Dumbing down of Americans-getting more stupid by the day

[The Straight Story]

Dumbing down of Americans

If recent surveys are any indication, Americans seem to be getting more stupid by the day. What’s more, furthering one’s education doesn’t seem to be much of a hedge against the stupidity trend.

But before anyone starts pointing fingers at the usual scapegoats – teachers of every stripe – the owners of those fingers ought to delve deeper into the problem.

A study of literacy conducted on college campuses came up with some rather depressing findings: Most college kids are stumped by complex but common tasks. More than 50 percent of students at four-year universities, and more than 75 percent at two-year colleges, couldn’t perform “complex literacy tasks.”

In other words, many of these kids couldn’t interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure, compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees, compare the cost per ounce of food, balance checkbooks and calculate restaurant tips, or understand the arguments of newspaper editorials.

Well. Perhaps the latter problem explains some of the complaints the Daily Press has received over the years. Folks didn’t necessarily disagree with our opinions; they simply didn’t comprehend them.

http://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/editorials/local_story_025142702.html?keyword=topstory

[WLKjr]

1. I have a quick answer for that:

(most) People just don't give a damn anymore about anything.

[Ksec]

2. I think this is bogus

Done to give them an excuse to export our jobs . They simply point to stuff like this and then say Americas workforce isnt able to handle it. Like Chinas education system is any better.

[neoblues]

5. Clever notion... probably is the real reason for such

reports... that, and the fact that thanks to Repubs our educational system has indeed been badly damaged (and Republican dominated schoolboards can't even tell the difference between Science and theocratic fantasy anymore--or they can tell, but want things their way and are willing to cheat to get it).

[GrumpyGreg]

3. Watch Leno's Jaywalking Allstars if you want to see stupid.

Question: What country is north of the USA?

Answer: Hawaii?

Unbelievable !

[Yoda Yada]

4. Bushco relies HEAVILY on the stupidity of their supporters. nt

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. I read the whole article, and I completely agree with it

The whole society wants something for nothing, and the attitude rubs off on students.

[neoblues]

7. I, for one, do feel more stupid, by the day... since Bush

took office. How could we have been so dumb as to allow the forces of darkness, the republicans, to have repealed the protections against monopolies in our public mass communications--way back when, under Ray-gun, as well as all the infringements on our rights since. How we slept through the coup. How we're failing to respond to having had our country hijacked by the organized minority who've literally overturned the will of the people through fraud... yet despite our vaunted wisdom, we're unable to do anything about it... We haven't even found a way to ensure honest elections and time is growing short.

Durrhhh... I feels my brane cells gettin more an more conservative-like every day... they're must be sumpthing I can dew? Gads itsa gittin wurse bye thuh meenut... Sewn I be juslyke Jorge Bush (hic)(mah nu herow)... Feareedom is awn thuh martch! Sewn, I be far gawn knot tuh care no mo... Mebbe's is sumpin in dur watter?