If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is around to hear it, is the Earth flat?

[JMDEM]

I am continually impressed with the depth and degree of understanding of the critical issues facing us by DU members, and members of similar progressive blogs.

I am continually depressed by the STUPIDITY of the average American at even having the slightest clue about these critical issues. The majority of Americans can't even find Iraq on a world map. Certain television celebrities apparently don't even know if the world is flat or round (spherical). Beauty queens who can't even put together a coherent sentence are given more attention than Gonzales and the Attorney General scandal. The degree of stupidity is almost beyond comprehension to me.

I think this stupidity is our worst enemy. We can all rant and rave and dig up facts and pull in articles from the world press that get NO coverage in the US press... we can demonstrate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, treasonous and criminal activity among our own elected officials... and nothing happens.

I feel like we are in a vacuum bottle, screaming as loud as we can, and there is no sound.

The rest of the stupefied public -- well, they are like those frogs that get put in a pot, and the heat gets turned up slowly. They don't notice anything is wrong until it is way too late. Then they are cooked. Each moral outrage is just a few extra degrees added to the cooking water.

[Captain Angry]

1. People are distracted.

Until something happens to make the average person pay attention, they will keep themselves occupied with other things.

School, work, health, sports, social climbing, etc.

Civil liberties aren't reported on the nightly news, but Britney is.
Geopolitics can't be explained in a 18 minute news broadcast. (30 minutes - commercials).

The thing that scares me, is that there are a lot of people who are working very hard right now, and living on the edge of not making it. If we have a shock of some sort, I don't know how some of these people will behave. The safety net is thinning, or completely gone in some places.

[Adsos Letter]

2. If the economic blogs are to be believed...

...that shock is coming soon and hard.

:(

[porphyrian]

3. That's why we can't count on other people until something significant changes.

And if we wait for that change to happen, it will likely be too late.

[orleans]

4. stupidity IS our worst enemy which makes george bush the biggest terrorist in the world n/t

[ClintonTyree]

5. I agree with you 100%....

and have often voiced the same opinion here at DU. Then I've been told that I'm being "elitist" or that it's not the fault of the American people that they're so ignorant, that I must not rail against them but should try to understand them.

Bullshit.

"Mainstream" Americans couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the directions written on the heel. They love being lied to, they eat it up with a spoon. As long as some stupid politician panders to their prejudices and ignorance they're AOK and everything is coming up roses. Pass the ribbon magnets and hoist up the red, white and blue boys! Time for a Milwaukee's Best and The O'Reilly Factor! Thelma Lou, keep them youngins quiet!

:banghead: