1. The ability to read and write is more important today than it was in the past.
Writing and reading is the key to a successful and independent life in the contemporary society. Look for instance to the uncountable blogs in the internet where the people express their opinions to tell their friends what they were observing at the weekend or to publish political things like violation to the human rights in china during the Olympic games. From my point of view reading and writing is obviously more important than it was in the past because most of the jobs are knowledge based nowadays and it will help you to become a independent thinking and acting person! I will outline my points in detail in the following.
To begin with, do you know the sociological term “knowledge based working world”? If this is not the case, let me sum it up for you: Most of the jobs fifty or sixty years ago required strength and manpower, because the majority of jobs were placed in the agriculture. Nowadays the social and technology change brought jobs to light, which are based on specific knowledge, like writing essays for newspapers or use excel for calculation and consulting jobs. These jobs have obviously the requirement that that you can write, speak und read fluently, otherwise your chances at the labour market will not be too high.
Furthermore, the ability to write and read will help you to become more independent. For instance, look back at your childhood. Your parents surely told you all the time things you could not know because you were not able to read and write. In the modern world, everything is more complex then it was for example hundred years before. Especially the international relations between nations are getting more complex and to know what is going in you have to use your reading skills and furthermore, to publish your opinion you have indeed to write. So this ability will make you an independent and critical thinking person!
In conclusion, to cope with this complex world you have to use your writing and reading skills and to be successful in a competitive and keen labour market, you should develop them constantly.