AMERICA: Y UR PEEPS B SO DUM? by Joe Bageant

The real function of American social institutions is to justify, rationalize and hide the true purpose of cultural behavior from the lumpenproletariat, and to shape that behavior to the benefit of the institution's members.

I have quoted this article below with the exception of removing the unacceptable language at ATS and replacing it within parentheses, with ATS's acceptable guidelines.

I can only quote some of this article but it's worth going to the source link provided below and reading the entire article. I found it very eye opening.

Joe Bageant's latest essay is spot-on in identifying and discussing the aspects of U.S. culture that keep people ignorant and from acting in ways that could possibly make some real change for the better. He takes on the media, government, ruling elites, and as he calls them "the top lizards in global politics, money and war." Bageant questions why we are tasering our school children, and looks critically at the less than revealing content of WikiLeaks while he defends Julian Assange with his usual straight talk admiring Assange's "courage in doing damned well the only significant thing that can be done at this time -- momentarily (messing up) government control of information."

If you hang out much with thinking people, conversation eventually turns to the serious political and cultural questions of our times. Such as: How can the Americans remain so consistently brain-(dead)? Much of the world, including plenty of Americans, asks that question as they watch U.S. culture go down like a thrashing mastodon giving itself up to some Pleistocene tar pit.

One explanation might be the effect of 40 years of deep fried industrial chicken pulp, and 44 ounce Big Gulp soft drinks. Another might be pop culture, which is not culture at all of course, but marketing. Or we could blame it on digital autism: Ever watch commuter monkeys on the subway poking at digital devices, stroking the touch screen for hours on end? That wrinkled Neolithic brows above the squinting red eyes?

But a more reasonable explanation is that, (A) we don't even know we are doing it, and (B) we cling to institutions dedicated to making sure we never find out.



Source and rest of article: www.sott.net...

"Deconditioning from cultural ignorance is at the heart of any insurrectionary politics. Deconditioning also involves risk and suffering. But it is transformative, freeing the self from helplessness and fear. It unleashes the fifth freedom, the right to an autonomous consciousness. That makes deconditioning about as individual and personal act as is possible. Maybe the only genuine individual act." Paul Bageant

I quoted quite a bit of this article, but by no means the entire article. Because it is so monumentally important that every single American reads this to get a real understanding of who the real enemy is and what is happening within America I plead that the mods do not shorten this (yes go ahead remove 500 of my stars, 1,000 of my stars) if this article wakes up just one additonal American as to what the heck is going on than even removing all my stars and giving me a slap on the hands (a warning) would be worth it.

We Americans need to put down that stupid love adventure novel (the real stuff going on is way more interesting). Put down that remote, filter the flouride out of our water, wear gas masks on days when you see chemtrails outside in your skies, something - anything, because most Americans are blindly and compliantly going about their daily lives not realizing the type of legacy they are leaving our children.

One heck of an article to think about.

I wonder if most Americans have the attention span to read the whole article?


Mod Edit: Please limit quoted material to 3 paragraphs or 15% of quoted article, whichever is least

That entire article could have really been summed up in one sentence. Most people do not like to move outside of their comfort zone. Simple as that. Its not just Americans. It can be seen all around the world. We are all socialized from day one, so if an individual is not one who likes to think outside the box, they will cling to social norms and the like to stay sane. There is comfort in illusion.

I for one, love my fatty fast foods and my electronic devices but also love reading about its effects. I have friends with whom I talk to about pop culture, friends who I talk religion with, friends who I talk conspiracy with. This issue is not cut and dry. This article is full of large scale generalizations that state the obvious. Nice find thought if this is the first time these things occured to you.

reply to post by acmpnsfal


So in seven minutes you went and read that whole article.

And the interest in electronic play toys, pop culture and reading stuff that doesn't really inform you like most Americans is what has gotten our civilization into this mess.

Dumb is dumb and no this isn't my first exposure to this, I'm simply trying to wake up the sleeping beauties in the Matrix.

reply to post by ofhumandescent

No, not the entire article, I read the portion in your post. From what I read there I had no desire to read the entire thing. These ideas are not new to me, not because I think I know everything, but I stay current on issues raised in the post. Im so sorry I did not realize this was such groundbreaking information

reply to post by ofhumandescent


Sometimes I wonder if the only way to break the cycle, to end the addictive behavior,
(and I believe that it becomes habitual and addictive) of returning to the 'offerings' such as garbage tv,
garbage music, garbage news, garbage food, and garbage goods, is for the broadcasts to stop, for the country, or for that matter the world, to go dark!
It seems the more crap that's offered, (shiny distracting objects and mind numbing libido exciting trinkets of hormonal entertainment) the more that crap is desired.
I think that the force behind the presentation and marketed allure is more powerful and has overtaken common sense and critical thought by about 5 decades now.
If there was a point a few years back when technology was positioned in a neutral starting point, it was quickly hijacked and directed more towards serving men rather than man.
Just like those saturdays when we used to stay locked to the cartoons until the last minute, (they were only on once a week) and mom finally had enough and she'd come in, stand in front of the set, shut it off and loudly say,
'that's enough, now go outside and play, before you rot your brain',
There were 3 networks, 3 stations, and now most homes have more channels of distraction than they have square feet of yard for their children to play in.
Fortunately everything is cyclic, unfortunately we're living in an approaching darkened part of that cycle, and hopefully we learn something collectively coming out of it.
Although it isnt groundbreaking information,it is, an opportunity to offer insight and opinion with like minded concerned individuals,
it's how we communicate with eachother as we all go through this together that will determine our outcome.
Is what we say and do making things a little better, or have we only offered more of the same garbage we have been offered and consumed.

Here's a view from the drivers seat, thru the dirty windshield.

S&F this made me look up a word that i did not know existed,oligarchs, had to see if i had it right ,i did and the bit about adem &eve, riding dinosaurs that is a new one on me, did that come from JVI?.
for real S&F for this it is true and sad that this is the new America, from co workes to kids t
they are more into face book texting wee or is it wii,? one thing i will say ask them about the NRA and they will tell all that one needs to know, that and how to use a cell phone.

the addiction !

Lord have mercy on those of us with children, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.
There are days, I wanna take us all away to a cave deep in the heart of Montana, and other days I wanna "train my kids", if you will, on the battlefield. I am in no way perfect, I only hope I am not deceived, and am able to raise my children in such a way they shall not be either.
(((hugs)))
Keep on keepin' on yo'.

reply to post by ofhumandescent


i would say it has something to do with culture but the writer has no idea what the cultural issue is. the truth is, that in america(and other places) knowledge, intelligence and "book smarts" have been derided as something uncool, unwanted, insulting to others for having. why is america "dumb"? because smart people are looked down upon as nerds, geeks, and losers.
this writer talks about 60 years of tv? well when tv tells people that you don't need to be smart to be successful, you don't need to try to be famous or do something useful, the society at large says to itself, "who cares about college"?

to be honest i stopped reading when the guy went on a huge tangent about random nonsense that added nothing to the first part of the screed, that was a huge screed by the way.
nothing new though, i am honestly sick of the moaning about healthcare.

In any population there will be variation in levels of intelligence, from very stupid to very smart, with the bulk of the population coming in around ..... average.

I live in a town that is very well educated. Many of the children that grow up in this town are turning out to be successful in many ways. It's not just that they complete college but they go on to do amazing things. Even though they have grown up with TV and video games, these things do not dominate their lives or thinking. I have the pleasure of getting to hang out with friends of my kids and I am impressed with what they have to say and what they are doing with their lives. For the most part they are not average.

I think that in every generation, there are a small portion of the people who will truly have an opportunity to do something great with their lives. The rest will just lead average lives.

Knowing these people gives me hope for the future.

Originally posted by Wildbob77
Even though they have grown up with TV and video games, these things do not dominate their lives or thinking. Knowing these people gives me hope for the future.

I think that's the key right there Bob,
the old adage garbage in garbage out is very real.

The 'average' that you mention is just as real, and relative,
it's as the average has fallen though that has brought concern.
What was once unacceptable has become acceptable, more so by the individual, and then becomes apparent in the whole.