General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The United States Is Awash in Public Stupidity, and Critical Thought Is Under Assault [View all]matthews
(497 posts)people. Learning involves work. A person actually has to put effort into acquiring knowledge.
Once upon a time people actually fought for the right to become educated, to understand the world we live in. Now we're going for the fake quick fixes like NCLB and whatever you want to call this Duncan/Rhee mess that this administration is pushing. We're letting corporate America take over the schools which gives corporate America the perfect opportunity to dumb everybody down and to indoctrinate us into their program. It also allows them to eliminate areas of study that they feel is unnecessary. What is considered unnecessary to the Duncan/Rhees of the planet are the areas of study that elevate the intellect, refine it, make us more than assembly line workers.
The Arts and Humanities are viewed as a waste of time and money for the plebs. Our betters think we need just enough information to make us good little minimum wage workers and cannon fodder. Current opinion on the teaching of the A&H is that they should be reserved for our betters while the plebs should be satisfied with the basic education necessary to enable us to flip burgers or bust concrete. Courses in sociology, or the histories of different peoples, or of mythology, or art or drama are increasingly being seen as a waste of time and money, not as a refinement of the mind and the soul. We are letting them take that away from us. We are too damn lazy to fight back. You can't get lazy ass American's to make the effort to work to learn what makes us human, what sets us apart from our ancestor's shortly after they dropped out of the trees. Many people in this country seem to want lo wallow in their ignorance and I think that it is frightening.
Seven Deadly Sins
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Science without humanity
Knowledge without character
Politics without principle
Commerce without morality
Worship without sacrifice.
― Mahatma Gandhi