The Dumbing Down of America's Youth

Pachipro

Pachipro

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As I mentioned in the Brainwashing thread and a few others, education in the West is mainly controlled by the elite who only teach what they want us to know and to think how they want us to think.

This can not be more evident than the recent poll that the majority of Americans know more about American Idol and the Simpsons than they do about their own rights which are about to be snatched out from right under their noses. The sad part is that they won't even know they had them to begin with.

For those that are brainwashed already and continue to say, "Well if you haven't done anything wrong, why should it bother you or why should you be worried?" I say, then how would you feel if the police busted into your house and did a search without a warrant of your personal belongings, computer and video tapes because of something you said to someone or wrote on an internet bulliten board? Or just because they thought you might be a shady character? Or they stopped your car for no reason on the interstate and detained and searched you without reasonable cause and without a warrant?

Well, it's happening today all across the country and it's the Patriot Act, just extended yesterday, that gives them the right. I see quite a few cars stopped on the interstate everynight and their vehicles being searched. More than I ever saw before.

Even though the Patriot Act specifically says it is to be used against suspected terrorists, it is being used against anyone "they" deem suspicious.

Call me paranoid if you wish, but it's happening. Ever so slowly it's happening.
 
Most people take freedom for granted until they lose it, i rather feel alot of the time that many people are sleep walking into something quite bad in England- we are becomming more and more like china everyday.
 
Tokis-Pheonix said:
Most people take freedom for granted until they lose it, i rather feel alot of the time that many people are sleep walking into something quite bad in England- we are becomming more and more like china everyday.
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You are quite correct Tokis-Pheonix. Not only in England but in the US, and probably Japan as well.
 
I was going to post something like this. :souka:

Anyways, I think this may have to do with the anti-intellectualism that's very rampant in American society. It's not hard to keep people stupid, that's what it's all about is keeping people from knowing things. Because if people know too much they'll understand and be aware of what's happening.
 
As someone who grew up listening to AM radio whenever a parent or my brother was in the car, I've always been fairly interested in current events. This interest sort of waned with college and my new schedule of endless classes, interviews, clubs, and alcohol. Once graduation hit and I left the protective bubble of organized education, however, I noticed a profound apathy amongst the population regarding events at home and abroad that may affect everyone. A relaxed work environment allows me to peruse various websites and a great circle of friends provide me with great feedback on different issues when I bounce opinions off of them.

I don't think that the Patriot Act passed based on lack of knowledge or ignorance. I think it passed based on fear. Recent events have shaken the air of invincibility and safety that permeated nations both here and abroad. Many people I know are perfectly willing to forgoe the aforementioned personal freedoms because they find the fight against terrorism to be a higher priority. I don't think this is brainwashing, but each person has to ask themselves what is more important. There's certainly no shortage of pundits on either side telling people what to think, but it's important for people to take each issue personally, rather than brushing it off and saying it doesn't affect them.
 
But do people really know what the Patriot Act goes against several Admendments? Because I feel that if alot of people knew more about the Constitution, there would be more of an outrage over the Patriot Act. Besides, how is the Patriot Act supposed to make Americans more safe? I don't see how it will.
 
This problem originated a long time ago.

When Americans gave up being citizens and became "consumers." I pinpoint the start of it as the suburbaniztion of the United States. After that got the ball rolling, its all been downhill.

I suggest ANYONE pick up a copy of "The Geography of Nowhere." I hold that suburbs are singularly the biggest waste of American resources, and a drain on the concept of community. Ever wonder why so much of America looks exactly the same? Strip malls, parking lots, subdivisions, office parks, mega-schools, more parking lots, etc.. There's a reason.

What does all this have to do with education? This kind of geography induces a passive, avoid-reality-why-leave my home attitude. Far better to seal yourself off in a Mchousing development, plug into the internet, eat cheetos, and watch cable TV all day then actually get out learn something.


This particular fellow is the champion of my viewpoint.

www.kunstler.com
 
No one in america or england as far as the youth goes, has any reasons or indications at the moment apart from a very few, to spur them into action about these things. I think it is so interesting, that while people in other countries are fighting to the death to have the right over who and what they vote for, while most young people over here now days couldn't care less.

When you turn on the tv to watch the news, you always hear the same old repetitive droning of some middle aged man repeating the same sort of news events as what was going on last week. If you watch the news hard enough over here in england, your brain cells will start to melt just trying to pick out the sense of what people are saying or the points they are trying to make because no one has taught you the basics of what they are talking about, or trying to put together where everything is going.
Somtimes i feel that people actually try and deliberatly make the news mind numbing so people can't be bothered to watch it- i mean, how many 19yr olds or similary aged teenagers do you know that ever watch the politics shows on tv at the end of the day? Most people are far more concerned now days about the pursuit of gossip and knowledge on the latest celebrities/famous people in the papers, or whats the latest fashion or hottest movies etc...

I think it would be far better if people placed more emphasis on teaching the basics of politics and how everything works, as if you ask any teenager here "What exactly do Labour stand for", or "what are their goals this year?", no one will be able to tell you- most people don't even know what the most well-known or popular political partys stand for over here, or how they effect our rights or day to day lives as people, unless, i dunno, one of the politicions got into big brother or somthing like that.
Most people, even in our day and age of political correctness and racial awareness, do not have a clue what other races or countries religeons are about- all we get is the same old tripe about how great christianity is and what its about taught to us as we read the bible over and over again in our schools- but how often, do we actually get taught about other peoples beliefs or struggles(by the way i am not anti-christianity or anything, i am just making a point)?
Most americans and english people couldn't care less what goes on in the rest of the world as long as it doesn't directly affect their day to day lives in any serious way...
 
mad pierrot said:
When Americans gave up being citizens and became "consumers." I pinpoint the start of it as the suburbaniztion of the United States. After that got the ball rolling, its all been downhill.
I suggest ANYONE pick up a copy of "The Geography of Nowhere." I hold that suburbs are singularly the biggest waste of American resources, and a drain on the concept of community. Ever wonder why so much of America looks exactly the same? Strip malls, parking lots, subdivisions, office parks, mega-schools, more parking lots, etc.. There's a reason.
What does all this have to do with education? This kind of geography induces a passive, avoid-reality-why-leave my home attitude. Far better to seal yourself off in a Mchousing development, plug into the internet, eat cheetos, and watch cable TV all day then actually get out learn something.
This particular fellow is the champion of my viewpoint.
www.kunstler.com
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So he's saying during periods of large scale precarious economic dislocation before post-WWII, and even the rise in 1920's urban culture, because the average farmer, child laborer and immigrant were forced out of their homes often by dire circumstances that education standards tended to be higher then they are today ??? Political activism will wax and wane with levels of material prosperity and perceived national crisis (up in the 1960's and '70's for instance) ; 'community activism' as measured by volunteerism, community service, etc is at much higher levels than 20 years ago. Neither of which is directly related to how much you know or educational background per se....

Not that suburban complacency and cultural impoverishment can't be attacked or satirized....at the same time a lot of those kids are getting the best education their money can buy and insularity is just as viscious and corrupting among the urban poor and very wealthy.
 
So he's saying during periods of large scale precarious economic dislocation before post-WWII, and even the rise in 1920's urban culture, because the average farmer, child laborer and immigrant were forced out of their homes often by dire circumstances that education standards tended to be higher then they are today ???
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Nope. I was making the point that what I view as the downfall of education coincided with the suburbanization America. Never mentioned or hinted that America was perfect before that time.

at the same time a lot of those kids are getting the best education their money can buy
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I whole heartedly disagree.

insularity is just as viscious and corrupting among the urban poor and very wealthy.
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I never said it wasn't!


Political activism will wax and wane with levels of material prosperity and perceived national crisis (up in the 1960's and '70's for instance) ; 'community activism' as measured by volunteerism, community service, etc is at much higher levels than 20 years ago. Neither of which is directly related to how much you know or educational background per se....
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This is actually an entirely different issue I'd love to discuss. I'm completely disenfranchised with most activism. Let me know if you feel like pursuing this topic!
 
Tokis-Phoenix said:
i rather feel alot of the time that many people are sleep walking into something quite bad in England
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I feel the same, actually - the trouble is, I can't yet figure out what it is. :worried:

I try and keep up with what's going on, but:
When you turn on the tv to watch the news, you always hear the same old repetitive droning of some middle aged man repeating the same sort of news events as what was going on last week. If you watch the news hard enough over here in england, your brain cells will start to melt just trying to pick out the sense of what people are saying or the points they are trying to make because no one has taught you the basics of what they are talking about, or trying to put together where everything is going.
Somtimes i feel that people actually try and deliberatly make the news mind numbing so people can't be bothered to watch it
Click to expand...
Like most other people, I only have time to catch the news quickly, the headlines on the radio if I'm lucky, or skimming through the BBC website on the net. Most people don't have the luxury of the time to 'investigate' the (especially political) news as deeply as it might require. :souka:
 
Kinsao said:
Like most other people, I only have time to catch the news quickly, the headlines on the radio if I'm lucky, or skimming through the BBC website on the net. Most people don't have the luxury of the time to 'investigate' the (especially political) news as deeply as it might require. :souka:
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I think it would be better though if schools made an effort though to teach their pupils/students about the basics of politics though or go more indepth into the historys of various political parties or events, as pretty much everything i currently know about politics was grudgingly self-taught as i realised the importance of it more and more to my day-to-day life- i think people would also pay more interest in what goes on in politics, not just their own countries, but other places in the world too if only they had some where that would simply explain the basics of everything without dragging on for hours at a time about it.
When you turn on the tv when you feel in the mood to listen into a political debate on tv, it can often seem so depressing or fustrating when everyone is referring too or talking about things you don't even know the basics of- i think part of the reason why things are going so down-hill now days is because so very few people actually have any understanding or interest into what is happening in their country at the core of things and what the ruling/popular powers at that point in time actually stand for etc.
I don't often watch the news either, but the little knowledge i have gained about the way things work so far has been very valuable even if it doesn't always directly effect me- thankfully i had my brother who explained a lot of things to me, but otherwise i don't know if i would have known where to start at the beginning :? ..
 
Family Guy > Simpsons

Anyway I dont care much, im white and they wont pull me over, anyone who looked Arab was pulled over anyway, they just legalized it.

And I learned politics in school, USA is always right, everyone else is wrong. /end

Freedom fries for all!

freedomfries.jpg
 
Americans think they are free. The government regulates everything. The government controls education. If they find something to be unfavorable, i'm sure they wouldn't mind changing it.

I blame the american attitude. "I am better then you"
 
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I'm a high school assistant principal. I guess that makes me part of the machine....
 
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