General Discussion

XemaSab

(60,212 posts)

74. And the response by the left is to focus on standardized testing

Tue Jul 23, 2013, 09:00 PM

Jul 2013

If I can wander off topic for a mo, a couple months ago I went and saw the "Dutch Masters" exhibit in San Francisco.

It was so interesting looking at beautiful paintings from Dutch history, and almost every painting made me want to know more about the social and historical context that it was painted in. The museum sold a book to go along with the exhibit, and I got the book and read the whole thing. I learned a LOT about what life was like 350 years ago in the Netherlands.

We need to redouble our efforts on teaching literature, the arts, history, world religions, ethnic studies, government, philosophy, geography, and all the other treasures of human civilization. But instead we're backing away from that.

Why bother teaching a kid to read and then handing the kid the literary equivalent of the DMV handbook?

It's absolute madness.

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The United States Is Awash in Public Stupidity, and Critical Thought Is Under Assault [View all] xchrom Jul 2013 OP

sad G_j Jul 2013 #1

a celebrity culture that embraces the banal and idiotic warrant46 Jul 2013 #25

Celebrity indeed nil desperandum Jul 2013 #35

Good one. 12AngryBorneoWildmen Jul 2013 #39

Welcome !! warrant46 Jul 2013 #48

Thank you! Nice to be here nil desperandum Jul 2013 #53

Heh, name 5 in line fore the presidency? Wednesdays Jul 2013 #55

Okay, I'll bite :) BB1 Jul 2013 #59

Mona Lisa, Nightwatch, Sunflowers, The Scream, The Girl with the Pearl Earring AlbertCat Jul 2013 #67

Well, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer made some nice paintings. BB1 Jul 2013 #107

Only if you're Dutch. westerebus Jul 2013 #71

Conspiracy theory Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #2

Another take on conspiracy theories: a tool to distract the non-sheeple sheeple: Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #7

The public views critical thinking as both a liability and a threat Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #10

+1000 Junkdrawer Jul 2013 #42

You have it exactly backwards. Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #83

If I apply critical thinking skills to our government's official explanations Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #100

The FBI said eyewitnesses were unreliable. AlbertCat Jul 2013 #105

So when everyone describes the same thing, it's mass hysteria? Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #108

How do you hide a conspiracy? zeemike Jul 2013 #24

And fund people like Alex Jones that promote BOTH wild and reasonable theories.... Junkdrawer Jul 2013 #43

Yep...he works for them zeemike Jul 2013 #44

I think the powers that be view Alex Jones as a useful idiot. nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #84

It's easy. Most people dont want to know the truth. The truth may require them to take sides, make rhett o rick Jul 2013 #89

It is the curtain that is a problem randr Jul 2013 #30

I hope you are not saying that conspiracies dont exist. Politics is all about conspiracies. rhett o rick Jul 2013 #60

Those that try to convince us that conspiracies dont exist AlbertCat Jul 2013 #70

+1 Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #86

Conspiracies do exist. Watergate and Iran-Contra certainly existed. nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #85

Well said Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #101

Thank you Mr. Haskell. nm rhett o rick Jul 2013 #106

"promote accommodation, quietism and passivity" canoeist52 Jul 2013 #3

Which has been a trick of certain religions since their inception. LisaLynne Jul 2013 #8

The Socialists used to mock such thinking with the refrain: HardTimes99 Jul 2013 #16

As Howard Beale prophetically said in "Network": deutsey Jul 2013 #4

A lot of rich people have hired a lot of spin doctors to keep the public distracted and divided. reformist2 Jul 2013 #5

Apropos toons from Monday: Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2013 #6

Wow, and I thought I could be pedantic. A lot of truth to this though. Vattel Jul 2013 #9

the 'that's your opinion' thing, as if there are only opinions, no real facts. actively promoted HiPointDem Jul 2013 #12

Good point. Vattel Jul 2013 #29

right. and if it's all about opinions and you can get people to change theirs, then you have HiPointDem Jul 2013 #50

By god you're right.... defacto7 Jul 2013 #92

Why worry about evidence or the laws of physics? Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #102

Some good stuff here brush Jul 2013 #11

By and large The Wizard Jul 2013 #13

Exactly. Developing an intellect has become a 'job' for so many matthews Jul 2013 #47

Which is staggering, because the internet has such potential to equalize people XemaSab Jul 2013 #72

Kick And Recommend cantbeserious Jul 2013 #14

"I like money" datasuspect Jul 2013 #15

!!! MrMickeysMom Jul 2013 #18

I get it.... MrMickeysMom Jul 2013 #17

Gay Marriage! Royal Baby! Jeff In Milwaukee Jul 2013 #19

Recently read "Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free" mnhtnbb Jul 2013 #20

The film "Stupidity" is a must see for everyone, especially the stupid sheeple. Coyotl Jul 2013 #21

replying to your post so I can easily find it Lifelong Protester Jul 2013 #54

I'd really like to know why Snowden never released any info on the 1%s effort to control our country hue Jul 2013 #22

The 1% have people to do things for them zeemike Jul 2013 #27

If R-money's conversation at Marc Leder's fundraiser can be taped by a waiter hue Jul 2013 #31

Because they'd get into BIG TROUBLE Jackpine Radical Jul 2013 #33

Because they don't zeemike Jul 2013 #38

"Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" Jackpine Radical Jul 2013 #32

Yep zeemike Jul 2013 #36

Idiocracy is a documentary. hobbit709 Jul 2013 #23

Pretty much the way I see it too Populist_Prole Jul 2013 #66

I agree with this post. My question is why is this trend happening? If we can determine that, ladjf Jul 2013 #26

WE OPPOSE THE TEACHING OF . . .CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS!!! (Texas Republican Party Platform) RVN VET Jul 2013 #28

This has been going on at least as long as I can remember SheilaT Jul 2013 #34

Quote attributed to Stevenson: Wednesdays Jul 2013 #56

And who to blame? Why it's us. The Democrats. Yup. It's us. Safetykitten Jul 2013 #37

DU Rec Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2013 #40

And thanks go to that big guy from California, Ronnie Raygun! kentauros Jul 2013 #41

Don't worry, John2 Jul 2013 #45

Well, criticial thinking works best kentauros Jul 2013 #46

It's like Raygun's Alzheimer's was contagious--the whole country has it. nt live love laugh Jul 2013 #58

Yep. The Dumbing Down of America is southerncrone Jul 2013 #77

We are Fox Nation Doctor_J Jul 2013 #49

Ok, this has been going on since Reagan burst onto the scene railsback Jul 2013 #51

A well -written piece and I thank you for posting it. Lifelong Protester Jul 2013 #52

People don't think. live love laugh Jul 2013 #57

xchrom has just stated the obvious.... but thanks for the details, and reminding us AikidoSoul Jul 2013 #61

Impulse!.....gadgets, gimmicks and 2 out of 3 doctors agree! BornLooser Jul 2013 #62

For more on this topic... zeos3 Jul 2013 #63

HUGE K & R !!! WillyT Jul 2013 #64

k and r and bookmarking to read later niyad Jul 2013 #65

this could have been written in 1800's by Mark Twain Pretzel_Warrior Jul 2013 #68

Don't be so quick to bad mouth the rural areas WHEN CRABS ROAR Jul 2013 #76

The people in the small, rural town I live in are dumber than Dubya. Apophis Jul 2013 #82

I'm doing the best I can but Shankapotomus Jul 2013 #69

it won't get better until the left stops ignoring the main problem- the RW talk radio monopoly certainot Jul 2013 #73

And the response by the left is to focus on standardized testing XemaSab Jul 2013 #74

americans are a commodity and income machine hopemountain Jul 2013 #75

and make lots of money to stash away from the taxman Amonester Jul 2013 #81

I'll be back... n/t chervilant Jul 2013 #78

yeppers! K&R. eom 99th_Monkey Jul 2013 #79

this is incredibly important. It is most easily noticed when the TV is finally turned off... NRaleighLiberal Jul 2013 #80

The tool which made all this possible. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #112

DU is a good example of a microcosm of this dichotomy, nt Zorra Jul 2013 #87

But...penis photos! nt Bonobo Jul 2013 #88

I have a rule about reading rants . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #90

Or maybe we really talk that way. defacto7 Jul 2013 #93

Well, I'm a communicator by trade . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #95

Well personally, defacto7 Jul 2013 #96

Your choice of course . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #98

Communicators lacking critical thinking skills ... Are a dime a dozen. Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #104

Agreed. Except that the cost to the rest of us . . . MrModerate Jul 2013 #113

You got that right. Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #116

Just because you seem primed to appreciate: chervilant Jul 2013 #111

This message was self-deleted by its author Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #103

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!! chervilant Jul 2013 #109

I smiled at those also, then dictionary search to confirm my understanding of their meaning... Deuce Jul 2013 #115

Let's face it - the Right has won. VPStoltz Jul 2013 #91

Fantastic rant xchrom! defacto7 Jul 2013 #94

The United States is now like waking up in the middle of a Carl Hiaasen novel. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #97

Yup. woo me with science Jul 2013 #99

"...made clear how corrupt and intrusive the American government has become..." randome Jul 2013 #110

So much to say; so little time... chervilant Jul 2013 #114