STUPID PEOPLE

[GoGetta23]

Why does it seem like we have so many stupid people in America? Just wanna hear some thoughts.

[Medman7]

I think some of it has to do with the lack of responsibility and carelessness!!!!

[Straw]

Originally posted by GoGetta23

Why does it seem like we have so many stupid people in America? Just wanna hear some thoughts.

 

There is a more official name for them. Liberals! JK:whome:

[GoGetta23]

lol, it just seems like people do some really stupid stuff, that most of us would never do. Like the people who go back to the place they robbed. If your gonna commit a crime at least be smart about how you commit it and take time and prepare for it.

[Fivehead]

If you want to look at it in a conspiratorial light, a larger and ever more powerful federal government requires that its citizens be as ill-informed as possible in order to flourish. If people are well-informed and well educated, they tend more toward independent self-reliance. This is counter to the desire of the ever-expanding federal bureaucracy to make the populace more and more dependent upon them for their every need. This ignorance and fear makes them more easily controlled and more likely to vote for a candidate who promises them security (welfare, socialized medicine, etc.).

 

The means by which we are being "dumbed down", in my opinion, are keeping teacher pay low in the public schools to discourage a higher grade of applicant to these positions, standardized curricula which place less and less emphasis on history, social studies , language arts and any courses which might encourage critical thinking or reasoning. Instead, the students are fed a few basic courses in math, science and grammar and expected to regurgitate the few specific tidbits of knowledge they absorb on the TAKS (in Texas) or other standardized tests nationwide. To assure that the teachers do not stray far from the standard simple requirements of this test, their pay and promotions are tied to the results.

 

The exception to this are the few students that are deemed to be "exceptional" by the administrators. They are given the option of advanced placement or, in the Tyler ISD, the gifted and talented and IB programs. I have had 5 children go through the TISD and 2 still there. The difference in the regular level of education and the gifted and talented is vast. My daughter was in the gifted and talented program and recieved what can only be described as an outstanding education and a solid base to build on for college and beyond.

 

This sort of weeding out process is very similar to the predetermined placement practiced in the last century by the Soviets. It keeps the vast majority largely uninformed and still prepares the few for positions of prominence and leadership.

 

Or maybe there are just a lot of stupid people by pure coincedence.

[metalmaniac18]

There is a more official name for them. Liberals! JK:whome:

 

I second this.

[Guest bleedsbluengold24]

One reason some people are stupid is because they require so little of themselves. They do just enough to get by, never striving to get past where they are at the present.

 

They will fall for anything, because they are too lazy to do just a little research themselves. The more preposterous the story, the more likely they are to believe it, and then confirm their stupidity when they in turn share that story with others.

[Fivehead]

Which further reinforces my theory. People will exert the minimum amount of effort necessary because they know if they fail, the federal government will be there to save them.

 

This attitude has created a 2 class society, with the middle class now all but nonexistent. We were relatively poor growing up, and most of my friends were as well, but none of us had tattoos or babies before the age of 14 or a meth habit. We acted like normal decent God-fearing human beings who knew if we were to better ourselves it was our responsibility to do it. We hiched up our pants and went to college or to work and ended up monetarily better off than

our parents almost across the board. The lower class in our society today is kept down by lower educational standards, a victim mentality fostered by politicians and class envy brought on by constantly being told that the "rich" are taking advantage of them instead of being told that they, too can be rich through hard work and personal responsibility.

[oldnumber11]

I think people are so reliant on others, they don't pay enough attention to things to keep from doing stupid stuff. I was called for jury duty yesterday and as you go through the process, the clerk clearly states the instructions for you to follow, you know pass by the bench to check in, then proceed to this other desk for another paper, etc. It is amazing how many people can't even follow these simple instructions. I am not sure what the exact reason is, but I definitely think it is getting worse.

[Straw]

We've become the "Blame someone else" society. Nobody takes responsibility anymore! People suing for $65 million over lost pair of jeans or spilled coffee in their lap. We need law reform.

[Foreverfan]

Thank you all for saying it better than I could! If they don't want to work, send them a monthly check or debit card. Send them to the clinic when they're sick and let taxpayers pick up the tab. If they have to use the cash they get from their meth operations or drug selling, they might not be able to buy more drugs, Ipods or gold jewelry. If they can't speak English, let's send them to school at our expense and let them learn how to lead protest rallies. For the record, I'm not a Democrat or a Republican - I vote for issues or candidates. I'm just a tired, overworked taxpayer who swatted my kids bottoms when they were growing up.

[Bobama]

Originally posted by Fivehead

 

The means by which we are being "dumbed down", in my opinion, are keeping teacher pay low in the public schools to discourage a higher grade of applicant to these positions, standardized curricula which place less and less emphasis on history, social studies , language arts and any courses which might encourage critical thinking or reasoning. Instead, the students are fed a few basic courses in math, science and grammar and expected to regurgitate the few specific tidbits of knowledge they absorb on the TAKS (in Texas) or other standardized tests nationwide. To assure that the teachers do not stray far from the standard simple requirements of this test, their pay and promotions are tied to the results.

 

Teachers make more now than ever before, and they only have to work eight months a year.

 

I think it's the lack of stable male role models (read: fathers) in a lot of people's lives.

[Foreverfan]

Mr. BoBell, you have some of it wrong. It is a lack of serious role models, but they don't necessarily have to be male. I know some women in this town that raised several children alone, and all those kids were wonderful people, students and athletes. If some of those dads had stuck around, the kids probably would have been drunks, womanizers and lowlifes. Coaches, teachers, extended families and moms had a lot to do with it. Lack of male role models is no excuse. Setting good examples and parents staying in control of the children is what it's all about.

[Bobama]

Yea, I'll agree that some people can be negatively affected by the presence of a deadbeat dad.

[Fivehead]

Originally posted by BoBellCrew

 

 

Teachers make more now than ever before, and they only have to work eight months a year.

 

I think it's the lack of stable male role models (read: fathers) in a lot of people's lives.

 

As to your first point, that's true. But everybody makes more than they ever have before pretty much across the board. I graduated from college with the intent to teach, but quickly discovered I could make more in sales immediately than a 20 year veteran teacher's salary. Teachers are underpaid, period.

 

As to your second point, you are exactly right. Boys need men as in-home everyday role models. Women, no matter how great a parent they are simply do not understand how a boy's mind works. You can't treat boys like you treat girls.

[1stSuperScot]

Too much TV!

[Guest bleedsbluengold24]

Originally posted by Foreverfan

Mr. BoBell, you have some of it wrong. It is a lack of serious role models, but they don't necessarily have to be male. I know some women in this town that raised several children alone, and all those kids were wonderful people, students and athletes. If some of those dads had stuck around, the kids probably would have been drunks, womanizers and lowlifes. Coaches, teachers, extended families and moms had a lot to do with it. Lack of male role models is no excuse. Setting good examples and parents staying in control of the children is what it's all about.

 

Man, this is scary, BoBell and I are agreeing more and more.

 

The fact is, the absense of a male role model does have a negative affect on kids in the home. When that role model is missing, girls tend to act out and become sexually active at a younger age. When the child is male, he tends to not develop parenting skills. When he has kids is when this shows up the most.

 

Now, before you pounce, I'm talking about positive male role models, not drunks, etc. There is no doubt that women have raised genuinely good kids to adulthood. My mother did. Three of us. But there are inherent issues having grown up in a home without a PMRM (positive male role model).

 

I take nothing away from the millions of single/divorced moms who have done fine jobs of raising their kids. But when children don't have a PMRM in the home, they nothing to either model their future parenting skills on or, in the case of girls, nothing to look to as a yardstick by which to guage future mates.

 

Having said all that, I'm not sure there is a connection between the absense of a PMRM and stupidity.

[Medman7]

Carelessness, Lack of Accountability, Lazy, Lack of Dicipline, Lack of Father Figures; The contributing list is getting longer but is very true indeed!!!!

[Lhornfan]

Accountability is the one word that comes to mind. It seems everybody wants to make excuses or blame someone else for their own shortcomings. Oh yeah, and lawyers. I blame most of it on lawyers. Years ago if someone would have told that old lady at McDonalds that the coffee is supposed to be hot, you have no case, the world would be a better place.

[Medman7]

Those blood sucking leaches do have a heavy hand in the demise of the country!!!!

[Foreverfan]

Bleeds, I said he had some of it wrong, not all of it. I agree that children need two good role models in their family. Sadly, in this day and age, that's not always possible. If it's the father raising the kids alone or the mother doing the same, usually they're tired from working all day and coming in and playing a dual-parent role in the evenings. In the smaller towns like the one where I live, there is usually extended family to help out. I've seen single parents, both mom & dad, work hard all day long and still not miss a single school or athletic function. That's kinda hard if they have more than one child. I've seen stay-at-home two-parent family's never attend an event. The positive examples the children live with and see on a daily basis are usually the ones they pattern their lives after, whether they're from a one-or a two-parent family.

[Middle]

Originally posted by Fivehead

If you want to look at it in a conspiratorial light, a larger and ever more powerful federal government requires that its citizens be as ill-informed as possible in order to flourish. If people are well-informed and well educated, they tend more toward independent self-reliance. This is counter to the desire of the ever-expanding federal bureaucracy to make the populace more and more dependent upon them for their every need. This ignorance and fear makes them more easily controlled and more likely to vote for a candidate who promises them security (welfare, socialized medicine, etc.).

 

The means by which we are being "dumbed down", in my opinion, are keeping teacher pay low in the public schools to discourage a higher grade of applicant to these positions, standardized curricula which place less and less emphasis on history, social studies , language arts and any courses which might encourage critical thinking or reasoning. Instead, the students are fed a few basic courses in math, science and grammar and expected to regurgitate the few specific tidbits of knowledge they absorb on the TAKS (in Texas) or other standardized tests nationwide. To assure that the teachers do not stray far from the standard simple requirements of this test, their pay and promotions are tied to the results.

 

The exception to this are the few students that are deemed to be "exceptional" by the administrators. They are given the option of advanced placement or, in the Tyler ISD, the gifted and talented and IB programs. I have had 5 children go through the TISD and 2 still there. The difference in the regular level of education and the gifted and talented is vast. My daughter was in the gifted and talented program and recieved what can only be described as an outstanding education and a solid base to build on for college and beyond.

 

This sort of weeding out process is very similar to the predetermined placement practiced in the last century by the Soviets. It keeps the vast majority largely uninformed and still prepares the few for positions of prominence and leadership.

 

Or maybe there are just a lot of stupid people by pure coincedence.

 

Great post.

 

The establishment knows the dumber we are the easier it is to get votes.

[Guest bleedsbluengold24]

Originally posted by Foreverfan

Bleeds, I said he had some of it wrong, not all of it. I agree that children need two good role models in their family. Sadly, in this day and age, that's not always possible. If it's the father raising the kids alone or the mother doing the same, usually they're tired from working all day and coming in and playing a dual-parent role in the evenings. In the smaller towns like the one where I live, there is usually extended family to help out. I've seen single parents, both mom & dad, work hard all day long and still not miss a single school or athletic function. That's kinda hard if they have more than one child. I've seen stay-at-home two-parent family's never attend an event. The positive examples the children live with and see on a daily basis are usually the ones they pattern their lives after, whether they're from a one-or a two-parent family.

 

Great points. My point was to stress the "positive" part of the positive male role model, also to point out, as good a job as a single parent does, the kid tend to miss out on substantive imprinting in those situations.