Anti-intellectualism Is Killing America

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: ketsuko

No the real problem is ignorance.

Ignorance is a problem, but what you and I likely consider ignorance could be debated.

a reply to: searcherfortruth

I've been bytching about the ATS motto since I got here - it simply doesn't make any rational sense.

To deny ignorance is to insist ignorance doesn't exist.

Rather like denying a drug problem when to the whole world a drug problem is evident.

I think it's a product of the Kruger-Dunning Effect.

Anti-Intellectualism has been promoted since the 1970s and the main approach in implementation has been 'defunding' public schools which continues to this day. Then the charter school thing and useless testing junk.

We have the worst public school system in the civilized world. And it used to be the model that other coutries strived for, then along came the Saint Ronnie crowd.

I agree with the racism facet contributing to anti-intellectualism, but "gun violence? Who's gun violence are we talking about? Civilian or otherwise? If they are making civilian implications, then the title reaks of irony. Per capita, citizens of the United States is nowhere near as bad as some of its neighbors, unless you're run by dictators (a few exceptions of course). Gun violence through government osmosis and diddle, we definately lead the march.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

If you do not feed something it will eventually dissipate. The motto seems to reflect that notion, do not feed ignorance. Deny it sustenance and it will go away. Almost like the creatures in that goblin movie, the more they fed the crazier they got. I do think it is a very difficult problem and seems to be the root of all discord.

Ignorance feeds ignorance, but at some point there has to be a fundamental choice made. Deny it or ignore it, but ignorance will not disappear, unless people are educated properly. Unfortunately, even then ignorance just takes on another form. Instead, it becomes arrogance.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

What we need is an anti-ignorance pill. They have a pill for sexual dysfunction and a pill for mental dysfunction and a pill for just about every dysfunction known to mankind, but no pill for ignorance or is there and I just am not aware of it?

I think it all comes down to what each individual sees as being ignorant. You say potato, I say pot-a-to. One thing that happens for sure in most instances, for every action there is an equal if not greater reaction.

So how do we improve our school/educational system?

a reply to: beezzer

So how do we improve our school/educational system?

Or is that the real issue? Without doubt our educational system needs improvement, but has this become a "you can lead a horse to water" scenario. Is it a social phenomenon, in which people are simply disinclined to have any interest in lofty issues . There are video games to advance in, and strangers to argue with .......... I don't know. I'm thinking this is not entirely the fault of educational institutions.

Then again, maybe it's not true.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Thank you. You are right. It is very difficult to ignore and not react to ignorant situations. I will use an example, the other day I was sitting in my apartment looking out across the street and I saw a young child trying to climb the stone wall of the house of my neighbor and every time the child tried to grab one of the stones above its head they would slip. Their father was standing down the street about 50 feet and was not paying attention. I stuck my head out the window and yelled to the child stop. The kid turned and looked at me and ran off to where their father was.

A few moments later the kid started to do the same thing, only this time they turned to see if I was watching first, when they didn't see me they tried it again, I was hiding where they could not see me, but I could see them. After they fell again, they saw me and went running again. This went on for about 20 minutes off and on and each time the kid looked for me.

Finally, I walked outside opened the gate and stared the father down. I told him to keep a better eye on his kid before he got hurt. Now, this could have gone either way, he could have told me to mind my own business or he could agree and thank me for my attention to the matter.

There is more than one point to this. The first is ignorance can go both ways and the kid wanted attention.

I think many times people that exhibit ignorance are seeking attention and will go to great lengths to get it.

a reply to: raedar

Maybe a better way to phrase the article would have been, Lack Of Intelligence Is Killing The Earth. This is far from an American problem only, but the recent events happened here that have polarized specific issues. The author, in my opinion, may have been a bit unorganized in their approach, yet they still have a valid point. Ignorance does seem to be the underlying problem when it comes to these type of events and how they are responded to.

a reply to: angeldoll

Oh, there is plenty of room to improve our educational institutions and systems.

But we also have some cultural issues as well including the importance of learning and what learning is and should be.

Six months ago I inherited a set of hard cover books that contain the collection of "The Century Magazine". This was a monthly magazine published in the late 1800's to early 1900's. The history is enthralling. Reading these gives you insight into real life at that time.

What amazed me the most was the intelligence level of the writers. Articles are deep and philosophical. They encourage the reader to think, to imagine, to invent. Articles are written with language and form showing that the authors were extremely literate and intelligent.

I was stunned when it started to sink in that this was a normal magazine, targeted to a public audience. It made me realize - people used to be intelligent. I can not imagine people today having the concentration level necessary to comprehend those articles. The news articles are written on a level that put today's news publications to shame. I thought to myself: "Wow, people used to be smart!". The news on-line today reads as if the author is just spitting out words with no care for actual written art. The old articles are written with care and creativity.

What happened to humanity?

I find myself absorbed into reading these books recently rather than reading on-line. It feels like food for my brain - and my soul.

I think that people are just as smart/stupid as they were 10,000 years ago.

We just have different tools to occupy ourselves.

I also think that people are frustrated because others don't "think" like themselves. Ego then determines that the others must be complete idiots because they fail to agree with some.

Then again, all of this is coming from someone whom many consider an idiot.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: angeldoll

Oh, there is plenty of room to improve our educational institutions and systems.

But we also have some cultural issues as well including the importance of learning and what learning is and should be.

Good. I thought that was a good point to ponder in my last post, and I'm glad to see someone else recognizes it's more than just the schools. It's a social issue to a degree.

(If it exists, and I'm not convinced it does.)

originally posted by: BlueAjah
Six months ago I inherited a set of hard cover books that contain the collection of "The Century Magazine". This was a monthly magazine published in the late 1800's to early 1900's. The history is enthralling. Reading these gives you insight into real life at that time.

What amazed me the most was the intelligence level of the writers. Articles are deep and philosophical. They encourage the reader to think, to imagine, to invent. Articles are written with language and form showing that the authors were extremely literate and intelligent.

I was stunned when it started to sink in that this was a normal magazine, targeted to a public audience. It made me realize - people used to be intelligent. I can not imagine people today having the concentration level necessary to comprehend those articles. The news articles are written on a level that put today's news publications to shame. I thought to myself: "Wow, people used to be smart!". The news on-line today reads as if the author is just spitting out words with no care for actual written art. The old articles are written with care and creativity.

What happened to humanity?

I find myself absorbed into reading these books recently rather than reading on-line. It feels like food for my brain - and my soul.

Try reading some of the Early American literature. The original Sleepy Hollow is a good example. Mark Twain takes some chops to understand the humor.

Hahaha just so you know a whole bunch of Americans or about 75 million think the sun revolves around the earth. So it looks like many are embracing ignorance in its various forms.

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

That's always shocking to see. I believe those basic things are taught in like, 5th grade science. Do kids sleep through that class, or do they not have any retention?

Reminds me of the discussion on QVC between the host and a clothing designer about "what is the moon? Is it a star? No, I don't think it's a planet, is it? I guess it might be a planet. I don't think it's a sun. What is the moon?

These were adults.

originally posted by: angeldoll
Our written language is going to hell also. I read somewhere that in another couple of decades we wouldn't recognize our written languages, as they are becoming more and more abbreviated into something like "text talk'. And think of it even going to pictures to express yourself. I mean, think emoticons! Sad, really.

That's just an evolution of language. Think back to how you write, it's quite different from when the country was founded and if you go back to the 1500's it's even more different. The language changing is actually a good thing, it means it's being used and improved upon.

Emoticons are also a giant step forward in language.

a reply to: ketsuko

I do love to read other literature from those periods! (I have bookshelves full of quality books.) Most mass produced novels from authors today who crank out book after book can not compare to the older literature.

Which is another example of how literacy and intelligence has gone downhill today.

More people might be literate, but comprehension and attention levels seem to be lower. People just want to scan through on-line articles quickly, send abbreviated text messages, and never really "think". They don't want to be challenged.

On-line news services seem to be pushing video and slideshows instead of actual written content. They are dumbing down the public.

We seem to have more information today, but it comes in such a blurted barrage that people don't have the attention span to actually comprehend, interpret, and philosophize. (Well... I do see more philosophizing on ATS than almost anyplace else on-line )

a reply to: Aazadan
Maybe so Aazadan. I might be becoming behind the times. I probably am.

But in any case, I would like for people to KNOW HOW to do it, whether they use it or not. Like math. Who doesn't let electronics do their math? But I still think it's important to know how to do it, don't you?

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: Aazadan
Maybe so Aazadan. I might be becoming behind the times. I probably am.

But in any case, I would like for people to KNOW HOW to do it, whether they use it or not. Like math. Who doesn't let electronics do their math? But I still think it's important to know how to do it, don't you?

But people are learning how to do it, young people particularly are writing more than at any previous time in history. Lets put this in perspective: Shakespeare wrote 1805 pages, if there were 3 drafts per page that's 5415 pages, if someone wrote 2 pages of text messages per day since 2005 they're coming in at more than Shakespeare's entire writing career. My generation communicates primarily by the written word. Computers aren't composing sentences for us, they're merely the method of delivery. If we go back 50 years people would write and send letters all the time, what's the difference between writing letters and writing text messages other than the speed of delivery?

Here's a quote from 1871:
"The art of letter-writing is fast dying out. When a letter cost nine pence, it seemed but fair to try to make it worth nine pence. Now, however we think we are too busy for such old fashioned correspondence. We fire off a multitude of rapid and short notes, instead of sitting down to have a good talk over a real sheet of paper.

Here's one from 1891:
Intellectual laziness and the hurry of the age have produced a craving for literary nips. The torpid brain has grown too weak for sustained thought. There never was an age in which so many people were able to write badly.