Do you think people are getting more stupid?

Question

Literacy levels are atrocious in the UK, people I meet and see on the television seem so ignorant and have such ill formed notions about anything beyond tabloid tat. Has there always been this amount of stupidity and ignorance and we are just giving it more publicity and 'air time' now? I'm guessing the Dickensian streets of London weren't exactly full of Einstein like minds but considering education is now free and readily available to everyone aren't we all a bit thick ?

Answer 1

Having an independent opinion is no longer fashionable!

Political correction limits free speech and so the intelligent voice/common sense is less heard now, you certainly wont see it much in mainstream media

Big Brother and the Daily mail ect ect are the 'bread and circus' for the masses, most go along with it. (intelligent thought, independent opinion and a willingness to actually stand out from the herd not required)

In terms of practical education, the national curriculum is a joke. It does very little to cultivate someone to achieve in and adjust properly to the society they are about to enter for the rest of their lives which should be its primary aim.

the format, geography, biology etc is so 1950's it belongs in a different era. No wonder kids get bored and smash things up. Give them the knowedge and skills for TODAYS world. introduce them to these subjects and if they want to learn more and they go for a level/academic or vocational route fine, but school should be preparation for society first and foremost. post 16, then they develop specific career skills and not have to cram as much knowledge as possible on a ton of subjects they will never need again pre 16. Algebra, osmisis, come on, its rubbish they dont need to know unless they want to specialise! Teach them communication and skills for society instead.

Answer 2

Yes, I agree totally. I find it hard to believe that at the end of 11 or more years education people are coming into work situations with the spelling and grammar ability of an 8 year-old. Other factors? The asumption that "text language" is an acceptable form of communication anywhere, the version of world events as portrayed by the likes of the Sun & various celeb magazines, all of which seem to think some z-lister being too fat or too thin is more important than real news, and teachers allowing poor English to continue unchecked.

Answer 3

i dont think people are getting dumber, but people also arent really getting all that smarter either. When I say "people" I am speaking in terms of the general population as a whole of course. I think with things like TV and the internet and how fast information travels these days you would think people would be able to use this information in a more enlightening way but instead it seems, Its really just misused and more there for entertainment purposes instead of education. And people just arent changing as rapidly as the world we've created. As a result people have new tools but choose to stay where they are. And since these new tools enlighten some but not all, its seems like the population is dumber, especially when infomation is so easily accessible to other.

Answer 4

People are not getting more stupid.

Think about it: How well do you usually test in a subject? 90%? 95%? If you become a teacher of that subject, how well do you expect your students to test? Let's say 95% again. If your student becomes a teacher, and HIS student also tests at 95%, then what is the result? (.95 x .95 x .95 = .857375)

Admittedly, that is not wholly an accurate measurement, nor even a completely valid methodology, but it's a thought in the right direction.

In addition, as one becomes older, one gains in both knowledge and experience. When I compare myself today to the teachers I stood in awe of in, say, elementary school, I marvel that I am educated at all.

No, I don't think that people are more stupid. I do think that they are as capable of learning as ever, if not more so. But the main problem is that they are more educated in ways and fields that I am wholly unfamiliar with.

Field specialization has its effects, too. Today we have college-educated business majors who don't know a Holbein from a Holstein. We also have art majors who can't mend a leaky faucet.

Finally, I would say that TV and the Internet do play a role in our world-perceptions. In addition to making empty-headed glitz attractive, the popular media give a voice to those of us who really are more stupid.

Answer 5

Its the truth. Its also the same in the USA. The thing is that new generations in empoverished countries are scoring higher because THEY WANT to learn and be successful for survival. For the rest of us and in the USA, children are growing up lazy wanting the easy life. Drop out rates are atrocious. I wonder who the superpowers of the future will be? The ignorant goverments of the UK/USA or Korea/Russia...we better watch ourselves.

Answer 6

yes the world has always been full of idiots, only in the past the only people who would have made the news or papers were politicians, inventors etc. so generally intelligent people. Now we have decided we want to worship illiterate reality show nobodys and as a result it comes across that we are all dumbing down

Answer 7

America used to watch Jeopardy. Now it watches Who's Smarter Than A Fifth Grader. Enough said.

Answer 8

My dear:
Its not only that stupidity is rife in all segments of population, but also the fact, that we have more and more human beings populating the UK....so the REAL chances of bumping or coming across a very crass or illiterate person, increase exponentially...its overpopulation, appart from real pure idiocy..I guess

Answer 9

people say I'm ignorant and its funny i like making people happy so i don't really care and stupidity has nothing to do with ignorance because I'm a very wise and smart person who is ignorant and not all people are thick some don't try to learn and they stay back 5 times in a row and drop out so don't say all people are thick because theres very few very very smart people that don't get the well respect like nerds.

Answer 10

No stupid, people are not getting more stupid, but stupid people are being given more opportunities to express themselves in illiterate ways. It is amazing how many teachers and classroom assistants nowadays cannot spell very well! So the National Literacy Strategy didn't have much hope did it?