Humanity is getting dumber. No renaissance is coming to save us either.

I look around, I see a generation of people romantically involved with their phones.

I see zombies, people staring vacantly into devices made out of plastic and electronic guts. They would make love to them if they could.

No one reads a book anymore. They're all more interested in what happened last week on that zombie themed soap opera, or what score they can get on some strange phone game. My neighbor is obsessed with Candy Crush. Why in God's name would you play that game when you could play something with actual entertainment value beyond pushing a button? And folks actually pay money for microtransactions for something or another in that game. P.T. Barnum was right... A sucker is born every minute.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. For some of us, during our life-time, we may see the death of literature. Even when I go to the library, it seems that the people are only there to use the computers or watch movies..

I could be wrong. Maybe I'm just a pessimist. But it really does seem like people are getting dumber.

Grifter42

No one reads a book anymore.

Ever heard of e-books? They are very popular on mobile devices. They earned their popularity because people read them... on their phones. You can do a lot on a phone besides play candy crush, you know. And if no one was utilizing these other things, these other things wouldnt even exist. So that should tell you something.

I dont disagree that people are getting dumber though. I dont agree or disagree. Teenagers + cell phones = stupidity for sure.

Barnum never said "There's a sucker born every minute" so yeah you're right, people are getting dumber... :p

reply to post by Grifter42

I could be wrong. Maybe I'm just a pessimist. But it really does seem like people are getting dumber.

People don't try to educate themselves about much. They figure that they go to school college and thats it. Thing is, when I got out of school and started reading history from something other than a school textbook, it blew my mind how much stuff is taught in school history books that is downright wrong or misconstrued.

I forget who said it, but a wise man once said don't let schooling get in the way of a good education.

That being said, I think it has more to do with the self centeredness of todays society. Peoples sense of spirituality is getting less and less, and the materialism is getting more and more. Nobody is thankful for what they have, instead they focus on all the material things they don't have. Love is getting less and the screw you I got mine mentality is becoming more prevalent.

I think the fact that death is such a taboo subject in our society proves this also. Everybody is convinced that this world is it and when you die you cease to exist. So they stay wrapped up in entertainment, and social media, which just gives the illusion of interconnectedness but really people are getting more estranged and less empathetic with other people.

If you don't believe me try it sometime. Strike up a conversation with someone about the what it might be like to die and watch the other persons eyes glaze over and try to change the subject.

Good rant! To make you feel better, I have a cheap, simple cell phone and I might use it a couple of times a week. I will never ever give up reading real books with paper pages to flip through.

Most people insist on having expensive cell phones with cameras and internet and what-not. They also have a computer at home and Ipads and other gadgets. Then they cry about how they can't afford rent or whatever, like we're supposed to feel bad for them. I see it all the time. You'll be sitting having a nice lunch with a friend and at other tables people are ignoring the people they are sitting with and either talking or texting away a mile a minute. I'm sick of hearing other people's private conversations while waiting in a doctor's office or out somewhere. What the...??

Are we getting dumber, or are you getting smarter? Are you standing still, or is everything just moving faster than the ground you're standing on? Are you awake, or is this just a more lucid dream than the last? Is this the end of my post, or the beginning of a whole new thread? Is this real life, or is this a fantasy?

...Stop making me question my existence! *runs away sobbing*

the tv shows you watch and your friends might be getting dumber.
but humanity isnt.

Idiocracy isn't funny to me anymore. It's so close to the truth that it scares me. Things have gone from bad to worse, and the degeneration of societal intelligence is a failing of globalism and culture in general.

reply to post by Grifter42


I can answer your question. Its because technology is giving people the alternative of the easiest path to entertain their bored minds. Many people are taking the path.

Says the guy from his electronic device on a social website.

reply to post by Grifter42


Yes,

People are uncontrollably, un-repentingly, insane and dumb.

I dont think its just this generation, though I see where you are coming from. I dont know about you, but I look around and see a world of stupid that is too vast and complete to have just popped up with these bright eyed, dogmatic, entrenched, and utterly miserable people.

No, it is a human thing. Most still think with the brain of a human, but with the mind of a primate. Its ALL ACROSS the board. All walks of life, backgrounds, ethnicities, you name it. It is a cross disciplined art of "banana lusting". LOL. Monkey REALLY want banana. (missile contracts, the tip from a table, comission on a house)....Bananas...and we act like primates to get them.

We do so without the dignity of an animal, though thats what we are. We get those "bananas" as a confused animal. Really the animal must die, not understand. We have to quit us. Change. Erase /reboot.

People have been graced with a few gems here and there, which were in most cases brutally mistreated or outright killed. There are exceptions of coarse. Some of the smart ones achieve any form of celebrity status (which is just pleasing the right people) or receive notoriety of excellence for something, or just make money, and they survive rather well. Others still become puppet masters.

Most people who do retain some semblance of true humanity are surrounded, outgunned, and hunted. In most cases they are just here for fun as even they are incapable of overcoming the hordes of monkey men in every continent, city, cave and crevice of this planet.

Primates have a mob mentality. Our society, is a mob. We really still ACT like primates. We may be more, but sadly our minds are not.

We are a confused animal. We are Neither savage and pure with no concept of evil or good, nor truly civilized and reasonable with a real drive not founded in retarded delusions of awesome.

What this all boils down to is that we are dumb. All of us. I do not excuse myself from this. We are all retarded and insane.

I honestly dread /hope there is a culling. I know I would probably not make the cut (Bastards!), but we are disgustingly /deliciously both dumb and insane, as well as "Divine". I am not referring to the biblical or philosophical connotations of the word "Divine". I am referring to the quality of the unknown which we embrace by nature. "Out of no where"....

It hasnt stopped here. Be glad of that. What you see isnt even a runner up. I pray to God that we dont discover any form of immortality or any more enhancements in the prolonging of human life. It would be the sullying of the possible pristine future with our filth of today.

Like if any "standard" of the 14th century just stayed for 800 years until those idiots all finally died off from a volcano or flood or something.

Could you imagine?

The bitter nutjobs we would be preserving.....Forget posterity.

Future..PLEASE FORGET US. Erase it all. Start again.

Lol, I love it when people rant about technology on the *internet* forums from their *computers*. The irony makes me giggle every time. Thanks for the laugh, hehe.

And idk about you, but i definitely know far more because of technology than i would if we still had to research for hours in a library (although I've come across some pretty great stuff in libraries too).

So you're having a hard time getting passed level 70 in Candy Crush?

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Man, screw candy crush. I stepped on my phone two years ago, breaking the screen. I get no texts, only phone calls.

And I admit, the use of a computer to spread this message is hypocritical, but the types of people I aim to reach use computers.

Grifter42
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

Man, screw candy crush. I stepped on my phone two years ago, breaking the screen. I get no texts, only phone calls.

And I admit, the use of a computer to spread this message is hypocritical, but the types of people I aim to reach use computers.

I was only joking. I do however see your point. My husband and I went out to eat for our anniversary the other day. We sat down and I noticed a young couple (still dating age) sitting across from us. We were there for about an hour and a half and this couple never looked up to talk to each other. They both had their phones out texting even when they were eating. I honest to goodness never heard them utter a word to each other the entire time. I wondered if that is how it always was with them and how anybody could live that way.

Granted... I am 36 so I did not "come up" with technology like the younger generation did/is, but I still wonder how many people live with their spouse/partner and really never interact with them at all because they are always busy with something else.

I do like Candy Crush. I may be the only one to admit it openly... but that's just me. I don't pay for it and I don't play it every day. I may play it weeks apart sometimes. I also like my phone, probably more than I should but I spend a lot of time at home (stay at home mom.... daughter in HS) alone and I use it mainly during those times.

People need to know when it is too much, and I think growing up with it makes it harder to distinguish where the line is/should be. I am glad that I grew up in a time where things were different. I enjoy the advances, but sometimes long for "back in the day".

A double edged sword to be sure.

Well, I have read more books in the last few years than the last 20 before that. Love my Kindle...and I am not alone.
Librarys and such are simply a inconvenience. why go there, lug around a used book, etc...

As far as cell phones and such, Would it be better if instead of doing a bunch of things while sitting on a bench with their phones, they stared blankly at a tree?

I of course disagree with your premise and outlook. I am actually quite optimistic about our future. I grew up in the late 80s, early 90s for my teen/early 20s and I have confidence that todays gen is far more aware of world events, even politics (daily show and such..politicomedy is big now).

As far as people fascinated with the walking dead..you think it was somehow better when the event of the day was wondering who shot JR like somehow watching the fictitious oil baron family or genie living with an astronaut was the height of mental pursuits in media?

I suspect your making the mistake of thinking that just because your not interested in a particular device, behavior, or perception, it must be stupid. Bit egotistical.

reply to post by Grifter42


your right! It is happening to me too. In the last week I was hoaxed and scammed. lol

so embarrassing but something is going on...years ago I am sure I was smarter.

?

reply to post by Night Star

yeah, mine is a cheap 30 dollar one... just like my sunglasses. I lose these two items the most so I figure, buy cheaper ones.

I am glad my phone is not up with technology. Even sending a sms is hard work... mine doesn't even have dictionary.

I was tempted to buy one of those big tablets to play games on while on the train etc but haven't as yet. Cheaper to buy the newspaper and do the crossword.

reply to post by Grifter42


When faced with a 1984 Orwellian reality the smart ones opt for a Huxleyian Brave New World and never look back at the old world decaying and dying from brain drain!

The question remains though ... where exactly, in 2014 on planet earth, is this Brave New Worlds Neo-Florence?

I think its the more we learn, the more we forget. The smarter we become, we get dumber in the process by forgetting how we got there.

Pretty soon afterwards, we just "do"... without any reason "why".