A study investigated Swedish students' attitudes about the point of being able to read. Subjects were 53 Swedish students in grades 5 and 8. Their answers were distributed into three categories: a survival and participation perspective; a dynamic-instrumental perspective; and a personal experience perspective. Regardless of performance level, most students had a rather practical view of literacy skills. They believed that reading is a skill that is difficult to do without. Several of the skilled readers felt sorry for those less fortunate than themselves, but some of them took a somewhat normative stance. By grade 8, many of the poor readers have given up acquiring reading skills. The school system has great responsibility in helping as many students as possible to acquire functional literacy skills. Educators should not stop trying, although it seems that about 10% of the Swedish population do not reach a functional literacy level. (RS)