Are American kids getting dumber by the year?

Discussion in 'Politics' started by jbtrader23, Nov 21, 2002.

  1. ElCubano

    ElCubano

    thats not exactly what I meant....but your point is correct...I was talking about motivation/hard work/and persistence are what add value not really just being smart....who cares what the population is; that doesnt add value to the economy...hard work does....
     
    #21     Nov 21, 2002
  2. Great point.
     
    #22     Nov 21, 2002
  3. k-12 public education in many areas is primarily for babysitting and left wing social manipulation. That is also the primary reason that private schools exist.

    As far as the dumbing down goes, consider that college protestors have gone from protesting the Vietnam war to protesting THE GAP. Yeah, they are dumber.
     
    #23     Nov 21, 2002
  4. dbphoenix

    dbphoenix

    Lest we be accused of being pots calling the kettle black, it's worth noting the traders on this board who don't know the difference between lose and loose, advice and advise, loan and lend, etc, etc, etc.

    There's nothing new about ignorance.

    And as for college kids, there was a time when they stuffed themselves into phone booths and swallowed goldfish. So are we making progress or not?

    --Db
     
    #24     Nov 21, 2002
  5. ElCubano

    ElCubano

    progress is pretty much measured by the GDP..... you tell me; are we making progress????
     
    #25     Nov 21, 2002
  6. With such ignorant population, how can U.S. be so prosperous? I'm puzzled.
     
    #26     Nov 21, 2002
  7. dbphoenix

    dbphoenix

    Because no other country rewards entrepreneurship the way we do. And you don't have to have all that many people who are on the ball to generate prosperity. One person with one idea hires X people to help develop, manufacture, market, distribute, etc. And, of course, somebody has to empty the wastebaskets and sweep up.

    It doesn't make any difference whether it's Microsoft or the corner bar. There are always many more indians than chiefs.

    --Db
     
    #27     Nov 21, 2002
  8. ElCubano

    ElCubano

    And in some cases you dont have to be so smart to be a Chief.....:D
     
    #28     Nov 21, 2002
  9. With such an ignorant population, how can we be so prosperous?

    The people running the country are the baby boomers, plus you have tremendous amounts of foreign investments and foreign knowledge and brainpower coming here, thus it creates a realitively prosperous country. I say relatively, because there are two sides the coin. Real wages have barely kept up with inflation over the last few decades, the gap between the rich and the poor has gone up dramatically, it now takes 2 parents working to make ends meet (contrast that with the '50's and '60's where it took one), American families are up to their eyeballs in debt,....so you could certainly make the arguement that our prosperity is skating on thin ice. If foreign investment dried up, we'd be in big trouble.

    I don't know why the culture has choosen entertainment over being smart. Look at the gangster rap culture. Being smart makes you look like a complete nerd. The more you party and hang out with chicks, the cooler you are.

    I really think this entertainment/consumerism/materialism type of lifestyle is going to come back to haunt us in 20-30 years. While we were watching MTV and going to the GAP, the rest of the world was beating us in Math and Physics scores, and saving their money, being fiscally responsible,.....and ultimately coming out on top economically.
     
    #29     Nov 21, 2002
  10. rs7

    rs7

    Leave it to Dotslash to come up with something like this. "Social Manipulation"???? Everything bad is "left wing". Context is irrelevant. Thought process, irrelevant. Common sense, irrelevant. As are economics, culture, parenting, family values, and anything else that may affect our education systems. Blame all ills on the "left wing".

    Private schools exist to keep those kids away from the dangerous left wing elements:confused:

    Hahahahaha. Dotslash is the politicized version of Thunderbolt. Living in a world of black and white. Scary!

    Peace, (war for Dotslash...that's what would make him happy)

    :)rs7
     
    #30     Nov 21, 2002