Maybe our culture does contribute, but largely it is the family...

My parents read to us... I remember them reading Heinlein- "Farmer in the sky", and "Starbeast" "Have spacesuit Will Travel"...
all while I sat on the floor and listened intently

I remember wanting to learn to read on my own, and I did- before kindergarten... what do we give our kids to read? Dick and Jane books!!! Do you think that those books are interesting? quite frankly I NEVER gave a damn how 'Puff' the cat came out...

I remember the moment that I learned that I knew how to read....I was in pre-school I saw a sign and sounded it out and felt so proud... I started sounding out every thing I saw that day.... (probably drove my mom crazy)

I think my fiirst words I read were "Farmers Insurance" and "safe-way"...

Reading was such a relavation to me that it is one of my oldest memories- I was maybe 4 or so- I have memories that date to when I was less than a year old, but realizing I could read was a major point- no longer could people spell out stuff so I wouldnt understand it... like "we are going to have c-a-k-e tonite" didnt work.... That was a MAJOR point in my life- being able to read my own stories to myself instead of having my parents read them- that was so important to me....

I read the wizard of oz and sci fi... Reading made me a person, not just a kid....

Anyway, there may be a genetic component, but if you are raised right, it does not matter

society could not help, I had to be raised to love books- I am what I am because of the things I have read...