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yardwork

(65,898 posts)
Mon Nov 18, 2024, 11:40 AM Nov 2024

Maybe too many Americans are dumb. [View all]

By "dumb," I mean too lazy to do the hard work required to read, reflect, and learn. Dumb people don't bother with that. They "do their own research" by watching videos on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. They watch 30 seconds, get reinforced in their opinion, and walk away with their minds closed to anything different. That's dumb.

People can be educated but still dumb. Dumb is encouraging your students to vote against Harris to "teach the Democrats a lesson" about US policy in the Middle East - thus allowing Trump to be elected and enact a far worse policy. That's dumb.

Lots of people in the news media are dumb. They ignore thousands of outrageous things Trump says and does, then hone in on Biden when he stumbles over a word. False equivalence is a dumb approach to reporting the news. It's not news, it's just shoveling lies around. It's also pretty easy ro see through, if you bother to tear yourself away from Fox News for a couple minutes. Not noticing the false equivalence is dumb.

When I was growing up, I knew lots of smart people. They weren't all educated, but they were smart. They ran farms and small businesses. They read and reflected on things. They argued over Nixon v Humphrey, but they were arguments about policy. Very few people liked Wallace. He didn't get the nomination. Nixon won and that was a mistake, but it wasn't a totally dumb mistake. People had reasons to choose Nixon. I didn't agree with them, but they weren't dumb in the way that voting for Trump is totally, utterly irredeemably dumb.

I'm sure I'll be called an elitest for calling Americans dumb. I'm out of fucks to give about that. I'm supposed to believe that Trump won because Kamala Harris invited Oprah to the convention?

Picking a hateful, doddering fool who bellowed lies and promised to destroy our country's government, because of the price of eggs? That's dumb.

I understand that people are frustrated and tired. But the people I know who helped elect Trump are not poor. They're not exhausted. They're just dumb.

Go ahead. Let me have it.

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Intellectually lazy or shallow. Or both. ms liberty Nov 2024 #1
I have been mulling over the question of whether Harris could have defeated Ocelot II Nov 2024 #2
This is what I've been thinking, too. yardwork Nov 2024 #6
I blame the Kardashians and other "reality" shows..... now it's cool to be stupid. groundloop Nov 2024 #64
That's where Trump got his start. Dumb fake reality shows. yardwork Nov 2024 #68
The dumbing up of AmeriKKKa,.... magicarpet Nov 2024 #106
Oh,.. let's not forget the dumbest of them all magicarpet Nov 2024 #107
Reality TV, social media and now AI radius777 Nov 2024 #161
It all changed when Obama was elected. ECL213 Nov 2024 #67
It might be a coincidence, but the timing is sure suspicious. yardwork Nov 2024 #69
The task escalated from defeating a candidate to defeating Russian, Chinese, Iranian and far right disinformation. mahina Nov 2024 #139
I agree with this. yardwork Nov 2024 #142
The ONLY thing i disagree with you on is cyndensco Nov 2024 #3
This NewHendoLib Nov 2024 #5
Thanks! yardwork Nov 2024 #7
+1 RockRaven Nov 2024 #10
This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Nov 2024 #56
Thank you! yardwork Nov 2024 #59
Oh, wow, are you ever on track! soldierant Nov 2024 #125
This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Nov 2024 #126
Thank you. soldierant Nov 2024 #159
Give systems more resources. I would not use less than 32GB of RAM TheKentuckian Nov 2024 #131
This is why I basically withdrew... Hugin Nov 2024 #4
No you are right...I have two sons and they are intelligent but dumb JT45242 Nov 2024 #8
We saw some of this in 2000, and then it accelerated in 2016. yardwork Nov 2024 #12
But they and huge parts of their generation are the worst purity voters. Mariana Nov 2024 #60
The same kind of targeted propaganda. EarlG explained it well. yardwork Nov 2024 #61
Many have been vouchered into ignorance. Jit423 Nov 2024 #9
George Carlin was right!. Stupid People EVERYWHERE IrishBubbaLiberal Nov 2024 #11
Speaking of George Carlin, here he is on Olbermann's old MSNBC show "Countdown". keep_left Nov 2024 #72
Do I miss him. His voice would be so relevant today. Evolve Dammit Nov 2024 #76
Stupid people reproduce like bunnies IronLionZion Nov 2024 #13
And now it's glorified not fooled Nov 2024 #14
I think that dumb markodochartaigh Nov 2024 #15
54% of adults are literate to just below a sixth grade level. Hotler Nov 2024 #16
Literacy is a hidden issue. yardwork Nov 2024 #39
Wow! ReRe Nov 2024 #97
This message was self-deleted by its author Hotler Nov 2024 #100
Italian economist explains the 5 laws of stupid people. Worth a read. Pepsidog Nov 2024 #17
There is also a great you tube video on the mass psychosis that fits JT45242 Nov 2024 #18
That is fascinating! yardwork Nov 2024 #31
Nixon wasn't a meat puppet. Every Republican President and nominee starting with Reagan has been a meat puppet. hunter Nov 2024 #19
HW Bush wasn't stupid peregrinus Nov 2024 #26
HW Bush was ethically compromised. hunter Nov 2024 #37
Agreed, but compare him to Trump... yardwork Nov 2024 #40
Cmon, give us a source. raccoon Nov 2024 #42
Not even light work. I just note how people refuse to JCMach1 Nov 2024 #20
I know a bunch of them myself kimbutgar Nov 2024 #21
Eliminating the draft has changed our country dlk Nov 2024 #22
And in the sixties, with the war in Vietnam, the draft brought organized rebellion and critical thinking to new levels. SupportSanity Nov 2024 #120
Many people do not have good critical thinking skills Buckeyeblue Nov 2024 #23
How did you hear me in my kitchen last night? BigmanPigman Nov 2024 #24
K&R Solly Mack Nov 2024 #25
Willfully ignorant, lazy, irresponsible, selfish, hate filled, racist and sexist. Irish_Dem Nov 2024 #27
Willfully, or just plain, ignorant is the answer. The rest of your list hits the spot too. Magoo48 Nov 2024 #33
Most of the MAGAs I know are lying when they spout Trump nonsense. Irish_Dem Nov 2024 #36
Okay, you've had it buddy. I used my rec-ing ball on you. jaxexpat Nov 2024 #28
I thought Bill Maher had a good take on this. Littlered Nov 2024 #29
What exactly is the party's social agenda? Stuckinthebush Nov 2024 #34
"social agenda" means everyone treated like human beings Skittles Nov 2024 #104
Bill Maher is dumb. yardwork Nov 2024 #38
preach it, yardwork Skittles Nov 2024 #109
do you not get it? Skittles Nov 2024 #101
Gaslighting John Shaft Nov 2024 #130
"social agenda" - still waiting on you to define this. TBF Nov 2024 #154
Willful ignorance! Nt Grumpy Old Guy Nov 2024 #30
We have reaped the rewards of 40 years of the intentional destruction of American education. flashman13 Nov 2024 #32
that's how they want them 4catsmom Nov 2024 #35
"It's the army they didn't have to pay for." Yep. That's IT. RIGHT THERE. calimary Nov 2024 #47
Feature, not a glitch. Iggo Nov 2024 #41
It's not about being merely "dumb" Blue_Tires Nov 2024 #43
That's my definition of dumb, right there. yardwork Nov 2024 #48
You are absolutely RIGHT. They're dumb. They dumbly choose against reading and lifelong learning as essential. ancianita Nov 2024 #44
This, right here: yardwork Nov 2024 #54
Fine. Appreciated, but ancianita Nov 2024 #81
Maybe????? If this election isn't proof positive, nothing else is. Vinca Nov 2024 #45
I was trying to leave the door open for argument... yardwork Nov 2024 #49
It's a winning argument, so no, ancianita Nov 2024 #85
Republicans wanna finish the job by getting rid of the Dept of Education. BradBo Nov 2024 #46
They are nothing if not consistent. yardwork Nov 2024 #51
They are dumb DownriverDem Nov 2024 #50
Remember half of them are below average........ lastlib Nov 2024 #52
The Republicans, with their far-reaching propaganda media, have made every single Democrat in office hadEnuf Nov 2024 #53
This. And too many of us go along with it yardwork Nov 2024 #58
This right here. hadEnuf Nov 2024 #77
Bingo. yardwork Nov 2024 #86
Maybe?? n/t Timewas Nov 2024 #55
I am having a little difficulty viewing someone who calls themselves yardwork as elitist. You are right, they are dumb. camartinwv Nov 2024 #57
They also like to learn the hard way quite a lot. Crowman2009 Nov 2024 #62
I think working poor who vote fascist are so miserable that they want to destroy everything around them, yaesu Nov 2024 #63
The majority of poor people voted for Harris, though. yardwork Nov 2024 #65
And this is interesting Lulu KC Nov 2024 #156
Their message sounded good to me. yardwork Nov 2024 #157
Ask any of them BigMin28 Nov 2024 #66
Maybe? relayerbob Nov 2024 #70
Idiots actually IbogaProject Nov 2024 #71
Don't forget that an unanticipated benefit of long workdays for the corporations LT Barclay Nov 2024 #73
Great post! Very good points. My only comment would be that neither Nixon or Evolve Dammit Nov 2024 #74
We are Dumb All Over JoseBalow Nov 2024 #75
Dumb and evil. When one part has gigantic signs at their convention MaryMagdaline Nov 2024 #78
They watch Fox, listen to Joe Rogan, the hundreds of all the RW stuff out there. kerry-is-my-prez Nov 2024 #79
Every Empire dies... Dan Nov 2024 #80
I can't disagree, which is sad. yardwork Nov 2024 #88
It's not a matter of academic intelligence or education Joe Nation Nov 2024 #82
Just maybe? NoRethugFriends Nov 2024 #83
Polly, in Sir Terry Pratchett's 'Monstrous Regiment' GoneOffShore Nov 2024 #84
I just watched these three documentaries... LaRaven Nov 2024 #87
Welcome back, and thank you! yardwork Nov 2024 #90
Thanks. I'm downloading episode 1 of brainwashed. scipan Nov 2024 #98
Brainwashed is good - a little weak with the interviews LaRaven Nov 2024 #132
Not dumb. Gullible, misinformed, naive. Martin68 Nov 2024 #89
To that I would add frequently obtuse, complicit and/or hypocritical. PeaceWave Nov 2024 #140
I have no doubt Trumpists are hypocritical, but I suspect many people who voted for Trump are not hypocritical Martin68 Nov 2024 #149
Every morning I visit the Michigan News Agency... Orange Buffoon Nov 2024 #91
Half of the Population of the USA is Below Average in Intelligence. MineralMan Nov 2024 #92
I'll let you have it -- kudos, that is ! eppur_se_muova Nov 2024 #93
I remember the 2000 election. yardwork Nov 2024 #95
I don't care if you call them dumb, stupid, or ignorant. GoodRaisin Nov 2024 #94
My red town is full of dumb people KS Toronado Nov 2024 #96
"Dumb" being too kind a word, imo. My term of choice is B.See Nov 2024 #99
That's my definition of dumb. yardwork Nov 2024 #102
K n R Faux pas Nov 2024 #103
Blaming voters is like a business blaming its customers after a competitor gives it a beating. Doodley Nov 2024 #105
Disagree. The government is not a business. yardwork Nov 2024 #116
I was using a metaphor to show the futility of blaming voters. Doodley Nov 2024 #136
Your metaphor is inapt. yardwork Nov 2024 #158
I've come to think of the founding fathers as nave John Farmer Nov 2024 #108
Jefferson worried about that. yardwork Nov 2024 #117
Bonhoeffer on stupidity HUAJIAO Nov 2024 #110
No maybe about it amuse bouche Nov 2024 #111
Excellent post, yardwork! K&R brer cat Nov 2024 #112
Thanks! yardwork Nov 2024 #118
George Carlin said: Godot51 Nov 2024 #113
Moral/ethical wasteland moondust Nov 2024 #114
Agreed. Citizens lost a sense of responsibility. yardwork Nov 2024 #119
Exactly. moondust Nov 2024 #124
All in the maggot plan, dumb down Americans. Clouds Passing Nov 2024 #115
The Southern Strategy and the Powell Doctrine. yardwork Nov 2024 #121
Wait until they realize the absolute truth that we are all one race, the human race. Clouds Passing Nov 2024 #128
Yes. OldBaldy1701E Nov 2024 #141
Half of us don't want things this way. And in the end 99% of us won't want it this way. Clouds Passing Nov 2024 #143
Less than half, according to the latest count. OldBaldy1701E Nov 2024 #148
I remember reading that the threshold is 30% yardwork Nov 2024 #151
What I'll let you have Just Jerome Nov 2024 #122
No argument krkaufman Nov 2024 #123
Dumb as fuck. orangecrush Nov 2024 #127
Not elitist. You're right. They're just dumber than a box of hammers. Scrivener7 Nov 2024 #129
...Maybe? Karasu Nov 2024 #133
The MSM, the internet and now Trump Aussie105 Nov 2024 #134
And they will blame Democrats. yardwork Nov 2024 #145
Intellectually lazy... róisín_dubh Nov 2024 #135
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2024 #137
The very young and foolish are easily led astray. Aussie105 Nov 2024 #138
Nope. Racist and sexist. Buttoneer Nov 2024 #144
Being racist and sexist is dumb. yardwork Nov 2024 #146
I also think Prosperity Gospel and Megachurches contribute to racism, sexism, and stupidity.. Buttoneer Nov 2024 #155
I was thinking, and the long term purpose Dan Nov 2024 #147
There's a list of "the enemies within." yardwork Nov 2024 #150
Brainwashing 101. Continured scrolling all day long into night with feeds representing LizBeth Nov 2024 #152
I think arrogant and selfish are closer to the mark The Wandering Harper Nov 2024 #153
Tell me something Meowmee Nov 2024 #160
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