Literacy

The act of blogging itself has never really caught my attention, personally I do not really understand why people around the world are so into it. The closest I have ever come to blogging was an op-ed piece I wrote for a public policy class, which in my eyes I though was pretty cool. Besides all that I am approaching this blogging experience with an open mind, who knows it may become my new secret addiction.
I have been asked many times what the meaning of literacy is and each time I find myself baffled by the question. I sit there pondering the answer thinking it is a simple answer that should not take me more than five minutes but each time I can never give a clear definition. As I read through both the Gee and Scribber article I closely analyzed their conceptions of what literacy is, while one author gave a more simple definition the other based this very concept upon three metaphors that she used to define and describe what literacy was to her. All of these descriptions of what literacy was were very fascinating and intriguing. But then like a bolt of lighting I myself was thinking about at the experiences I had with school and literacy.
Yes it maybe something that many acorss time have tried to explain but I personally feel that the concept and definition of literacy is an ever evolving one. While at times you may sit there and think of all the endless possiblities, it maybe a daunting task. An individual, in my eyes, has to understand that when someone is asked to give a defintion of what literacy is there will be some common concepts that people will give but in the larger picture each individual person will come up with their own unique idea of what literacy is.
With today's state officials continously cutting back on state funding for education, the question of literacy is definitelty an interesting one. Will it be the same in ten years or why are our leaders cutting back on something that has proven to have been the backbone of the state and the nation? With all theis looming around I do not think I will ever be able to give a clear cut defintion.