universal literacy is the key to all other fundamental improvements in American education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-d-hirsch-jr/the-achievement-of-high-universal-literacy-is-the-key-to-all-other/) E. D. Hirsch, Jr > [South Korea from a country that had relatively little primary education became close to universal literacy in the course of 25, 30 years, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/south-korea-from-a-country-that-had-relatively-little-primary/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“The early advocates of universal literacy and a free press…did not foresee…the development of a vast mass communications industry, concerned in the main neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-andersen/the-early-advocates-of-universal-literacy-and-a-free-press-did-not/) [Kurt Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-andersen/) > [“Universal literacy was supposed to educate the common man to control his environment. Once he could read and write he would have a mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-l-bernays/universal-literacy-was-supposed-to-educate-the-common-man-to-control/) Edward L. Bernays > [While we rightly stress common core subjects such as science, math, and reading in our education system, these tools for emotional literacy are equally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-germanotta/while-we-rightly-stress-common-core-subjects-such-as-science-math-and/) [Cynthia Germanotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-germanotta/) > [Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/upon-the-subject-of-education-not-presuming-to-dictate-any-plan-or/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Is it possible that literacy standards are falling because young Australians are growing up in a culture in which they can be entertained and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/is-it-possible-that-literacy-standards-are-falling-because-young/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Obviously, every child should be given the best possible opportunity to acquire literacy skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/obviously-every-child-should-be-given-the-best-possible-opportunity/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Yet in our enthusiasm for the idea that everyone should be able to read and write fluently, we may be missing a crucial point:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/yet-in-our-enthusiasm-for-the-idea-that-everyone-should-be-able-to/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Mitt Romney was attacking Obama about our failing education system. 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Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-goal-before-then-reading-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Actually, I can't imagine anything more tedious than a perfect person, especially if it was someone who also demanded perfection from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/actually-i-can-t-imagine-anything-more-tedious-than-a-perfect-person/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Obviously, every child should be given the best possible opportunity to acquire literacy skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/obviously-every-child-should-be-given-the-best-possible-opportunity/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [“I actually attack the concept of happiness. 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That simply means you've redefined 'friend' to make it something like 'a contact I exchange data with'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/you-have-five-hundred-facebook-friends-that-simply-means-you-ve/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [It seems inevitable that the magic of the written word will fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/it-seems-inevitable-that-the-magic-of-the-written-word-will-fade/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Still, most of those effects occur in the context of harmless play and it is patently obvious that children are not normally turned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/still-most-of-those-effects-occur-in-the-context-of-harmless-play-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) [Explore all 40 Hugh Mackay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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