Go to any mall and ask people who won the last 4 American Idols or Survivors...or who's on the cast of the Real World, or Britney Spears personal details, and they'll know the answer. However, ask that same person what the quadratic formula is or what some basic formulas in physics are or what year the War of 1812 started and they'll be at a loss. Why is this?
2006-12-28 04:50:43 · 11 answers · asked by trer 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I don't think that this is anything new. Our gossip is just on a global level now.
If this were 1811 we'd be talking about what the town whore was up to....or if Bob, the town drunk, was really having an affair with Jedediah's hand maiden.
And even less people would know anything about the quadratic formula or anything of mathematics and higher education.
People, as stupid as they are, are getting more intelligent and on average know more than their historical counterparts.
2006-12-28 05:00:27 · answer #1 · answered by Barrett G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, now I feel like a serious dork, because I would totally miss out on your pop culture questions, and I think I'd do pretty well on your smart questions.
It's probably because most people don't actually use the quadratic equation on a daily basis, but American Idol is basic watercooler chitchat. People tend not to remember things that they don't use a lot, which is why I can sing along to a bunch of commercial jingles, but I can never remember my best friend's birth date (it's not my fault it's only once a year!).
There has been, I wholeheartedly agree, a basic dumbing down of America. It annoys me when people view college as a grand career placement scheme, and it annoys me more when movie people and the similar dumb down stuff for us (really? Americans would have that much trouble with a movie called _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_? Some of us do know what a philosopher's stone is, and the rest won't suffer if they have to learn). However, it doesn't make much sense to insist that we know what amounts to academic trivia in an age of Google and the History Channel. Basic general ideas, yes, but minutia like the exact date of Civil War battles, no.
2006-12-28 04:58:33 · answer #2 · answered by random6x7 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It may be that they think that music is nice to listen to and that is the first thing that they do when they get home , they sit down and look at 106 n Park. Then after that goes off then they do whatever they have to do for school wise. I love music and i LOVE watching 106 n Park , The Center , Rap city . etc , and i still maintain great grades . Also the reason why people may not be good in the topics that you listed is because they may think that it is boring but its also good to know
2006-12-28 05:00:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because many people don't care to learn. I know the answer to every single one of your questions. I like to think there has to be a balance between the "fun" stuff being pop culture and the "boring" stuff or learning.
2006-12-28 05:32:00 · answer #4 · answered by Laura 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, when I learned all that stuff I was a teenager and didn't care too much and just wanted to learn it to pass the test so I wouldn't be grounded, so I could go party! I forgot all I learned almost immediately, because I didn't care. I never went to college and don't need to know any of that stuff now and still really don't care about it! I go through it with my kids's homework and refresh my memory, but still don't want to commit it to memory. Too much work and not enough brain cells I guess!
2006-12-28 04:57:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Why do you think? Tis a very ignorant age in history. People don't care much about that stuff anymore. but I do understand when they say "When am I going to use this in life?" Cuz, I'm in Geometry as a 9th grader, and I want to major in Journalism. I'm never going to need Geometry, but I have to take it. Oh bugger.
2006-12-28 04:57:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
properly, countless the learning you suggested are necessary. without PE, we'd have fat youngsters. Or fatter than we've actual now. without the liberal arts, unquestionably cultural progression dies out. Musicians, artists, authors, and activists are all necessary in society. getting rid of those training will in simple terms ward off those objectives. to boot, u.s.'s public preparation gadget sucks. regardless of in case you upload time for math, technological awareness, government, and language, without appropriate centers, college, and youngsters who unquestionably choose for to learn, you're in simple terms blowing smoke.
2016-10-06 03:07:19 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it seems that way ... unfortunately the folks that you met are not the ones in the labs, doing the cost estimating on the latest project, or just working hard every day ...
2006-12-28 05:17:19 · answer #8 · answered by sglmom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are you kidding?
Pop culture is absorbed. The others must be learned. Learning takes work.
2006-12-28 04:54:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
math and science ok- but why even bother with history? it is being rewritten everyday like Orwells 1984 ; perhaps on that asect we are better with pop culture
2006-12-28 05:00:22 · answer #10 · answered by I.M. 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋