Stupid In America - ATS's Most Important Thread

Stupid in America?

Surely not!

Originally posted by Res Ipsa


(((edit....admitting this was very hard so I want some of you to fess up to the most; "I can't believe I didn't know that" experience))))

[edit on 29-1-2009 by Res Ipsa]

Ok fine, I will confess.

I didn't understand what Hong Kong was. I thought it was a city of China, but then it declared its independence from Britain and I thought, "What? Wait? So what is Hong Kong then?"

Is it a country? A city? I looked it up and it is listed as a territory. Hope that clears up some of the confusion.

Those youtube or whatever that was above are so easy to make to say whatever it is you want it to say.

Why did they all seem to have southern accents? (cheap shot sorry)

Look my friend, we could bring a camera into your "continent" that is also a "country" and find some cousins of yours that couldn't tell us where kangaroos are from.

by the way....I want to retire to either Australia or England or Scotland or Ireland or Hawaii or the Dominican Republic or....damn....how many more years do I have to work.

reply to post by Chadwickus


My God!

That was plain scary!

My daughter tested and made the gifted class. Guess what, they do not do anything to promote education in it! They said that that the state figured that they are already smart so why just give them more of the same? I about fell on the floor when the teacher told me this.

They talk about things like tv commercials and how not to be influenced by them.

Shess, what a waste. When I was a kid they had PACE, and they furthered their education. The schools here in Arizona are bad enough, some kids do not speak English and since I can not afford private school, my daughter who is very smart is stuck in these low education classes. She is in second grade and they are barley teaching how to do 7 +8 = . I teach her on my own and have her dividing large numbers, and teaching her simple algebra . It is so sad to see her
mind going to waste. She was one of only 4 to make the honor roll even with that low education they have! She was doing all this stuff in kindergarden that they teach here in second grade when we could afford to put her in private school. It makes me angry to no end.

reply to post by Alora



...that didn't clear it up for me....I thought Hong Kong was a city too in Tawain and Tawain was some psedo country that the Brits ran until the treaty ran out and it went back to China.....serious....is that isn't correct than add another notch on my cousin belt.

reply to post by amatrine


....please don't be too discouraged...keep teaching her at home....school serves a great purpose of learning how to "socialize" with people so even if they don't learn academics that well, they get that something....and parents...who in my opinion have the responsibility to teach their kids anyways, can make up the difference if they can't afford to send their kids to a private school
....oh yeah, I am for the ending of public school run by the government and I think schools should be handed over to the private sector. The government maybe could over see so we don't have some radical muslim schools popping up and they should provide vouchers for smart kids and kids that show the desire or dedication to learn....I'm tired of "us" thinking we are entitled to anything just because we were born here.

reply to post by ModernAcademia


this dumbing down is actually mind control,people believe their actions and decisions to be thier own but they are not.
they are subtly manipulated by nanobots and EM frequencies to alter thier thoughts and emotions.

for example alpha waves were detected at bush's and obamas election rallies.
alpha waves make you happy and sedate...all druged up.

the system is way more complicated than that,take a look at my thread and youl understand its all about the mind control.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The problem with the education system is students have to take so many classes they are not interested in and are only requirements. We would see a rise in test scores if kids were in classes they liked and cared about. If people were allowed to pursue their interests with the right mentors, without the BS courses, we would see an increase in American education. Especially in the College sector. What does Algebra have to do with writing music? I've taken my math, history and science in high school, I'm done with it. I learned more on the web than I have in school. Mostly because of sites like this! People just need to pursue their happiness and have a right to a mentor to take them their, without going through the BS of the Public education system and the socialized college standards.

Stupid is defined as "slow to learn or understand; obtuse"... We are not STUPID we are actually ignorant which is defined as…

Ignorant- lacking education or knowledge

Here is the difference and the main problem as I see it…

Stupid people are just inherently like that, a “stupid” person is someone who DESPITE attempts to educate is unable to learn! We are just not taught, or not properly taught making us ignorant. I do not believe that American’s are just genetically or biologically less capable of learning than our brethren in Asia or Europe! This is an important distinction BECAUSE it means that the capability is there!

The main problem is why when we are given knowledge do we as a society CHOSE not to use it or seek it out. If people are ignorant here in this country with a population capable of reading, public libraries, and computers with internet, it is COMPLETELY BY CHOICE!

How many of you watched football and know who is in the play offs for the super bowl next week? Now if you did, then answer this… Who won the noble prize in chemistry for 2008 or hell I am not a name person either so answer this then why was it given to them, what did they discover or do to earn this award?

The answer… Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, Roger Y. Tsien- For the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP.

Any of you in the science field, know how amazing this discovery actually was because the genes for this protein were later spliced into a zillion things and are used to confirm when a gene has inserted correctly or can be used to measure growth ect, ect, ect… Many of our newest medical breakthroughs have come about using this technology.

It does not matter, the point is we do not value education in this society! We value physical prowess, aggression, competition, and physical beauty! WE CHOOSE as a society to watch “The Jerry Springer Show” and not PBS!

Until it becomes more of a social issue if someone is unable to read a map or do simple math equation without a calculator then it is if they are ugly, overweight or deformed, it does not matter what we teach in school.

Until we do things like give more full academic scholarships away then sports based ones to state universities, we are never going to have a populous that WANTS to learn!

excellent thread. the past two posts especially.

I think that schools should require fundamental math, science, and english that is applicable in life and everything else should be electives. from grade school on.

of course you still would have to deal with the too cool for school attitude

Originally posted by Doomsday 2029
reply to post by ModernAcademia

 

That was greatness... And so true... And so sad.

America !!!! WE"RE NUMBER 1 !!! (I hate that kind of thought process).

What's really sad is you and your friend assume all Americans think like that. The stupidity works both ways.....

I go to high school and teachers don't care about the childrens education, they care about how much money they make.

The schools are poor because of the greedy teachers. And when schools finally have enough money to get themselves out of debt and are able to maintain the teacher's wage, the schools wastes all the money on something stupid like a new gymnasium or rebuilding their auditorium.

Also, teachers aren't teaching for the childrens life skills, they teach them for yearly assessments. In Massachusetts they have MCAS. Students take MCAS and the tests get graded.
If a student does not pass MCAS in 10th grade in ELA and Math, then they cannot get a highschool diploma.
MCAS was made in part of the No Child Left Behind act.

The parents that are wondering what is wrong with the schools systems never took these yearly assessments. The parents seem to have nothing wrong with them academically. Maybe if we got rid of the assessments than teachers would be teaching more proficiently?

From a North European perspective it was plain scary to see this, but to be fair though! there are stupid & ignorant people in all countries and some Public Schools in the EU are in decline as well, but this was a wake-up call seeing what level of basic education those American kids has.

These kids needs better basic education ASAP! Especially in Geography! LOL!

You guys have top-notch universities and other great high-level education, but the public school system may need some improvements.

I just love the miss South Carolina beauty queen, she's hilarious! LOL!

"I personally believe, that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because uh, some people out there in our nation don't have maps! uh, and I believe that our education like such as South Africa and uh, the Iraq everywhere like such as and I believe that they should uh, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S uh, should help the South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian Countries so we will be able to build up our future for our children."

* Children everywhere in South Africa and China & Iraq are screaming out loud: American education - NOOOOOOOO!!!*

Well! she's no Nobel Prize Candidate, but she's very very beautiful so she can be a trophy wife for some rich & stupid sportstar!

relating thread here
www.abovetopsecret.com...

yep yep!

I'm glad to be being educated in a private school. Having been in a state school, I can see the difference. There truly is a massive one. Not only in the facilities and opportunities offered, but also in the quality of our education.

If you want to lay blame, the correct order is probably:

Business
Religion
Government
Schools Administration
Parents
Teachers
Students
You

Business never wants to pay for the infrastructure they use, they demand 110% from their workers (aka parents), leaving too little time and energy for family, and they prefer a less-informed workforce.

Religion fights change, innovation and ideas.

Government listens and caters to the first two.

Schools adminstrations listen to all the above.

Parents don't fulfill their proper role as teachers of their own kids: not everything is supposed to be taught or learned in school. But see business, above.

Teachers lose hope too soon, and commit educational triage too often.

Students don't work hard enough, see parents above.

In the end you are responsible for your own education.

You might not be able to fix stupid, but ignorance can be cured if you work at it.

Originally posted by Res Ipsa
For all of you that want to see our future....rent the movie "Idiocracy"

This is my take on our species. We use to have Cro-Mags and other human type species and the Homosapiens either wiped them out or were smart enough to survive but even now we are divided.

You are absolutely right, the movie "Idiocracy" pretty much shows what is already happening. Unfortunately, you are living up to it, too. For example, we ARE Cro-Magnons, we apparently annihilated all the Neanderthals a long time ago, who actually had physically larger brains, but apparently weren't such good fighters.

When I talk to any of the younger generation today, and ask them questions about things they should have learned in high school, they pretty much say, "Huh?" Easy things that people have mentioned on here such as how many continents are there, or one I like to ask, "What is the Sun?" I have yet to find anyone who can answer that one. I have to say, "You know, that bright thing up there? What is it?" and typically they don't know at all and don't care. Since that is the thing that provides all life on the planet, I feel it is a little important.

When I was in fifth grade, my parents pulled us from school for a four month boat trip in the middle of the school year. They allowed us to do it because my mom was a teacher and the four of us were all doing well in school. We brought all our school books with us.

During our four month cruise of the Caribbean, we would only break out the shcool books when it was raining, about once a week tops. Mom would assign us to read some chapters, and then give us a test on them. It felt like we almost never did school work, it was great! When we returned, I was almost the full YEAR ahead of everyone, IN ALL MY CLASSES. What does that tell you about how they run the schools? And, for the record, we lived in the wealthiest town in the US, with truckloads of tax money available, and our schools were consistently ranked as the top ones in the whole country. My high school is to this day considered one of the top five in the whole country. I can barely imagine what the schools must be like in, say, Detroit.

Home schooling is the only answer! I feel that I NEVER learned ANYTHING in school, everything I learned I learned on my own, mainly through READING. My mom taught me how to read before I was in kindergarten. When I started kindergarten, they were just learning the ABC's and I already knew how to read, so they skipped me up to first grade immediately. Thanks Mom!

The govt has purposely dumbed down the schooling, because smart, well informed public will question what the plutocrats are doing, whereas uneducated ignoramuses will just swallow what the idiot box tells them.

Here is a sample of a typical EIGHTH GRADE TEST from the old days, BEFORE THE GIVERNMENT TOOK OVER THE SCHOOLS. I defy anyone to pass this test. This is what thirteen or fourteen year olds were expected to know. These days college students cannot pass this test. And, for example, my grandfather quit school at age twelve, yet ended up as a nuclear engineer, designing the Nautilus, the first atomic sub, among other things.

See if ANY of you can pass this test:

Subject: 8th Grade Final Exam from 1895

This is the eighth grade final exam from 1895 from Salina, Kansas.
It was taken from the original document on file at the Smoky Valley
Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, Kansas and reprinted by
the Salina Journal.

Grammar (Time, one hour)

1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.

2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no
modifications.

3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.

4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of
do, lie, lay and run.

5. Define Case. Illustrate each Case.

6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of
Punctuation.

7-10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that
you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)

1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.

2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide.
How many bushels of wheat will it hold?

3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs. What is it worth at
50 cts. per bu, deducting 1050 lbs. for tare?

4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary
levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and
have $104 for incidentals?

5. Find cost of 6720 lbs.. coal at $6.00 per ton.

6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.

7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at
$.20 per inch?

8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.

9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance
around which is 640 rods?

10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.

U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)

1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.

2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.

3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.

4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.

5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.

6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.

7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln,
Penn, and Howe?

8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620,
1800, 1849, and 1865?

Orthography (Time, one hour)

1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic orthography,
etymology, syllabication?

2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?

3. What are the following, and give examples of each: Trigraph,
sub vocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals?

4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.

5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e'. Name two
exceptions under each rule.

6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.

7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word:
Bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, super.

8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and
name the sign that indicates the sound: Card, ball, mercy,
sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.

9. Use the following correctly in sentences, Cite, site, sight,
fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.

10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate
pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by
syllabication.

Geography (Time, one hour)

1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?

2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?

3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?

4. Describe the mountains of N.A.

5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fermandez,
Aspinwall and Orinoco.

6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.

7. Name all the republics of Europe and give capital of each.

8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same
latitude?

9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to
the sources of rivers.

10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give inclination of the
earth.

Imagine a college student who went to public school trying to pass
this test, even if the few outdated questions were modernized.
Imagine their professors even being able to pass the 8th Grade.

Can Americans, student and professor alike, get back up to the 8th
Grade level of 1895?