Re: The dumbing of America?
- From: "Keith Hudson" <keithhudson@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 13:42:48 -0500 (EST)
On Feb 8, 6:25 am, "Gil Lawton" <gillaw...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Keith Hudson" <keithhud...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eqd78l$10be$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Keith,
I don't mean to offend, but to offer an observation, namely: I frequently
see references to the title "dumbing of America," used by people who
demonstrate an enormous amount of ignorance. Often that ignorance is not so
much ignorance of fact, but a gross lack of skill in recognizing the way
facts can be selectively offered or withheld, and can be interpreted in ways
best described as pursuant to one's own aggrandizement, at the expense of
condescending the purveyors of any other interpretation or spin than as
suits the whim of the speaker/writer. And that, too, is quite ignorant,
don't you see.
Granted... I am an American and admittedly quite as dumb as can be; but I
try to work a bit at changing that... rather than being so satisfied with
where I am with the struggle is superior than where any other might be
found -- assuming, of course, that he is making any effort at all.
Of the few dear friends I have who are in the U. K. or have left it to take
up residence among the "dumb," I find them each and all to be quite bright,
quite well informed, and quite prone to be condescending toward anyone who
might be so dumb as to disagree with them on anything. And... let me add...
I find them quite charming in spite of the latter and -- when they come down
off their high horses to
be capable of perceiving that there might be a bit of something here and
there that they don't actually know for a certainty, either.
(:>)
May you and I agree that we are exceptions as to the category of being too
proud of ourselves, and too busy judging others, to get on with doing
something constructive about the problem of our own ignorance? It might
provide a bit of fresh air, perhaps.
g
KH:
I am not offended at all. But I detect that you think I am being
condescending. It should have been clear (or perhaps I didn't succeed)
that I think that Western Europe (including my own country, England)
is, if anything, in a far worse predicament than America with regard
to general quality of education (that is, state education) -- and
particularly science education. At least you still have a sizeable
clutch of world-class universities whereas we have barely two in
Western Europe and even these -- Oxford and Cambridge -- are in a
parlous state. I doubt whether you or I or anybody else (including
governments) can do anything "constructive" to arrest the general
decline. All institutions and forms of governance have their day. The
other side of the coin is that episodes of creativity constantly occur
-- usually among very small groups of individuals -- and that these
days, with a massive world population and thus heightened chances of
brain gene mutation and propitious circumstances, then we can expect
more of these episodes than formerly. (It is likely, too, in my
opinion, that the Internet will be the appropriate modern institution
in which these conceptual episodes are likely to be identified and
initially encouraged.)
Keith Hudson
.
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