Idiocracy the future?

Just the other night I saw the movie Idiocracy for the first time. Very good movie by the way for those who have not seen it. Well it made me think and in a way I feel we are kind of heading in that direction (stupid wise). The type of TV shows that are most popular in this country (reality, etc.) are mostly garbage and extremely stupid. I myself try to stay away from these shows as much as possible, becuase I feel it is a waste. It seems to me a lot of people I meet and convese with simply are stupid and have no motivation to learn or become smarter in any way. Also, the movie brings an interesting theory that stupid people have more kids and eventually there will be more stupid people and they will rule the world. What does everyone think about this? Is it possible? Are we heading towards a more stupid world or no? And if we are what can we do to stop it from happening?

A link to the plot summary for those who have not seen this movie:
www.imdb.com...

Zetetic_of_Truth

[edit on 1-7-2009 by Zetetic_of_Truth]

[edit on 1-7-2009 by Zetetic_of_Truth]

I remember seeing that movie when i was a kid and thinking the same thing. Interesting concept, but a bit of an exaduration. There is actually alot of factual basis to the dumbing down of america, and most of all the american education system. Heres a table from the international education statistic center that speaks for itself:




its a vector-mapped image so full-size the browser for an easier read. I am canadian and have been aware of this phenomenon for some time as canadian papers love all that self-righteous Canadian noise.

It seems like Americans are either inherently dumb or the government is shoving a stick down the throte of the grade-school system. What purpose does having a dumb country serve? now that i have no idea

[edit on 1-7-2009 by Kevin_X2]

[edit on 1-7-2009 by Kevin_X2]

idiocracy is one my favorite movies, even though it is pretty retarted.
everyday i see that movie coming to reality more and more, just look at the news, thier always talking about american idol or other stupid show like that instead of stuff that really matters.

but on a side note, i love the part of the movie where he breaks out of jail one of the funniest parts of the whole movie

The issue i see in the whole dumb people make dumb babies argument is that it is not necessarily true. I know lots of dumb people with smart kids. Also, genetic mutation and randomness, as well as recessive genes, need to be taken into account. Good movie though

reply to post by Kevin_X2

Thanks for that table, very interesting. Looks like Australia, Canada, Finland, and New Zealand have the higher scores. America actually seems to be around the averages. Mexico and Brazil by far seem to be the worst.
Yes agreed it angers me greatly in seeing a country go in the wrong direction. One thinks that the government would not want to help in the dumbing down of its country, but who knows what goes on at the top pedestals?!?!

Zetetic_of_Truth

I think what is more likely to happen is that the human species will split, upper class perfect humans and poor retarded humans. The wealthy will bread with the wealthy and have access to all the latest and greatest technology creating super babies. The poor will live in filth and won't have access to anything so they will take a turn for the worse and end up like wolf kids. Once robots become more intelligent and efficient there will be no need for slaves or poor people, they will be cast out of the cities and left to rot.

Originally posted by rls420
idiocracy is one my favorite movies, even though it is pretty retarted.
everyday i see that movie coming to reality more and more, just look at the news, thier always talking about american idol or other stupid show like that instead of stuff that really matters.

but on a side note, i love the part of the movie where he breaks out of jail one of the funniest parts of the whole movie

I know the important things never seem to get the time they deserve anywhere, while crap like american idol or other things get way to much time and attention.
And agreed when he just took off, I died.

Zetetic_of_Truth

Originally posted by DraconianKing
I think what is more likely to happen is that the human species will split, upper class perfect humans and poor retarded humans. The wealthy will bread with the wealthy and have access to all the latest and greatest technology creating super babies. The poor will live in filth and won't have access to anything so they will take a turn for the worse and end up like wolf kids. Once robots become more intelligent and efficient there will be no need for slaves or poor people, they will be cast out of the cities and left to rot.

Sad and scary picture you paint there, that I could actually see in happening. Hopefully this does not happen, because one should not be put above another in this world and that is what happens nowadays to a point, yet not on that scale yet. Thank goodness.
For my other question though, how are we to stop this from happening or is it just bound to happen?

Zetetic_of_Truth

As long as a society caters to the lowest common denominator, then absolutely, a future such as the one in Idiocracy is inevitable.

Truth be told, almost all cultures throughout history have been thus.

In Elizabethan England, English society had degraded to illiterate masses who wanted nothing more than to be entertained. However, almost five centuries later we don't remember the idiotic masses, but the few shining lights that rose above those masses...Shakespeare, Bacon, Marlowe, Spencer, Dee, Raleigh, etc. These few men of learning, of intelligence, and strong moral character, gave birth to a Golden Age of Reason, Art, Language, Literature, and Science. It is because of these rare exceptions to the masses that England laid a claim to the New World, and the stage for our form of government was cast when Bacon penned his "The New Atlantis".

Culture may be defined by the many, but History is defined by the achievements of the few.

I once had an Archaeology Professor who was a Rabbi. He equated this concept of the few who live truly historic lives compared to the masses that just toil their day in and day out to the Torah. He would tell me "Do you know how many times Yehovah decided he was going to smite mankind in the Torah? Yet each of those times he changed his mind! All it took to change his mind each of those times was but one solitary person to redeem the rest of mankind in the eyes of Adonai. So long as one person is able to reach beyond what the rest of mankind is willing to strive for, then humanity will continue to be safe to live another epoch of time."

As the masses of the populace degenerate into deeper pits of idiocy and depravity, it only provides more opportunity for those of intellect and reason and learning to rise above and shine brighter still, just as a night without a moon allows the stars to stand out in greater contrast against the darkened sky.

So, let that be a lesson to you that if you fear Idiocracy from becoming prophetic! Worry not about the idiocy of the masses! Instead, take it upon yourself to strive for something greater and make some history, and maybe in the process give humankind another generation in which to live and learn, and maybe, just maybe, become better people in the process.

i think it is totally plausible that the future they depict in that movie could come to be, sometimes i wonder if it already has.

here's the intro to the movie.



[edit on 7/1/2009 by Alaskan Man]

Originally posted by fraterormus


Culture may be defined by the many, but History is defined by the achievements of the few.

Loved this line! A great strong and beautiful message you have given to us in your post. A star for you for it. Not much else to say in response, except that I agree and think we should all strive in doing this and I think that if we do achieve this it will help make us better people.

Zetetic_of_Truth

That movie is depressing. It's much more valuable as a futurist documentary than it is as a simple comedy to be laughed at.

That movie is pure truth.

A case can be made for the separation of classes being that a dumb, subservient class of inbreds would exist simultaneously with an educated "ruling" class though the numbers all point to the sub class being leaps and bounds larger than the educated class. By simple force of numbers they will over time drag down/damage/destroy and otherwise eliminate the educated class.

The lowest common denominator always wins out in the end.

I think this web comic says it all when it comes to movies like that and those who expound on it: xkcd.com...

try not to get any nosebleeds so far up in those ivory towers of yours.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
That movie is depressing. It's much more valuable as a futurist documentary than it is as a simple comedy to be laughed at.

That movie is pure truth.

A case can be made for the separation of classes being that a dumb, subservient class of inbreds would exist simultaneously with an educated "ruling" class though the numbers all point to the sub class being leaps and bounds larger than the educated class. By simple force of numbers they will over time drag down/damage/destroy and otherwise eliminate the educated class.

The lowest common denominator always wins out in the end.

So do you see anyway around this from happening or is it just bound to happen and we are forced to watch it happen?

Zetetic_of_Truth

reply to post by Zetetic_of_Truth


The only way to prevent it from happening is for people to make better decisions and have self respect.

Like the comic CoffinFeeder posted (which pretty spot on with some of these "holier than thou" types) social/developmental engineering should be avoided at all cost. A zealot taking Idiocracy too far could easily cross into Hitler territory. There's nothing worse than some self-righteous jackass working his way into a position of power just so he can mess with peoples lives as he sees fit.

The best thing you can do is be a good example for the people around you and teach your children well. Even then your kids will make their own decisions for better or worse. If I had a nickle for how many kids with ideal upbringings just one day turn "ghetto" and throw their lives away doing something stupid like selling crack or street racing I could afford to retire.

Good movie, saw it a long while ago. I enjoyed it, thought it was both funny and interesting, but it's over-exaggerated. I seriously doubt any such thing will ever happen, humans will continue to evolve, instead of being the dumb retarded beings they were in Idiocracy.

Also, Luke Wilson will NEVER be the smartest man on Earth.

Good stuff! Interesting...
Except the title of the thread should probably be called,
"Idiocracy is here now!"
That should be fairly clear to most,
(if you're not like the peeps in the movie that is)
and if you happen to live in the
"land of the greed, home of the fraid"

Or, look at the popularity of the palin and jackson
threads for another cheap clue...
(i'm kidding ,lighten up!) s' all good.