People Who Can Read But Cannot Think: The Hidden Cost of Low Comprehension

By Alice Meñez

October 27, 2025

 

As someone who deeply values education, it alarmed me to know that the Philippines ranks one of the lowest in reading comprehension in the world. While many Filipinos can read and write, 3 out of 10 cannot actually understand what they are reading. This was the survey result of The Philippine Statistics Authority about our country’s state of literacy—and this is not just another survey result to take lightly. This clearly shows us that, as a nation, many of us struggle with comprehension: a critical skill needed for making reasonable and even empowering decisions. Comprehension is needed in everyday life decisions like following safety warnings and cooking with a recipe to complex decisions like resolving conflicts and voting during elections. 

What alarms me even more is there are individuals in certain industries who purposely benefit from people’s poor comprehension. In such industries, emotional selling tactics are used to sell products and services. Filipinos who do not understand complex information and nuance are more susceptible to being their victim or blind follower.

In the next paragraphs, we will look at how these industries sell lofty aspirations and promises and how low comprehension can make one a victim of their dreams. Ultimately, we'll see what we can do to help protect our nation from such exploitation through the power of education.

On Beauty and Fitness 

Let’s start with something that you can see on your social media feeds. Regardless of your gender, you have most likely seen online content on how to become attractive. There’s a plethora of beauty and fitness influencers with their poreless, vibrant skin and Instagram-worthy abs. It’s perfectly normal to want to learn how they managed to look the way they do. Without a doubt, beauty is a gift that everyone aspires to have. We could go as far as saying that beauty is a natural desire from an evolutionary standpoint. 

Unfortunately, this natural desire is being exploited by others, and those who lack comprehension find themselves forever chasing a version of themselves, overdoing cosmetic procedures yet still hating what they see, or fixating on getting jacked and muscular—trying to erase the fat kid inside. This happens because these industries promote beauty and fitness as the quick and sure way to be loved and accepted by others, and therefore even themselves.

The compliments one receives after using their products or services activates the dopamine or feel-good hormone. Some people get addicted to the feeling, and they chase this dopamine high. They are also willing to pay for it. If they’re not satisfied with the results of cosmetics or a fitness regimen, they will go for more invasive procedures or overdo diet supplements. If they’re still unsatisfied then they’ll spend more, “improve” more, but it never really ends.

Now, what does comprehension have to do with this? Comprehension doesn’t just apply to what you read. It can also apply to seeing through visual illusions. In this case, you must be aware that the posts you see online usually have filters that make these content creators look poreless or perfect. These filters are sometimes misused to make fitness or beauty products appear to be effective. If you’re lacking in comprehension and have an unaddressed wound around physical appearance or self-worth, then you may fall for the false promises of these influencers. You buy into the idea that if you use the same products as them or follow their exact fitness regimen, you’ll eventually look like them. 

With comprehension, you also recognize that these products can only go so far. Some people tend to forget that the influencers or content creators you put on a pedestal have an entirely different lifestyle, day-to-day schedule, and financial status. Even if they manage to convince you through their products, fitness course, or motivational quotes that you only need to be as disciplined as them to be like them, you do not have the same capacity (mental, time, or financial) as them. Most people have to manage their time and mental capacity in their job, business, household, and other commitments.

Even with high discipline, there are other factors that you just can’t ignore like genetics. Some people age faster than others, while some are naturally blessed with fit bodies that don’t require much effort to lose weight. Others do not need to go under the knife to have a well-shaped nose. This is not telling you to not work on your physical appearance. Yes, work on your physical appearance. Be pretty, be muscular. But carry your comprehension with you and be mindful when your desire for attractiveness is already being exploited or when you are already starting to pursue beauty and fitness to mask your internal wounds.

 

On Get-Rich-Quick Mindset 

Aside from the beauty and fitness industry, the financial industry in the Philippines has also attracted shady people who exploit people’s lack of comprehension by making people believe that they can earn easy money. They do this through misleading ads and hype marketing. One example is a rug pull scam. A group of people create a crypto coin that has no value at all and then hype it up so much that people start to invest in it. As more people buy the crypto coin, the higher its price becomes. Eventually, this group would entice the investors to sell it to others at an even higher price, and then… poof! They run away with all the money, while everyone who invested is left with worthless crypto coins that can’t even be sold.

Now let’s go to the world of finance and investments. In this industry, these are the two most common ways that people get tricked: 1. There are people who will invest for you and promise extravagant results, 2. There are people who will sell you secret investment or trading formulas that they claim will make you earn money 100% of the time. More often than not, what they promised doesn't work out.

The first author I worked with is Alexander Wee Gonzales, a veteran in the investment industry, specifically the Forex trading and education industry. In his many years, he has observed all the tricks in his industry and has even experienced being a victim of these misleading investment and trading strategies when he was just a novice. After being a seasoned trader, he became inspired to shed light on these illusions and eventually wrote his series of books, The Art of Forex. When asked personally how he thinks low comprehension impacts trading, he said that comprehension is directly related to two main points: emotional maturity and borrowed conviction.

For the first point, lack of emotional maturity makes people fall for the unrealistic sell-the-dream pitches because it appeals to their emotions. A lack of comprehension leaves people unprepared to handle someone who is using hard emotional selling against them, so they make decisions based purely on emotions or “vibes.” As a result, they are blind to anyone who exploits and pokes at their pain points to make a sale. 

For the second point, there is the case of borrowed conviction. In a community-based country like the Philippines, people often rely on idol culture and testimonials to make decisions. While it’s okay to ask for recommendations or try the strategies of your favorite Forex trader, doing your due diligence should not be forgotten. When you adopt someone’s beliefs or strategies without doing your research and integrating your own personal experience, you will make poor decisions because you overlook the context or nuance of a situation. You believe that since “it worked for them,” then it must work for you too. So you just copy what they do and never bother to check if it actually fits your unique situation or needs. This limits and weakens your ability to make decisions because you solely depend on what others tell you.

On Entertainment Culture 

Celebrities and influencers bring joy and entertainment to our lives through their talent, art, or social media content. When we consume their films or watch their online reels, it offers an escape from our usual daily life. Eventually we become their fans. We try to find more information about them because we like them. However, many fans take it a step further by convincing themselves that they “know” these celebrities more than they actually do. Their admiration develops into a parasocial relationship and celebrity worship. 

A parasocial relationship is a one-sided relationship where one person has an illusion of a strong connection or familiarity with someone they do not know (usually celebrities and media figures). A regular fan admires a celebrity for their talent, but a parasocial fan is deeply emotionally invested in them. Parasocial fans assume or project on their favorite celebrity, believing that they understand their emotions and intentions well. They also tend to get overprotective and defensive when their favorite is criticized, even if the criticisms are valid and hold weight. The unusually strong attachment that parasocial fans have with celebrities makes them unable to rationally evaluate these public figures when needed.

Unfortunately, a vast majority of people in the Philippines exhibit this behavior. In the Philippines, idealizing celebrities is so common that people are willing to put celebrities (whose specialty is entertainment) into political positions. With low comprehension, people can like a celebrity, put them on a pedestal, and perceive them as godlike—someone who can do no wrong and can do anything. That’s why, with a few scrolls on social media, you can see fans getting so emotionally triggered when their favorite celebrity is criticized. They establish an extreme emotional connection with a celebrity who barely knows them, which makes them lose their sense of rationality. 

If you think deeply, if more people learn how to admire someone without being parasocial about it, then we would not have to see celebrities with barely any political and governance competence seated in the government. It’s sad to hear, but there are still many Filipinos who can be swayed by charm and charisma even if the person lacks depth and competence. 

Celebrities are built for the drama, glitz, and glam, and it’s best that they stay within their industry. With critical thinking, you understand that celebrities do not need to become political leaders to help the country. There are other options available, such as volunteering, charities, or using their online platforms to advocate for a cause. And if they insist that running in the elections is the only way to help our country, it’s time to put your critical thinking to use and scrutinize their motives. 

 

On Toxic Positivity and Exploitation of Spirituality

Another industry that has gained massive followers in the past couple of years is New Age spirituality, more commonly known as manifestation. In manifestation communities, members believe that “you attract or create reality with your mind.”

The core principle of manifestation is that having the right intention and strong focus on your desires will inevitably attract them into your life; because your energy and vibration are aligned to your desires. Embody the type of person who has what you want—their routine, their mindset, etc.—and you will have it. You do this by using manifestation techniques like visualization, affirmations, or scripting. Manifestors are fierce believers in how powerful the mind is, and personally, I find that empowering. Drawing from my background in psychology, I recognize how beliefs and mindset have an enormous impact in shaping one’s reality. However, in this context, the old saying applies—that anything extreme can result in harmful consequences.

The act of manifestation is beneficial, and it can be explained using science. A Stanford neuroscientist and researcher, Dr. James Doty, explains that manifestation actually uses neuroplasticity. It means that we can rewire and train our brain to notice opportunities and make decisions that drive us closer to our goals. In simple terms, this may already sound similar to what manifestors say online: make your intention clear, vividly visualize your goal, and repeat it by regularly writing or visualizing about it.

By taking these actions, you would activate the RAS (Reticular Activating System), allowing you to be more aware of and act on opportunities that align with your goal. The easiest example of your RAS being activated is when you want, let’s say, a pet cat; your mind will tune into information that will enable you to get a pet cat, which is why you will see more cats in real life or on social media. Is it a sign from the universe? Maybe. But one thing is for sure: your RAS is just being activated.

Unfortunately, some people misuse manifestation theories. Since these people believe that our minds can create the reality we want, they use this theory to blame an individual for being poor or even for being abused. They explain away such complex human situations as “You attracted this negativity or tragedy into your life” and blatantly disregard other factors beyond the individual’s control. When an individual also did not “manifest” or create the results that they were able to create themselves, they label this individual as “low vibrational.” They disregard the relevant impact of social and economic structures and persuade people that our struggles are purely a matter of mindset. But I firmly believe that explaining everything away with “mindset and vibration” invalidates real human suffering.

I personally know a few people who were treated unfairly by people who exploit manifestation. Based on their experience, these people see themselves as “high vibrational.” And if you do not have the same exact beliefs as them, if you do not behave the way they do, they see you as a lower human than them. In these communities, you run the risk of being ostracized if you do not subscribe to their lifestyle.

Comprehension allows you to think for yourself and question rules imposed by communities. There is nothing wrong with this. It’s okay to join communities and still retain an independent mind. However, in some new age manifestation communities, they discourage independent thinking and favor the hive mindset. If your comprehension is low, you may find yourself enmeshing in these communities and becoming a sheep—just blindly following these spiritual gurus.

And why do some New Age spiritual gurus do this? If their followers share the exact same mindset as them, it makes it easier for them to sell their products or promote their services. In some cases, anyone who questions or hesitates to follow the group’s lifestyle finds themselves subtly manipulated, dismissed, or excluded.

There are reports and allegations of individuals within these communities who prey on people’s vulnerabilities—from financial exploitation to cult-like or coercive behaviors. They can make you feel seen and heard, and you might think that you are being saved, but actually you’re just in a golden cage.

With comprehension, you CAN join these communities AND still have the ability to think for yourself. Remember to never let someone cage your freedom to think.

ON WHAT WE CAN DO

Low comprehension and weak critical thinking can make people susceptible to falling for false promises and being exploited. By now, you have read the different ways that certain industries can take advantage of people who have low comprehension. Thus, I believe that it’s fundamental to support the children’s comprehension as early as possible. Start them young so that they do not grow up like the adults who fall for false promises and make poor decisions.

Literacy, specifically functional literacy (comprehension), continues to be a critical challenge in the Philippines because of a combination of factors such as poverty and poor governance. It’s a systemic problem, and it can’t be fixed overnight. However, there are people all over the country who try to help in their own way. 

As someone committed to advancing financial literacy, business and finance author Alexander Wee Gonzales wrote The Art of Forex series to bridge the gap he observed in his industry. He also coaches Forex trading in the academy The Thirty Minute Trader, and one of his biggest challenges when teaching people is that they want to only learn by memorization. When I asked Mr. Wee Gonzales to expound, he mentioned that many Filipino adults grew up with rote learning. Although it's necessary to some extent, rote learning limits one’s capacity to think beyond the scope of what they read. He adds that shortcuts and secret formulas that people can just memorize and execute are very attractive to Filipino adults. Moreover, adults tend to be intimidated and overwhelmed when confronted with tasks that require deeper thinking compared to simple memorization. 

And so this ties back to the low comprehension level in the early childhood education system of our country. Fortunately, there are organizations that are trying to change this.

One of the NGOs I previously volunteered at has been working diligently for decades to improve the literacy problem in the country. BINHI English Literacy Foundation uses the Science of Reading (SoR), which teaches reading systematically. Compared to older methods, SoR explicitly teaches the kid to read and understand words rather than relying on rote memorization, in which children memorize the words they see or guess words from pictures or context. The method used by BINHI helps kids read the words until reading becomes automatic. Once they read with ease, they strengthen comprehension by helping them understand and think about what they read. 

As Saturnia Press is a publishing consultancy that advocates works that support critical thinking, comprehension, and creative problem-solving, we believe that the vision of BINHI is aligned with our cause. Thus, we were inspired to give back by supporting this organization so that the children who struggle with reading and comprehension can be supported. We hope that they mature into adults who make decisions that lead them to a better life.

Read more about BINHI on their website at https://binhi.org/