Takin' it easy.
It’s not me opinion that that people are becoming more intelligent or ignorant.
Me knows that some be not as quick as others.
The world of information is racing along at such breakneck speeds that the gap between the two determinations is constantly widening.
This could be making those who don’t keep up with new things appear to be dumber than they really are. If Ben Franklin suddenly appeared on the streets of America today, most people would think he is a moron. He wouldn't understand half the things we take for granted on a daily basis.
That be one side of the coin, but me has other thoughts on the subject.
Come stomp with me a while and lets talk about this.
It's good to learn about new things, fancy things, with all the bells and whistles, but what about getting back to basics and teaching the things that made all the rest possible.
Reading! The wonderful world of words that took us out of the darkness of ignorance and gives us the power to talk with those who left their thoughts behind them, so that their voices can be heard across the passage of time.
Me be astounded at the amount of people who can't read
According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, 42 million adult Americans can't read; 50 million can recognize so few printed words they are limited to a 4th or 5th grade reading level; one out of every four teenagers drops out of high school, and of those who graduate, one out of every four has the equivalent or less of an eighth grade education.
Me not talking about people in faraway lands.
Me is talking about the folks you pass in the street everyday.
How much money does it take to build and maintain an Aegis battle ship or the new F-22?
How much would it cost to actually educate the youth that pass daily through the schools of the country?
How much more would it cost if we don't.
Me didn't look into mathematics and other areas of education for me were too depressed by the time Me finished reading this article
Me go back to work with a passion.
9 comments:
The situation is similar in the UK. Many students starting university can't write intelligibly, having done all their assignments on computers that fix all their errors for them. We often didn't see their handwriting until the final exams and it came as a shock.
I was once briefly involved in setting up an open day, in which some staff wanted to set up extraordinarily complex exhibits - the sort that would be hard to understand unless you were as specialised as they were. These staff insisted that the general public were better educated than we gave them credit for.
I forget who said it, but the point was raised that if this were the case then why was television showing so many ads for adult literacy classes? The fact, often ignored, is that many people just can't read.
I know dyslexia is a real problem, but it's not that prevalent. Besides, I know a professor who is profoundly dyslexic (he misspells words of four letters) and yet he has worked his way up through PhD to head of a large department.
Around 25% of our university students claimed dyslexia one year. A ridiculous amount, yet every one was assessed and given a medical certificate. One or two were really dyslexic. The others were just using it as an easy way out. In this PC society, if you claim you're disabled, nobody has the courage to tell you you're not, that you're just lazy. It demeans those with real disabilities and allows the idle to get away with doing as little as possible.
The professor I mentioned spent his school days in a remedial class. Dyslexia wasn't allowed back then. He surprised his teachers by getting into university, and he worked. He has a real disability and he overcame it. Knowing this guy, I can have no sympathy for those who claim they can't read or write because it's too hard.
Those with real dyslexia need support and encouragement. How many dyslexic potential professors fell by the wayside in those days, told they were no use and would never amount to anything?
The help for the really disabled is diluted by all those lazy swine who just can't be bothered. That's worse than providing no help at all.
Yes, diverting spending from killing people into educating them would help (I'm all for that under any circumstance) but there's also a prevailing attitude of 'the world owes me' these days. That has to be fixed too. The world owes us nothing.
Sorry about the rant, but the state of education these days is one of those things that gets under my skin.
Stomp on! Romulus.
Me believes that rewarding such laziness with the opportunity to join a working world (Remember that you need a diploma to get any kind of job in the mainstream of society) without actually earning it troubles me as well.
The institutions of education are partly at fault as well.
I think I love you both.
Yes, this stuff drives me crazy, because I do believe reading is the most important skill you can have. And I find it upsetting not just that people don't read as much, but WHY--because nobody encourages them to, because they're not taught rules of grammar in the insanely stupid belief that learning the rules of writing "inhibits creativity"...grrr have to stop now.
Check your Mailbox SM.
I sent you a letter you need to read and I know you spend more time here than you do anywhere else.
Are you ready for the Noth Shore?
Since Vietnam, every generation is dumber than the one that preceded it.
It doesn't seem useful to me that we sit around and berate young people for being 'dumb'.
I am very much in agreement with Rom Crowe's underlying themes of personal responsibility and hard work, but I'm not sure future generations will prize our notions of what is useful or praiseworthy. Reading may not be what they will find fulfilling in life (yes, yes, yes, of course--from our perspective, their worlds will be less rich and meaningful, but that's a bit of egocentric thinking, isn't it?).
Before a certain age, every generation finds nothing but fault in the previous one, and after that age, nothing but fault in the next one.
dq~ That be like saying learning the rules of society inhibits good behaviour.
NYD~ Your sister is a retard! Don't let that stop you.
tgf~ Why do you think that is? Maybe sniffing napalm destroys too many brain cells?
lbb~ Good point. An excellent choice of words and throughly well written, but the logic is false.
Me not be talking about transient ideas nor popular theories. Me is disturbed by the lack of the basic ability to communicate through written symbols. This is not egocentric. When the mind is unable to understand higher ideas what kind of society will we have?
Very few found geometry fulfilling when they were learning it, but Me is glad the bridge builders know how to apply it.
I can't partake. I can't read the post. I got 42 million brethren though.
I'm here SM...reading and feeling kind of at home in your little corner of the world-
Been a long day.
I'm teaching my own kids- and making sure they understand what they are being taught in school.
I'm doing what I can- and need to do to develop wise and helpful citizens for our country.
Let me tell you this though...when I worked in the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Duke- and I saw all kinds of cancer, in all kinds of people, EVERY single day- I began to wonder "When will I get cancer?"-
I was very afraid.
We will believe and accept what we fill our minds with- and the mainstream media loves to paint a dark picture over a light one.
Based on the survey you quoted- over 200 millon Americans can read just fine, and 75% of our students graduate from High school.
The numbers could be better- no doubt...
But I wonder what other government run instutiton has a 75% success rate?
The IRS I suppose? :)
Monster- I send a hug- hope you know I think you are special :)
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