What Is Illiteracy?

I think illiteracy takes many forms. In many cases, highly educated individuals helpless in a number of areas, so would, in fact, be illiterate on those areas. Many individuals wouldn't seem to be educated on paper, yet, in the world outside of academia are highly successful, thus are unofficially more literate in a number of areas than many individuals who, on paper, would seem to be more educated. Who am I to say? No one special. I'm a common ignoramus.

An Ignoramus's Uninformed Speculations On Branches of Literacy:
Reading and Writing Literacy. Ability to read and write
Math LiteracyAbility to do everyday math such as that which is necessary to purchase things with cash and know if you're giving or receiving the right amount of money.
Physical Self-defense Literacy. Ability to physically defend oneself. The same way as being able to read makes illiteracy a non-issue in a child's life, learning self-defense can render non-existent the insecurity that makes someone into a bully or a target of bullying.
Musical Literacy. Being good at music can open up all sorts of avenues for a person. I have a friend who travelled around the world and all he had to do was find public places with a piano in order to make money. Such avenues aren't open to someone not good at music.
Singing literacy. Fantasia Barrino was a winner of the American Idol singing contest, beating thousands upon thousands of individuals trying to qualify for it. She was, therefore, more musically literate in the singing arena than the vast majority of the population. Yet she probably couldn't read a note of music since it later emerged that she was unable to read and write.
Sports Literacy. Even modest ability at sports immediately opens of avenues for friendship an camaraderie. Great ability at sports can lead to fully paid scholarships at top universities via sports scholarships. Inability at sports and being unversed in them definitely shuts off those advantageous avenues.
Conversational Language Literacy . Some educated people have great difficulty with everyday chit-chat. Being able to learn more than one language and apply them in conversation opens up all sorts of social and business possibilites. Note that I said, apply them in conversation. I was baffled how I had to act as an interpreter for people in China for students whose major was Chinese. I picked up the language through drunken conversations over beer and spirits at people's homes in China. I'm not even good at languages. I don't even have a first language. Obviously, it might seem to be English but I actually approach it as if it was a second language. I didn't even start talking until I was 4 after I became silent and withdrawn at age 2
Mechanical Literacy. Countless individuals wouldn't seem too literate in conversation, yet can fix and handle any kind of machinery you put before them.