--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think visual literacy and media…" description: "\"I think visual literacy and media literacy is not without value, but I think plain old-fashioned text literacy and mathematical literacy are much more ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/neal-stephenson-362_flexible_i-think-visual-literacy-and-media-litera_1502882.png" --- # I think visual literacy and media literacy is not without… ![“I think visual literacy and media literacy is not without value, but I think plain old-fashioned text literacy and mathematical literacy are much more powerful and flexible ways to organize your mind.” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/neal-stephenson-362_flexible_i-think-visual-literacy-and-media-litera_1502882.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/neal-stephenson-362_flexible_i-think-visual-literacy-and-media-litera_1502882.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/neal-stephenson-362_flexible_i-think-visual-literacy-and-media-litera_1502882.png) > “I think visual literacy and media literacy is not without value, but I think plain old-fashioned text literacy and mathematical literacy are much more powerful and flexible ways to organize your mind.” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional text and math literacy provide flexible frameworks for thinking, surpassing visual/media skills in adaptability. **In simple terms:** Text and math literacy are highly versatile. Key Takeaway Prioritize reading and math for mental flexibility. Themes education critical thinking adaptability Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - school curricula - self‑study - career development - policy making Key Concepts cognitive flexibility foundational skills Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance visual and textual learning? - What benefits does math literacy bring to everyday decisions? A Different Perspective Visual literacy still offers unique insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literacy/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Media literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media-literacy/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Old fashioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-fashioned/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [But I think we're also just talking about the literacy of the audience. The visual literacy of the audience. They've seen so many images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/but-i-think-we-re-also-just-talking-about-the-literacy-of-the/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [I'm really grateful I grew up in a house in which media literacy was a survival skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/i-m-really-grateful-i-grew-up-in-a-house-in-which-media-literacy-was/) [Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/) > [We don't have media literacy in America in any kind of substantive way. If we did, I think that (A) more of us would've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pozner/we-don-t-have-media-literacy-in-america-in-any-kind-of-substantive/) [Jennifer Pozner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pozner/) > [Media literacy is not just important, it's absolutely critical. It's going to make the difference between whether kids are a tool of the mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ellerbee/media-literacy-is-not-just-important-it-s-absolutely-critical-it-s/) [Linda Ellerbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ellerbee/) > [All this stuff - about the materiality of the network, what it's made of, and how it works - should be part of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/all-this-stuff-about-the-materiality-of-the-network-what-it-s-made-of/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > [Communicate with visual literacy - Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of communication - color, shape, form, texture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-sklar/communicate-with-visual-literacy-make-good-use-of-all-the-non-verbal/) Marty Sklar > [Just as we would not traditionally assume that someone is literate if they can read but not write, we should not assume that someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jenkins/just-as-we-would-not-traditionally-assume-that-someone-is-literate-if/) [Henry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jenkins/) > [When people talk to me about the digital divide, I think of it not so much about who has access to what technology as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/when-people-talk-to-me-about-the-digital-divide-i-think-of-it-not-so/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [“If you are in a position where you can reach people, then use your platform to stand up for a cause. 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Words have power, be careful how you use them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/freedom-of-speech-doesn-t-justify-online-bullying-words-have-power-be/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Think before you click. If people do not know you personally and if they cannot see you as you type, what you post online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/think-before-you-click-if-people-do-not-know-you-personally-and-if/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“If misinformation is inaccurate information, and disinformation is deliberate falsehoods — what's a simple way to remember the difference? 'Mis' for mistake, 'D' for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/if-misinformation-is-inaccurate-information-and-disinformation-is/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Flexible quotes > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? 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You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [I don't control the schedule of the networks. 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