This video presents a very interesting proposition: that Donald Trump has difficulty reading. He has admitted - publicly and unabashedly - that he "doesn't" read (books, reports, briefings) and prefers to get his information from television. Examples are presented of him appearing to have problems reading when presented with documents during court testimony and public signings.
I think it's unfortunate that the video title questions whether Trump "knows how" to read. The problem, presuming it exists, would be a reading disability rather than a lack of knowledge of how to read. It would also explain his famously low-reading-level speech as being easier to memorize or to read off a teleprompter.
Dyslexia does not preclude advancement or competence in professions. Wikipedia's List of people diagnosed with dyslexia is long and impressive, including Alexander Graham Bell, Richard Branson, Lewis Carroll, Thomas Edison, David Rockefeller and many others.
If he is dyslexic, he really ought to come out and say so, and tell his staff that that is why he has avoided the morning briefings, and make arrangements for information to be presented to him in other ways. A public announcement would probably garner a measure of sympathy and perhaps some improved tolerance for his shenanigans.
Addendum: Support for this hypothesis comes from the numerous public gaffes that have occurred when he attempted to read a written speech off a teleprompter.
Reposted from February 2017 to add the latest incident:
The above photograph was taken while Trump was reading prepared remarks about Ilhan Omar and other freshman congresswomen. In recent weeks he has emphasized that he is a "really good speller" and that misspellings in his Twitter comments are the result of "fat fingers" on the keys. But as I've annotated with the red oval in the photo, the document he was reading from has "Alcaida" and "some peopel" in handwritten form. This mistake cannot be attributed to an accidental "typo."
There are at least three acceptable spellings for Al-Qaeda, but Alcaida is not one of them. We'll grant that many, perhaps most, Americans would also misspell the group's name, but it should be well known to the President of the United States. I suspect he does not read his daily security briefings.
For many years I gave spelling tests to third-year medical students, and counted the results toward their grades (never published the data - perhaps I should publish the results in TYWKIWDBI...) My firm belief is that the reason otherwise intelligent and well-educated students spell crucial words incorrectly is because much of this information is acquired aurally (by hearing the words) rather than by seeing and reading them. The result is a lot of phonetically-decipherable but incorrectly-spelled words (hemmorhage, hemmorage, hemorhage, hemorrage, hemmorrhage or gauaic, gauiac, guaic, guiac, guiaic).
I'm sure the same applies to Mr. Trump - that he has heard "Al-Qaeda" spoken thousands of times, that he pronounces it correctly, but that he has not seen it in print enough times to register the proper spelling in his memory.
Functionally illiterate, I assume. May be because of dyslexia, or failure to learn in childhood. My father was this, could get by, but badly. Never read a book. Low comprehension, very defensive. When I was in Gulf War I I got a letter from him, it was... telling. Maybe 3rd or 4th grade level.
ReplyDeleteTrump would NEVER admit having dyslexia or any learning disability. He would never admit to being less than 100 percent perfect in ANY way.
ReplyDeleteAnd, truthfully, even if he did admit he had an LD, that wouldn't excuse his horrific off-the-cuff statements, behaviors, and choices of cabinet members.
I think, more to the point, that we should be looking into the theory that his insane behavior could be caused by untreated syphilis. He brags about how sexually active he was, and that was during a time frame where syphilis made a resurgence. And you just KNOW that someone like Trump wasn't going to minimize his own pleasure by "wrapping it up." We never did get a legitimate medical report on him, after all.
Samantha Bee covered this in November already- but as a video showing how easy it is to make a conspiracy video out of a few clips.
ReplyDeleteTalking Like a Fourth-Grader (Part of my Trump Persuasion Series)from 2015
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.dilbert.com/post/131878285426/talking-like-a-fourth-grader-part-of-my-trump
He graduated from an Ivy League School. This blog is a lot more interesting when I don't have to be subjected to political liberal bias.
ReplyDeleteTrump may have succeeded in school, the same way he wrote his books--with lots of help. Would not be the first example of a student propped-up, in any way necessary, when families have the motivation and mean$. But, it is also a testament to Trump's creativity/instinct/chutzpah if he pulled this off.
DeleteI've been looking at this blog for years. (4 or 5?) The only one I visit. Wonderful! Awesome! Etc.! Thanks!
You can graduate from an Ivy League school with a learning disability like dyslexia. I thought the post was very even handed. Pointing out an interesting thing about the president isn't liberal or biased, it's consistent with a blog dedicated to pointing out interesting things.
DeleteThanks for the kind words, Patrick.
DeleteKolo, this blog is going to have a liberal-progressive and pro-intellectual bias for the foreseeable future.
Delete"Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders."
Some things never change. Every time something political is posted, a commenter acts like thy have a right for you not to post it.
DeleteHe merely took some classes at Wharton...it's easy for rich parents to buy a degree
Delete@ David G. Graduating from an Ivy League school means what? We already know children on passed and passed in school and many graduate from high school without being able to read well or at all. There are tutors in college who do work for others and get paid. So, that Ivy League thing really doesn't mean too much regarding reading or not.
DeleteDyslexia can be compensated for; arrogance and pride in one's own ignorance cannot.
ReplyDeleteTrump ABSOLUTELY has dyslexia.
DeleteSee www.trumphasdyslexia.com for details and an explanation.
I have a teaching license K12 reading, and completed most of a masters in learning disabilities. I taught reading to people with learning disabilities for six years. These videos really don't convince me that Trump can't read. I think he can read and chooses not to. I think it's often difficult to focus on reading when you are put on the spot, in front of cameras. I don't know. I don't like him, but the whole "Trump can't read" thing seems like fake news.
ReplyDeleteI am dyslexic and the problem with public speaking you can't compensate for it unless you memorize the speech or adlib it. He has worked on his speeches and it still comes out like the video. I've been there.
DeleteTrump can read. As others point out, he's chosen not to, and it's taken a toll on his intellect and ability to read well. His real disability is speaking out of his ass.
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify - a diagnosis of dyslexia does not mean "inability to read." A dyslexic person can read, but has trouble reading, despite normal intelligence and a desire to learn.
DeleteHis coming forward and saying he was dyslexic would not, in my opinion, would not gain improved tolerance for his shenanigans. At least not for me personally.
ReplyDeleteWell, if trump can read and chooses not to definitely won't gain sympathy. It is just another way for him to show he lacks responsibility both as president and in his personal life. It's pathetic.
ReplyDeleteThe subject of dyslexia needs more exposure.
ReplyDeleteHe may not know he has dyslexia and/or ADHD. One in 5 people worldwide have dyslexia and ADHD is a common co-morbidity. Dyslexia is a brain-based disability that impacts language-based learning. It has nothing to do with intelligence. This video does a good job explaining it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE3DqJP-nkI&feature=youtu.be
ReplyDeleteTrue. Dyslexic or ADHD, or both, it's also painfully clear that the man has a profoundly low intelligence.
DeleteSomewhat off-topic, but... I had an attending once who frequently quizzed the residents on how to spell guaiac. Several years later, I played the word as a high points word in Scrabble, and I like to think that he would be proud.
ReplyDeleteI also had a professor in college who gave bonus points on a final to anyone who could spell his last name correctly.
Just to clarify - the "his" refers to the professor?
DeleteThat is correct, his = the professor. Sorry for being unclear.
DeleteIt was not a particularly difficult name (Poluhowich), but he was always referred to as simply "Dr. P."
He may very well be dyslexic. That would explain some of his behaviors. It does not, however, excuse any of them. The man is arrogant in the extreme, shows no evidence of being able to learn (most tellingly, no ability to even acknowledge mistakes, much less learn from them), and is just about every flavor of bigot that you may choose to name. He is an embarrassment, and the best I can hope for is that he will manage to avoid doing enough damage that his 'legacy' can be thrown into the dustbin of history and forgotten.
ReplyDeleteIt's too late for that, of course, but I can hope.
It may be that he has compensated in some way that permits him to counter any reading problem. After all, despite many things, he’s done pretty good for himself.
ReplyDeleteIf Donald Trump is dyslexic, we need more dyslexics in the White House.
ReplyDelete