The Sola Panel reviews "Why Johnny can't preach" here, and as an introduction they summarise the first chapter of the book. All in all, sounds an interesting read, but a particular part stuck out at me. I quote Sola Panel:

"So what's wrong with the culture? In a word, society has become ‘aliterate’. That is, people are able to read, but choose not to.

The result of this is that people are not in the habit of reading texts, constructing written arguments, or composing prose with clarity and artfulness. So when a culturally shaped aliterate candidate arrives at seminary to be taught theology, Greek and Biblical studies, he needs to be taught how to read and write as well, for being able to preach in a careful and nourishing way requires an appreciation of literature, argument, style, composition and delivery—all characteristics that fall by the wayside in an aliterate society."

Incidentally, that whole second paragraph is a single sentence - but I digress.

'Aliterate'; I'd heard the word before, but hadn't done enough reading to know what it meant, until now.

And I recognise in myself, and dislike the fact that I have a reduced capacity to be able to engage with literary styles and writing. So I ask the blogsphere - what are some ways to avoid becoming 'aliterate'?