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I continue to see examples of how our society is on a downhill race toward total ignorance. I am a grad student but I have seen some pretty bad examples of blatant ignorance among my classmates. One of them actually wrote higher archy instead of hierarchy. We constantly turn out work that is less than great because we don't seem to care anymore about what we turn out. If it is just good enough, it is fine with us. We don't shoot for excellence. What is the deal? I know I'll get some ignorant comments from people who can't spell but oh well. I guess people get mad when faced with the truth of their weaknesses.

2007-05-19 06:06:22 · 11 answers · asked by A B 3 in Social Science Sociology

"Shannon, you can bite me." I've been proofreading, and editing for a long time, and never got the kind of criticism you delivered!!! And all the rest of you who think that this isn't a big deal, you probably think it would be a good idea if we changed the English language to fit your laziness when it comes to putting out quality dork, oops, I mean work. Thanks and this question will go to vote.

2007-05-23 01:36:47 · update #1

11 answers

What evidence do you have that we're getting dumber?

I was a teaching assistant in college in the late 70s and I, too, was shocked when I started grading papers and tutoring.

"Higher archy" pales in comparison to some of the things I've seen. (Fully a third of college students couldn't construct complete sentences at all, for example.)

Some months ago I read an article about a quiz that had been given a representative sample of Americans in the 50s, compared with results of the same quiz given more recently.

Having been hearing for decades that Americans keep getting dumber, I was surprised to see how many Americans got wrong things that now most knew.

It mostly depends on what bits you look at -- some things more people now know about; other things, fewer do now than in the past.

In general, intelligent and educated people tend to assume that most people are about where they are, and when they see what others do and don't know are similarly shocked.

That's been true forever.

"... we don't care any more" -- again, what evidence do you have that college students used to care?

I think our educational system does a really lousy job of educating, but then, it always has.

In general, schools are designed to "fill" students heads with bit of this and that "knowledge" which most students aren't given the means to really understand.

Schools don't teach in a way that students internalize and integrate what they "learn" -- and hence MIS-learn.

Most of all, students aren't taught to think well.

But this is hardly new; it's been going on a long time.

To say we're dumber now or care less now, assumes that you have evidence of what most college students knew, and how much they cared, in the past.

2007-05-19 07:48:50 · answer #1 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0 0

well forgive me i am not the best when it comes to spelling and grammer but i try. i guess it shows people lack enthusiasim. most of us to lazy to even use spell check. america is now the leading empire. i have no clue how much longer it will last but like all the great empires before us we will one day fall as well. when a nation becomes fat, lazy, and less industrial they soon get over thrown by a country whos citizens are competing for a better mark on the map. this is just the way society goes. during ww2 americans had a cause to fight for. this is a newer country. well at least developed one. like example i am muslim. the ottoman empire once ruled the world. but then they got lazy and egotistical and now look at the state of the muslims. this is the mistake on the people as a whole. in life there are always the fortunate and the unfortunate. what goes up must come down. i think that the root of this couuntries problems stems with the family unit. most families in this country are to consumed in materialistic things to really care what their children are doing. education is on the back burner to everything. have you ever seen the movie idioacrisy? it is a good example. most americans are not quick enough to understand that the simpsons, family guy, american dad, etc... are really about bashing how incompitent the american people really are. the whole purpose of these shows is to bash america. until the laws change in this country and the people start caring more about the furture of their children, and the furture of themselves this will continue to happen. the majority of americans have lost their morals. and this is the end result.

2007-05-19 06:18:04 · answer #2 · answered by wedjb 6 · 0 0

Please keep in mind that there are many different forms of intelligence. Correct spelling and grammar does not necessarily mean that a person is smart, nor does the lack of correct spelling and grammar mean that a person is ignorant. While I agree that a research paper or similar work should be of the best possible quality, I don't think we should judge a person solely on the quality of his/her writing or spelling. There are many people in the world who are terrible at spelling but are very intelligent in other areas. Some people are emotionally intelligent; some have great social skills; others are mathematic geniuses; and still others are great writers. The list goes on and on.

I also think you also may be expecting perfection from yourself and others, but you become disappointed when you see reality. People make mistakes and mess up from time to time. I was once a perfectionist myself, but I have learned to let some things slide a little in order to preserve my sanity. In the grand scheme of things, a misspelling here or there will not bring the world to an end!

Have fun scanning my answer for errors! I have a feeling you will.

2007-05-22 17:21:53 · answer #3 · answered by smileyplc 2 · 0 0

I was an elementary school teacher, but I quit because the school system tied my hands. That is where it starts. There are many reasons for the downward spiral, but it starts in the elementary schools.

I had a class of 6 first graders. They already failed first grade and some of them failed kindergarten. One child wouldn't speak and was considered autistic. They were going to put him into a nursing home if he didn't get better. At the end of the year all 6 of them were at least at a 3rd grade level and the autistic child wasn't autistic at all. He was at a 6th grade level and we couldn't shut him up.

But at my review I was reprimanded and told I would be better off in a private school. The reason being I went to the expense to make books for the students I thought would help. I researched 50 years of teaching methods and developed my own. The principal told me the parents paid taxes for new school books and I was expected to use them. I told him the books didn't work the year before, what made him think they would work that year? That was my last year teaching. I really miss teaching, but I can't deal with the bureaucracy. The schools don't care about the children. All they care about is their image.

2007-05-19 06:25:28 · answer #4 · answered by QaHearts 4 · 3 0

I couldn't agree with you more! My husband and I often discuss this very issue. Especially around graduation time when you look in the newspaper and you see thirty students who have achieved "highest honors." Why celebrate mediocrity? Take the one student with the highest GPA and reward them!

Our oldest daughter is 13 and she is currently participating in five advanced placement courses in her high school. We could not be more proud! She recently had a report card sent home and had a B+. We weren't mad but we encouraged her to do better because we know she is capable.

Our youngest is 3 and is currently enrolled in daycare 2 full days a week. She speaks English and Spanish, she is also fluent in American Sign Language. People often ask me "why?' As if they cannot see or they do not hear of the immigrants that are entering our country every single day! I explain to them that we are trying to provide our children with the best education we can afford because the education they have will someday lead to extraordinary opportunities. Some get it, some don't.

Obviously you and I are a couple of the more intelligent people left. Enlighten your friends and family the best you can and hope that they too will strive for greatness.

2007-05-19 06:25:19 · answer #5 · answered by Barn Babe 3 · 1 1

There is a dumbing down of America, because the people in control would rather have the dollar in their pocket, than spend it on something that could actually help others. We are slowly being desensitized on poorly executed ideas and products. We don't make the time to put our foot down and demand better. We are all too busy trying to keep up with what's getting in our way. We want it all yesterday and that causes alot of sloppy work. Because time is money, we get less because we want it instant.

2007-05-19 06:17:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Well.... one reason if you look at learning theory is that there are three types of learning styles, visual, verbal and experiential. While the vast majority of teachers are exclusively verbal learners, over 60 percent of students are visual learners, and many others especially the gifted are a combination of visual, verbal and experiential. Verbal learning in the American public classroom is geared towards chaining verbal sequences, even in topics such as math that should be taught visually.

How can anyone expect quality education when:
- Almost all instruction in public schools are completely the verbal method and baffling to the average student who relies on visual learning.
- Verbal learning style totally misses the needs of gifted learners, and the gifted are likely to shoved aside and labeled as unable to learn.
- Education is dumbed down to only what verbal learners are capable of understanding and teaching.
- The majority of educators are verbal-only learners who are incapable of even imagining that there is any other way of learning.

It is sad, but education in America is designed by people who are incapable of understanding how the average person learns, and absolutely incapable of understanding how gifted learners assimilate knowledge.

2007-05-19 09:35:24 · answer #7 · answered by Clown Knows 7 · 0 0

You may be interested in the book Bowling Alone by Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam. He doesn't necessarily go into the "dumbing down" of America, but he presents a strong case against television (as does Peter Hitchens in his book The Abolition of Britain) as an inhibitor of community involvement. I suspect that television is not solely but partly to blame for this intellectual decline. American Idol? Reality tv? It's complete rubbish, yet Americans love it.

2007-05-19 06:49:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Your second sentence should have started out, "I am a grad student, and...".You didn't put "higher archy" in quotation in your third sentence. You didn't put a comma after "great" in your fourth sentence. You should have the word "then" after "enough,"in your fifth sentence. your seventh sentence should have started out, " I know that I'll get...", and should have ended, "...spell, but oh, well." Your last sentence should have started out, "I guess that people...". Good luck with your pursuit of excellence, and please try to be more tolerant of the mistakes of others.

2007-05-21 16:34:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Why we have spell check. Because one cannot spell well does not make them ignorant. As my nun in school use to say,"If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing." or " It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt." Not all have your wonderful IQ but that is not all that makes us intelligent. Einstein could not find his way home. Relax and take care of yourself. God Bless:)

2007-05-19 08:37:25 · answer #10 · answered by PARVFAN 7 · 0 0

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