Challenging the Medium

Malala's story

           Literacy is a tool for human development, it allows people to interact, for ideas to flow.  Far too often the control of literacy, is used to oppress people, often without their knowledge. This is done in two ways. First simple literacy, the ability to read and write, is denied to those that with it would quickly see the tyranny around them and be moved to correct it, this is why Malala Yousefzai’s story is so powerful. Second critical literacy, the ability to assess the “medium of the message”, is subdued by the volume and variety of “literature” or media available for consumption.

          Controlling literacy controls the messages that can be spread. Whether it is the hand scrawled notes of a rebellion of some impoverished nation, or the systematic message consolidation of twenty four hour media machines.  Both of these means of control serve to blind the people. “it is only too typical that the “content” of any medium blinds us to the character of the  medium”[McCluhan 2].  A lack of content prevents us from identifying the character of the denier. An abundance of content overwhelms us and gives us a sense of false literacy, so we don’t question the character of the puppet masters.

         Malala challenges the literacy narratives every chance she gets. The news constantly tries to talk about her, rather than talk about what she is talking about, and Mala knows this, so she uses every second of screen time to promote her message, that education and the empowerment of women,  is the answer to many of the worlds current problems.

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