01. What are three of the key points this chapter makes about reading, writing, and/or learning?

? (~pp 1-16)
It's situational. Literacy, language, reading, and learning all change from context to context and are best taught in context. Each type of reading, writing, and learning requires different types of background knowledge. So there are multiple knowledges. We all have some and not others. These different types of background knowledges (or "discourses") can lead different groups of people to read the same text in different ways (the Slug example). And people are quick to say there way to read something is the best. Thus, different types of discourses are embedded in different views of the world. People always participate in multiple discourses (work, home, school, church, convenience store). The best way to learn discourses is to become imbedded in them. Like a work-study program. School learning becomes outdated really fast and needs to adapt somehow (train "expert novices"). Law school emersion, case-study approach--procedural knowledge (learning inside the procedure). Covert rather than overt learning. Learning discourses means creating new identities for yourself.

02. What are some characteristics of new capitalism? (~pp 16-23)

The niche, speed, and customization. Businesses seek total commitment from their workers. Be on call at all times. Such commitment leads to better workers. This commitment is achieved through sets of corporate values and goals. "Not only what you know that counts but what kind of person you are" The speed of capitalism means that more managers (ala the TPS reports in office space) slows stuff down and disappoints the customer. Workers won't tolerate being ordered around.

03. What texts might we expect business writers to create in order to attend to those characteristics? In other words, what are new capitalist texts and what are their goals?
It's important to know a consumer groups discourses and worldviews in order to write, design, and create products for them. Especially in the era of the niche market. Need texts customized to customers. Need ways to quickly announce changes and updates for customers (social media). Need ways for customers to participate in the businesss values and culture. Need ways to bring workers into the fold of values (goals, core values, mission statements). But also fun stuff like The Google complexno more cubicles. Speed means that there's less time to read long texts. Create "Moral Universes"