The Dumbing of America
"Тупеющая Америка": беда не только в отсутствии знаний, но и в том, что люди кичатся своим невежеством.
People accustomed to hearing their president explain complicated policy choices by snapping "I'm the decider" may find it almost impossible to imagine the pains that Franklin D. Roosevelt took, in the grim months after Pearl Harbor, to explain why U.S. armed forces were suffering one defeat after another in the Pacific. In February 1942, Roosevelt urged Americans to spread out a map during his radio "fireside chat" so that they might better understand the geography of battle. In stores throughout the country, maps sold out; about 80 percent of American adults tuned in to hear the president. FDR had told his speechwriters that he was certain that if Americans understood the immensity of the distances over which supplies had to travel to the armed forces, "they can take any kind of bad news right on the chin."
This is a portrait not only of a different presidency and president but also of a different country and citizenry, one that lacked access to satellite-enhanced Google maps but was far more receptive to learning and complexity than today's public. According to a 2006 survey by National Geographic-Roper, nearly half of Americans between ages 18 and 24 do not think it necessary to know the location of other countries in which important news is being made. More than a third consider it "not at all important" to know a foreign language, and only 14 percent consider it "very important."
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Among the comments:
deb123 wrote:
Thank you for addressing what I consider to be one of THE most pressing issues of our time. I've sometimes considered a conspiracy by our politicians to encourage stupidity so they can get anyone elected (I'm only half kidding.) I was embarrassed and horrified when a young woman in my town said she would like to travel to different countries -- like Alabama! Our arrogance seems to keep pace with our ignorance and, with a shrinking world, we're going to be left out if we don't look at this issue seriously.
People accustomed to hearing their president explain complicated policy choices by snapping "I'm the decider" may find it almost impossible to imagine the pains that Franklin D. Roosevelt took, in the grim months after Pearl Harbor, to explain why U.S. armed forces were suffering one defeat after another in the Pacific. In February 1942, Roosevelt urged Americans to spread out a map during his radio "fireside chat" so that they might better understand the geography of battle. In stores throughout the country, maps sold out; about 80 percent of American adults tuned in to hear the president. FDR had told his speechwriters that he was certain that if Americans understood the immensity of the distances over which supplies had to travel to the armed forces, "they can take any kind of bad news right on the chin."
This is a portrait not only of a different presidency and president but also of a different country and citizenry, one that lacked access to satellite-enhanced Google maps but was far more receptive to learning and complexity than today's public. According to a 2006 survey by National Geographic-Roper, nearly half of Americans between ages 18 and 24 do not think it necessary to know the location of other countries in which important news is being made. More than a third consider it "not at all important" to know a foreign language, and only 14 percent consider it "very important."
Full article
Among the comments:
deb123 wrote:
Thank you for addressing what I consider to be one of THE most pressing issues of our time. I've sometimes considered a conspiracy by our politicians to encourage stupidity so they can get anyone elected (I'm only half kidding.) I was embarrassed and horrified when a young woman in my town said she would like to travel to different countries -- like Alabama! Our arrogance seems to keep pace with our ignorance and, with a shrinking world, we're going to be left out if we don't look at this issue seriously.