“Please stop using words we can’t understand.”
A random reader said this.
Chances are, they were American.
When I set out to push The Fray, I looked overseas. There are so many other countries where people are willing to read. They actually want to read your work. They share, comment, like – ask questions. Visit your website.
One of the reasons Americans don’t is because they’re too busy trying to compete. Even if they don’t write books. Then I find out that American schools are so far behind…comprehension amongst adults makes so much more sense now.
Comprehension is also a choice. Supposed third world countries have better reading scores than we do.
Emphasis on supposed.
But I find it comical that readers in the West prefer writers use easier words.
Absolutely the fuck not. Pick up a dictionary and educate yourself. Expand your mind. Learn something new. It could be life changing.
The way Americans think is a telling story to the realities here. So few know much more than maybe a sixth grade education. I saw someone say that Venus is not the hottest planet – the sun was. So I asked my 11 year old (who is homeschooled) and he laughed. “The sun is a star. Who said that?”
Are we even trying?
I let it go a while ago. My focus is knowing that including the world makes for a better experience.
Perhaps it’s time to leave the fake silver lining of this country…and understand that the cat we keep mentioning has probably never been in the bag in the first place.