Even if you are reading this post, this may still apply to you. Reading! It is how we glean information for instructions, from loved ones, regarding rule and order, learn history, the list goes on and on. But people do not read!
This isn't about literacy; this is for the literate people who can read - but don't! Well, not everything. I have a saying when I am very frustrated, "You need to read ALL the words, not just the pretty ones." It may be a little harsh. Friends and family have heard me say it now and again. (A friend of mine said it to me when I misunderstood something she wrote to me. It happens.) Just like listening (with your mouth closed and mind open), reading ALL the information on any given piece of material is something people often do not do.
Often people are in a hurry and have no desire to "waste time." They want to get on to the next event. People are in such a rush for the next best thing. They often are missing out on the moment, and in this case, when they do not take the time to read everything, they are missing out on information. Typically important information.
Street signs are a great example of concise information and rightfully so. It is essential when driving down a highway at 65 mph that the driver knows the exit they are looking for is merely a mile away so they can begin to slow down. If at an intersection, rather than a red hexagon with the word "STOP" there was instead a sign with the following, "Precisely at this point when driving, you should apply the brake and bring your vehicle to a complete and total stop, looking both ways and then proceeding when clear." It certainly doesn't have the same urgency a red hexagon with only one word does. The traffic sign must be bright and concise.
When reading anything, people use cues to make reading quicker. Like the stop sign being hexagon and red, even with the word removed, most of us would stop at that sign because it is a cue to do so. Pictures included in the writing, parts underlined, or highlighted (if not too long) are all great ways to get a basic idea of the piece. Still, the only way to have the whole story is to read the entire story!
It may seem as though we get "enough" information when we skim through even when we utilize the pictures and bold markings for extra information but we don't. There will always be critical sentences in a piece that will clarify or add to the information we seek. Why not have all the information? It is right there in front of you. All you need to do is take the time to read it. Trust me, you will be better informed, probably have fewer questions, and won't you be the smart one when someone comes to you with only the information they gleaned from the pictures!
Love Lots; Smile Often