After reading Yahoo answers for a couple of months, I have concluded that there are WAY more stup....?

Question

...uh, "uneducated" people out there than I had ever known about before.

Do you think it's because of our water?
Is it because of our essentially nutrition-less diet?
Is it because of our sedentary lifestyle?
Is it because of the addiction to computers instead of reading books?
Is it because the kids don't go to the library like we did when I was a kid?

Why? What is it? Why had the overal intellect of Americans declined at such an alarming rate?

To sparhawk7322: Ahh.....nope. That's not it. Not "punishing" or criticizing students has nothing to do with how smar they are. You sound like a closet sadist to me.

notadummyrat: Your response wasn't even an answer, just a slur. More name-calling. All you're doing is proving my point.

To naseldrip: I'm not sure how the "little orange sticker" on my avatar works. I think it has something to do with "Best Answers" and people giving a thumbs-up, but I don't know. Irrelevant, anyway. I'm a voracious reader and being on the computer isn't mutually exclusive with being intelligent. My reference is clear in regards to computers vs. books.
Why must people resort to name-calling? Again, you just prove my point.

To Adviso: I find your post the most amusing of all, because I have spent many years as a proofreader and I can spot a misspelled word a mile away. I despise poor spellers and bad grammar gives me the hives.

I throw myself at your mercy.

I do not "proof" my own posts.

I typed this question on my way out the door, clicked "submit" and I was gone.

If you want to bust me for carelessness, I cannot cry "foul." But know this -
1) Einstein was a notoriously bad speller. Most scholars will grant that bad spelling has nothing to do with intellect.

2) A typo is not the same as bad spelling.

3) I'm the best speller you'll ever come across.

And I notice you really didn't answer the question, you just insulted me.

To Pretzel : See my response to another poster above. And you ask "Where are you books?" Well, right now I'm reading Eric Hoffer's "THE TRUE BELIEVER" and President Clinton's autobiography, "MY LIFE."

I read a great deal. I have an impressive collection of books. And I don't call questioning the collective intellect of the nation "throwing stones."

Golly, I never expected such hostility.

EDIT: I just re-read some of my "additional comments" and came across several typos. I apologize to any readers for discomfort this may have caused them.

To pensterx: I have absolutely no idea what "argument" between us you are referring to. I talk to a LOT of people. Care to email me so we can clear it up? And I respectfully request that you RE-READ my question. Is there any inference in my question whatsoever that references "difference of opinions?"
No.
I don't give a hoot about "differing opinions." I'm talking about crystal clear stupidity.

Read the question again.

To Evil VideoStoreClerk: Nice observation about Al Gore and John Kerry being ridiculed for having a brain. And you're right....what the heck is wrong with a populace which has THAT kind of reaction?

EDIT: To "bluesman" - nope, I didn't read a Cal Thomas op-ed. I'm getting it strong from this board, right here.

Answer 1

Your question reminds me of the movie 'Idiocracy.'
I dont know that intellect is actually declining, since that would imply we were more intelligent at some point. But I have read somewhere that when Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' was first published, its readership was the general public. Now this book is college reading material--so you may be right.
The best explanation seems to me that modern contrivances like TV, internet, mass media and college campuses provide a highly visible forum for idiots who were less visible in times past. They've always been with us, just not in the spotlight like today.
I hear you though...I love to read and discuss politics, science or architecture, but it seems rare to meet anyone who reads or can discuss subjects other than sports or local gossip. I really believe we live in a culture that celebrates anti-intellectualism. Guys like Al Gore and John Kerry get ridiculed for being intelligent...? WTF?
How many kids go to college to be 'educated' anyway? ...college educations are nothing more than another mass consumed 'product' and financial vehicle to a mcmansion and flashy car. Diploma in hand, there's no 'payoff' for being smart or well-informed.

Answer 2

I'm still addicted to reading. (Right now reading a Daniel Quinn alternate history type Novel) But as an educator I know what you mean. The movement over the last 3 decades but especially in the most recent decade is federal control and design over every student's education to the point where if you don't spend the entire day on reading and mathematics (the basics of education, but not particularly enriching soil to grow interesting humans) you fail these No Child Left Behind tests which take up a full month and a half of our 10 month school year.

Answer 3

Most people have lost all respect for intelligence. Many students shun the most intelligent students and call them "nerds" and "bookworms". Much of this is jealousy, but I think it's also a problem with priorities. Too many students think partying is the main reason for going to college, and education is only a fringe benefit. It's easier to ridicule their more educated peers than to apply themselves, and this carries over into adulthood.

In the 2000 campaign, when Bush and Gore debated, I thought it was crystal-clear that Gore was far more intelligent than Bush, but I think many voters either didn't recognize it or misunderstood it. Gore's scientific open-mindedness was seen as a sign of weakness, while Bush's ignorance-based arrogance was seen as a sign of strength. It's just the same as it is in high schools where the football players are far more popular than the valedictorians. People don't appreciate academic and intellectual achievements as much as they should.

I think there's been a big decline in original and creative thinking as well. The vast majority of the questions and answers in this category are just variations on what the users have heard from political pundits. They don't even bother to check the validity of these exaggerations and outright lies. They just repeat them as if they were gospel truth. These days I think it takes even more blind faith to be a devoted follower of a political party than it does to be a religious fanatic, and the response to any questioning of that faith is equally swift and harsh from both groups.

Answer 4

Well, I certainly can't dispute the reasons you give, but would like to add a couple others as food for thought...

For younger people, I think TV is a major detriment to developing a curious, critical mind been because TV is a 'passive' rather than 'active' process. No imagination is required and it caters to (creates?) a short attention span. I'm amazed at some of the questions asked that not only reflect poor grammar and spelling skills, but also exhibit a desire to be 'spoon fed' rather than to actively seek the answers by simply using a search engine. I can only guess that the schools are focusing on what to think rather than how to think.

For adults... I think many, due to time constraints and 'information overload', opt out of broadening their horizons. They watch TV news and read articles that suit their biases, calling themselves well-informed. I wonder if many people even consider the filtering of information by the mass media and what they're missing.

Answer 5

We have become a microwave society. One that cares more about celebrities then people who make the actual descions or those who influence us in our daily lives. We use the word hero for athletes and actors when we should use it for the soldier, the cop or the fireman. We hold up to esteem the sluts and the druggies like Paris and Lindsay. We demean the intelligent like the Ingrahams and the Cosbys. We are in a society where telling someone who is doing wrong HEY you are wrong make you the bad guy. We live in a society where having an illegitimate kid out of wedlock is glorified yet waiting till your married is vilified

You ask why people are so stupid I think it falls to each and everyone of us to say hey how can I change this

Answer 6

I would attribute it to the decline in the quality of education. I would also attribute it to our lifestyles. A lot of people are really busy. We are working more and taking less vacations. It leaves little time for staying involved. I want to read more and get more involved but I don't have the time. I'm thankful that I have smart people in my life who keep me abreast of important news stories. One is a retired librarian. He has enlightened me so much with all the emails he sends me with articles as well as recommendations for books to read.
I try to get my stepkids to go to the library but they'd rather go to Barnes 'n Noble and by a book that just gets tossed in their bedrooms somewhere. I protest, of course but am always overruled. It doesn't help that the library has terrible hours where I live. The big library is more than 40 minutes away and in a bad section. I think a lot of people are preprogrammed how to think. Corporations reap the benefits of a better educated workforce but are always looking at ways they can get them to work harder for less money. They don't want to help out and pay for the education that they directly benefit from. There are so many injustices. This is why I say that we are all interconnected. We all have to pay our fair share or do our best to. I'm tired of the rich always finding ways to get out of it. They are the worst.

Sports and art programs are important to a well-rounded education. We do need to invest a lot more into our science and math programs. We need better teachers and better tools. We need a longer school year because there is so much for our kids to learn. They are capable of a lot more than what we give them. I see it with my stepkids. They are so lazy. Were they born that way? No. That's how they are raised. Keep expectations low and people will match them. Raise them higher and I think we would all be amazed at what could be achieved. Depression would go down. People would be happier and we would be communicating more in real life.

Answer 7

Did you read a Cal Thomas op-ed piece this past week?


He talked about a 80 question civics test given to college grads. The average score was 52%.

It is a great article (not that I'm necessarily a Cal Thomas fan) and take the test. Also look at the top 50 colleges and their scores.

This supports your question completely!

Answer 8

I would venture that there are not way more uneducated people but simply a lot of people with different opinions. We argued. Would you call me uneducated. I have a Degree in psychology and a Ph.D in Psychopharmacology. Is that educated enough. I respected your opinion but you showed less respect for mine in your answer.

Education, however is not simply a matter of paper qualifications. How man books someone has read, how they formulate their opinions, and how much experience they have certainly counts.

For instance I can understand your point when I listen to Americans talking about terrorism as if they are experts. I lived with terrorism in Belfast N. ireland for 30 years yet when I give an opinion on it get more lots of thumbs down. That comes down to their lack of experience in it. it makes me more knowledgeable about it.

Answer 9

All of the above, that and the fact that the adults don't care either.

By the way, don't throw stones unless you take the time to proofread what you have typed. You should have used the word "has" instead of "had," and you misspelled the word "overall." You left out the second "l."

Normally I would overlook such things, but you brought up the subject of people being "uneducated." Uneducated doesn't necessarily go hand-in-hand with stupidity.

I've also noticed that you've spent a great deal of time on the computer since July. Where are your books?

Answer 10

Because the schools in our country (The U.S.A.) care more about sports programs than students – so do the parents for that matter. How many of you give to “sports boosters” yet never give a second thought to the fact none of that money will ever go into the curriculum of that or any other school?

It’s a shame!