# Humanity lasts for 1-10 million years.  Where do you think we'd be?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humanity-lasts-for-1-10-million-years-where-do-you-think-wed-be/805538>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 29, 2017, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humanity-lasts-for-1-10-million-years-where-do-you-think-wed-be/805538 "2017-12-29T20:03:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2018, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humanity-lasts-for-1-10-million-years-where-do-you-think-wed-be/805538/61 "2018-01-01T03:53:45Z")

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> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> Except they probably rapidly end up illiterate, and can’t actually read what’s on the tablet. So it just becomes an object of ritual veneration until it finally breaks.

Possibly but I doubt it. The written language has so many benefits that adults who can read are going to make sure they pass that skill onto their kids, and that both digital and paper books teaching people how to read are everpresent. Saying humans will forget how to read is like saying humans will forget how to purify water. It is too important a skill to our survival to forget.

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