Posted: 4/12/2008 8:21:16 PM EDT
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In general is America getting dumber? I see or read all this stuff that just blows my mind that someone could be that stupid to do. So are people just idiots or is the internet and tv making it seem this way? |
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I was a history major. I have studied certain aspects of the past in great depth. My answer to your question is this: People are not getting stupider, no. My hunch is that the relative distribution of innate intelligence among the human population has changed little. However, because that population has increased exponentially in the last fifty years, there are, indeed, many MORE truly stupid people walking around today than at any previous time in history. And therein lies the danger, especially in a Democracy like ours. As John F. Kennedy once put it: "In a Democracy, the ignorance of one voter threatens the security of all." |
| I imagine we're holding pretty steady intelligence-wise on average, but I think our distribution curve is getting shallower and wider. That is, you have people who are a lot smarter, and who are a lot dumber. Also, a lot more at the extremes with fewer who are average. |
+1 to all that. ETRemove: Nevermind that part, that's another topic. |
And for anyone who hasn't seen that movie needs to. |
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Why even link to a specific video? Or even a specific website? The comments to any video on the internet are mind bogglingly(is that even a word?) stupid. And that assumes you're able to decipher the comments at all! |
I linked to the intro because it sets up the the movie... It is also disturbingly true... 
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I think the United States is getting dumber...There is no such thing as survival of the fittest at all here. If you can't see, get glasses, if you can't hear, get a hearing aid, if you don't want to work, food stamps/welfare. The everyone owes me mentality is taking over our country. 
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In the early 50's they certainly seemed to be smarter and have better judgement than today. By a wide margin too. Edit to add: Gross intelligence was the same then as today but net or applied intelligence is much lower today. Todays left would have been laughed at and run out of town back then. This is clear proof that people were effectively smarter back then. BTW, St. Joe McCarthy was right, that is he was correct. Edit to add: the changing demographics, forgot them, calculate an average IQ of about 95 in the US today, down from more like 97.4 back then. I didn't look up the demographic percentages back then but think my guess is pretty close. A look at judicial decisions, law suit decisions, the democrat party, hollywood, the media and such very strongly indicates that the effective or net IQ in the US is far below 95. The same could be said about the rest of the world, it's intellectual efficiency is very low at this period in time and appears to be declining. |
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I think there is just more of them. I work as a heavy truck and trailer parts counterman and have for the last 17 years. I have noticed that the "mechanics" we have now know less than I do about trucks. There is something wrong when I have to tell a mechanic how to troubleshoot brakes. I also believe we have a parenting problem. None of the parents now drive their kids to do their best. For instance, If I brought home a report card that wasn't up to standard, my dad would ask me if I did my best. That made me think and of course I would try harder. Now parents believe that if their kid isn't doing good in school then it is all the school's fault, even though they (the parents) were too busy to teach the kid anything. Sign of the times. |
Apparently, The majority of kids are raised by single moms now.... We're fucked because of that alone. (note, I'm not bashing single moms... I'm just saying from my own experience and what I've seen of my peers it is BADDDDDDDDDD.) |
 Think you got left behind  Seriously though, fostering free thinking and skills you speak of is the job of parents. Problem these days is that no one wants to act like a parent, just expect the gov't to do their job. It sickitates me.
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We have access to more information than ever before.By all accounts people should know more and be better informed. I think it's because people don't have to think anymore, every thing is done for them, and they never learn how to apply what they learn. I think that people just don't care anymore, they just want to learn what will get them by today and how to work a cell phone. I believe that common sense has definitely gone bye bye. |
That made me giggle, I have to admit. |