Why does it seem as though a culture of ignorance is gaining solid ground?

Question

What I am referring to is the current popularity of INTENTIONAL errors and overall stupidity. In everyday life children and even many adults are decimating the English language. In many schools you have a culture where kids who strive to succeed or do better than merely average are looked down upon simply because they work. People are actually taking pride in being lazy and generally ignorant about the world around them.

I understand it to an extent as laziness is as much a part of human nature as anything else, but what I find disturbing is the fact that this culture appears to be taking over. Ultimately this deterioration means that people who actually do work hard to succeed will have to work even harder just to get along, so this is everybody's problem.

This is concern, not anger. How do we fix it?

I should clarify - although the word "intentional" should make such clarification unnecessary - I am in no wise citing numerous accents or people with disabilities. Culture as relates to groups and internal treatment and external appearance is understood and accepted. Culture that specifically promotes and idolizes ignorance and degradation is the concern here.

Answer 1

It is a breakdown in the value system of the masses. What people are intrigued by, pay attention to, and hold as priority come second to those things and people that are of real value. It starts in the home. The indifference of parents and their low expectations of their children drive the mediocrity of our times. Even in kindergarten (I have a 5 year old) I see how prettiness and possession outweigh courtesy and knowledge among peers. There are so many facets to solving your concern, and I believe it starts in the home. It's that simple statement, "Whatever we pay attention to grows, and what we ignore diminishes or dies."

Answer 2

Rap music has changed youth marketing and there's a circle of idiocy developed. Anything selling anything to teens, tweens, kids, and 20-somethings now feels they NEED to dumb it down. Video games, cereal, music of course!, Disney-channel TV shows, etc etc. There's also no need for achievement in most people. Girls Gone Wild, giggles, tatoos, nose rings, toe rings, etc. all add to the same thing. IMs, myspace etc. are perfect ways to show other's you're hip & 'gansta' enough to be accepted by the masses, and live with mom & dad for another 20 years.

Answer 3

To fix it, one must understand what is happening.

Survival of the fittest, basically. We have created a world in which the weak are catered to and supported. So, instead of them dying off, they just stick around and cause problems for everyone else.

This is what happens when you mess with the natural order of things.

Answer 4

The term systemic denigration comes to mind.

To answer your question with a question:

When a controlling entity, compromised of highly intelligent, logical and organized thinkers, begin to display noticeable signs of illogical thinking, what does it mean?

have they lost the ability to think critically, and act logically? Probably not, then one must conclude, that it is a manifestation of this groups ability to think logically and be organized.

Some people call this a "conspiracy" and quite frankly it is what denotes conspiracy. Knowing individuals who purpose to fulfill an agenda [usually negative or harmful to a targeted segment ] whilst playing crazy.

Answer 5

I agree. Ignorance and laziness is abundant. It's no wonder our educational achievement is now something like 35th in the industrialized world

Answer 6

Ignorance is gaining ground because it is easy and no one care to change it, as an american i believe it is bred into us. and all we are good at is consuming, best fix is to start at home with your kids, show them that taking the easy way out is not the best way, and teach them to take pride in a job well done.

Answer 7

Pay teachers more so that the good ones don't leave for better jobs. Train parents to be better parents. Parents, teachers, and role models need to educate kids that ignorance is not bliss and that they need to work for a living. Communities need to become safe places for kids to grow and learn.

Answer 8

Black crab syndrome. Put black crabs in a barrel and they will continuously drag each other down to the bottom whereas white crabs will build a ladder until all are out of the barrel.

Answer 9

Seems like its because of too much of freedom without responsibility.

Answer 10

FIRST
WE TAKE YOU AND PUT YOU IN A CANNON FOR BEING CONCERNED OVER SUCH OVER WROUGHT IDIOCY
NEXT WE LIGHT THE FUSE
NEXT WE WAVE GOODBYE AS YOUR BODY IS JETTISONED INTO OBLIVION
THEN WE ALL GO BACK TO EATING LUCKY CHARMS AND WATCHING 24 ON FOX.