Are people really more ignorant today, than years ago? (how many, phone, legal)

[Dingler]

The media is full of stories about how ignorant the average person is today.

Many people are not familiar with basic money management

Many people are fooled when they do the "man on the street" quiz about current events and people, places and things

Many people do not follow or understand current events and vote based on emotion instead of knowledge and logic.

Many people are "functionally illiterate" and do not understand how to write a check, use credit, apply for work, and understand English grammar at a sixth grade level.
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My question is this: are people any worse than they were 20-30-40 years ago, or has there always been a large number of Americans who do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to make it in America?

[Adream]

Originally Posted by Dingler

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My question is this: are people any worse than they were 20-30-40 years ago, or has there always been a large number of Americans who do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to make it in America?

That is a good question. A percentage of the population will always be brighter or not-as-bright...is it moreso today or is it just that there are microphones and cameras pointed at these people to record their ignorance for posterity?

I do know this - people in general are less polite, less civilized, more demanding, and ruder than I ever recall. They flock to my area in the summer and you just have to wonder if they were ever taught manners.

Our last visit to DisneyWorld practically ruined the place for us. People just crash right into who ever is "in their way." Some purposely walked right in front of me from outta nowhere expecting me to stop for them. Didn't happen. If their mothers didn't teach them manners, I'll give them a quick lesson.

I don't know if people are dumber than ever, but I do think many are ruder. They think it makes them more powerful, but in fact they look like a horse's tookus.

[winter]

They are either ignorant or oblivious. Some of the young mothers between 35 and 45) since they are having their families older are out there! My husband thinks that it is pure selfishness. It's a me attitude for most of them. I might add there are still more intelligent, well mannered and kind people. The negatives stick out and maybe that's what we see first.

[susquehannock]

A recent poll revealed that 20% of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth....arrghhh

[emjbulls]

And look at the amount of people who believe creationism over evolution.

People have always been stupid. It's just now there's more reporting of it.

[bily4]

Nice point, emjbulls.
And then look at the premise of this thread...are people more ignorant because of immigration? No, honestly I think a lot of the white folks have to look in the mirror when discussing their own ignorance.

[Lobsterman]

I don't see a correlation to immigration.. AT ALL.

[chele123]

Originally Posted by Dingler

The media is full of stories about how ignorant the average person is today.

Many people are not familiar with basic money management

Many people are fooled when they do the "man on the street" quiz about current events and people, places and things

Many people do not follow or understand current events and vote based on emotion instead of knowledge and logic.

Many people are "functionally illiterate" and do not understand how to write a check, use credit, apply for work, and understand English grammar at a sixth grade level.
---------------------
My question is this: are people any worse than they were 20-30-40 years ago, or has there always been a large number of Americans who do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to make it in America?

I think the number of people that do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to make it in America has gone up. I think the overall quality of American education has been dumbed down to allow everyone to pass- "No child left behind" - so a lot of kids are graduating functionally illiterate. Are we dumbing down to accomodate illegal aliens or immigrants? I think some of it is attributed to that. The language barrier contributes to the overall dumbing down of American education, as well as the overcrowding due to illegal aliens. I took a college Algebra class. I had taken Algebra in High School, and had learned it all the hard way, the importance was focused on the formulas, not the answer, although the answer had to be right of course. Math is logic. The college course taught nothing but cheats. Sure, I could get the answer, but how did I get there using a calculator and cheats? It was all about passing the test. If we are not even requiring logic in math, how can we expect kids to come away with any reasoning skills at all? Math and English are vital to basic communicating and life skills yet too many can not do either with any proficiency. Is that the fault of the immigrant/illegal alien or the school system or the parents or all of the above?

As for knowing anything about current events, I don't blame that on immigration/illegal aliens. People are all about being entertained. Why would they watch the news when they can watch some mindless drivel or play video games?

[southernlady5464]

Many people are not familiar with basic money management

That's because they have computers and calculators to do it for them.

If the average store clerk had to make change for your money without using his cash register, how many could do it?

If you bought something that was $15.56 and you gave the clerk $20.61, would that clerk successfully make change without the register helping (a $5 and a nickel btw)

Many people are fooled when they do the "man on the street" quiz about current events and people, places and things

How many people in their 20's and 30's even remember what decade Vietnam was in? Or when Pearl Harbor happened? Or even why?

Or care about who is running for President...but I bet you dollars to donuts, they know ALL about Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith.

Many people are "functionally illiterate" and do not understand how to write a check, use credit, apply for work, and understand English grammar at a sixth grade level.

Part of that goes back to the computer again...especially texting. Leet speak esp. Liz

[macmeal]

Interesting Question. The answer is reflective of our vast societal upheavals over the past half century. (I graduated from HS in 1966). Certainly now there is a much bigger pool of knowledge. We are being inundated with such a huge explosion of information and new techniques to acquire more and more of the same each day, that it is becoming increasingly impossible for the average person to keep current on even a small part of it. The future promises to bring even more of the same, increasing at an ever-expanding rate.
At the same time, the break down in cultural norms, so-called "standards", and a general trend toward an open "permissiveness", means that we can now no longer agree on many things once taken for granted. The traditional "pillars" of so-called Western Thought, and its reliance upon the "scientific method" has now been called into question. A huge centuries-old store of information and literature and knowledge of every conceivable description is now held in suspicion as the work of a "Bunch of Dead White Males". Even the findings of generations of scientists are now being looked at as having possible "racist" or "cultural" agendas. Even literacy in correct linguistic skills is called into question by many, (as some sort of "plot"), and of course, these folks have plenty of sympathizers.
The short answer is that yes, we now have the means and the ability to profit by a seemingly limitless and ever-expanding pool of knowledge, and that this is open to an increasingly expanding group of the world's people, many of whom are busily engaged in expanding our horizons.
The down side is, an ever-loosening system of cultural "norms" or standards of behavior means that there is also an ever-increasing acceptance of substandard behavior, non-traditional concepts of dubious validity, conclusions based on "feelings" rather than evidence, and an increasingly fuzzy concept of what does, or does not, constitute valid scientific thought. Indeed, there is even a feeling that "scientific thought" itself constitutes some sort of "conspiracy" to "keep people down". Even the grading system in schools causes many "ruffled feathers". It seems we can't judge people's grades just on the basis of how well they perform (huh?)...or something like that...(?) Is that clear ? If it is, please fill me in !
We live in fascinating times....