You know , like how American culture and Chinese culture are still very different , despite having the exact same technology ? And yet how both have undergone significant internal change rather than stability with increased literacy ? Do I really need to spell out for you the common usage of the word ' culture '? Be my guest . Tell us about this culture that changes more slowly once literacy is introduced rather than more swiftly as literacy rates rise . You go right on ahead and do that . It does when the arguments are literally from pedantry , as you ' ve admitted here . Now you are just making shit up . It ' s not a fact that literacy is needed for stability of culture over time and on the contrary literacy and increased rates of literacy are actually correlated with an increased rate of change within a culture , not a decreased rate . I ' ve not misunderstood you on purpose . You feel free to go ahead and explain what you mean by culture though . Go right on ahead and do that . It ' s already a civilization by my narrow specific definition of civilization which is completely contrary to the popular usage of the word , therefore you are wrong . What are you talking about ? Fact the introduction of literacy and rising literacy rates are correlated with increased rates of cultural change , not increased stability of culture . Feel free to give this alleged common definition of culture where that ' s not true .