Why does America seem to be getting stupider?

Question

It seems that the U.S. is declining into an era of anti-intellectualism that is very disturbing to me. I hear more and more in elections that the voters want a "man of the people," but aren't our leaders supposed to be the best and the brightest? It seems ridiculous to me that while the other nations of the world are electing these tremendously bright minds to lead them, we force our politicians to play dumb to gain favor with us.

For example, I was watching Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, and he talks about how he became aware of global warming in college. Gore went to college at Harvard, but he goes out of his way to never say the word Harvard in the entire film because people look at that as elitist. Shouldn't we expect our leaders to be smarter than us?

Am I missing something, because I don't think that the President needs to be handsome and hip as much as intelligent and qualified?

Answer 1

Well unlike yourself, some people really are shallow enough to vote for someone who is hip and handsome rather than what they stand for. In Thailand when Prime Minister Thaskin was "elected" into office, the military removed him from power because he was not a leader the people wanted. Would that EVER happen in the US? I can tell you, absolutely not. The people we allow to make this country's decisions are an insult to what this country is meant to stand for. They, in no way, speak for the majority, or the best interest of the people, as you already probably are well aware of. What is anyone in the US going to do about it without going to jail or being killed though? Usually, in an election, one finds themselves voting for the less of two evils. Then, once elected, the official works for corporate interests and personal gain, not the people's best interests.

Answer 2

Unfortunately it doesn't just seem that way it is actually occuring. America is becoming more and more stupid at an exponential rate. If this pace continues then we are in serious trouble. People in America believe everything they are told at face value. No longer does anyone question what they are told, or use logic and reason to formulate any type of response or solution.

Now for the second part of your question and the man of the people. It is difficult to call any elected official a man of the people because only 35% of eligible voters make it to the polls.

Personally I do want a man or person of the people. I only wish he/she represented the people as a whole. The only way to make sure we have the best, brightest, representative of the people is for more people to vote.

If you are not registered to vote, get registered, and get to the polls in 2008.

Answer 3

Total agreance ! I feel that our Country is delving deeper and deeper into idioticity! Just look at our schools, the rank of where our students rate compared to other countries is declining... Why ? I blame society that we allow our kids to be spoiled, plus we allow far too much recreation time e.i.~ PS2, Xbox, tv, etc....and we offer way less mentally and physically challenging obstacles than we should !
A poor example of leadership is our Nation's leaders who seem to not know how to even give public speaches, nor shoot straight ! SHAMEFUL !

Answer 4

He's just playing dumb?

Maybe we don't have to know anything anymore because we can post questions on blogs like this, or look it up on wikipedia.
Also, the gov't is currently banning the tools of inquiry. Have you tried, recently, to find the chemicals to restock a simple chemistry set?

Answer 5

Hmmm...i don't like generalizations, but a portion of america is getting stupid.

Answer 6

i think american people are getting stupider and fatter...however thanks to playskool and kids companies like that, our infant children can identify shapes and colors that even einstien would have seconds thoughts on. hopefully the next generation is smarter.

Answer 7

This question is a hasty generalization.