Can liberals explain this to me?

[Riprorin]

Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

 

[jlmadyson]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

Its all about the Wal-Mart generation! :laugh:

 

[chrisms]

College-educated people followed Hitler in the 1930s in Germany. It isn't always about how much school you've attended.

 

[biostud]

The difference is that now they're allowed to speak on tv, in the old days they were hidden in the swamps.

 

[bay]

Obviously this is just another attempt by some neocon to stoke the flames.

There is a difference between book smart/literate and having a comprehensive idea of current events. The fact that over 50% of people still think Iraq was responsible for 9/11 proves that people are not getting the right education. Maybe people should stop getting their information from FoxNews.

 

[AFB]

Originally posted by: bay
Obviously this is just another attempt by some neocon to stoke the flames.

There is a difference between book smart/literate and having a comprehensive idea of current events. The fact that over 50% of people still think Iraq was responsible for 9/11 proves that people are not getting the right education. Maybe people should stop getting their information from FoxNews.

More typical liberal BS. Iraq was COMPLETELY responsible for 9/11 and you pansies know it. You just didn't want your friends in France getting exposed while Iraq sits there killing innocent civilians.

edit: and hacking our internets :|

 

[imported_Aelius]

Originally posted by: amdfanboy

Originally posted by: bay
Obviously this is just another attempt by some neocon to stoke the flames.

There is a difference between book smart/literate and having a comprehensive idea of current events. The fact that over 50% of people still think Iraq was responsible for 9/11 proves that people are not getting the right education. Maybe people should stop getting their information from FoxNews.

More typical liberal BS. Iraq was COMPLETELY responsible for 9/11 and you pansies know it. You just didn't want your friends in France getting exposed while Iraq sits there killing innocent civilians.

*checks sarcasm meter* I think you broke it.

 

[imported_Aelius]

Originally posted by: bay
Obviously this is just another attempt by some neocon to stoke the flames.

There is a difference between book smart/literate and having a comprehensive idea of current events. The fact that over 50% of people still think Iraq was responsible for 9/11 proves that people are not getting the right education. Maybe people should stop getting their information from FoxNews.

In Canada it's the same. There's plenty of well educated people and a lot of them are either ignorant of what's going on in the world or they simply belieave what they are spoon feed by their TV when they find 10 minutes out of their busy schedule to turn the TV on.

That's just the way it is.

 

[chess9]

You've confused education with learning, to say nothing of wisdom.

Furthermore, Americans rank dead last among industrialized nations in their understanding of elementary concepts in biology. In mathematics we are only slightly better off.

Why do you suppose so many Asians are going to our AMERICAN graduate schools and getting advanced degrees in scientific disciplines while Americans stay home chewing Twinkies and playing Tribes?

I don't think we are any smarter than my father's generation. Americans still fall for the same crap their parents did.

Sheezh, how old did you say you are?

-Robert

 

[EXman]

Originally posted by: chrisms
College-educated people followed Hitler in the 1930s in Germany. It isn't always about how much school you've attended.

Tell that to the Eletist Educrats!

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

Same way you explain that bearded guy up in the clouds that grants you wishes when you pray to him, created the earth 5000 years ago and hates gay people.

 

[Moonbeam]

I believe the following:

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom and one can have either, both, or neither. Everybody knows what knowledge is except the totally ignorant, but far fewer people have much wisdom let alone a lot of it. Wisdom is a kind of experience but experience is no guarantee. You can teach knowledge rather easily, but the transmitting of wisdom in a different matter. Wisdom can only be acquired from need. One has to want it badly as it comes at a high price. Wisdom can only be traded for ones foolishness. The last price a fool will pay is recognition that he is a fool.

And when you hear the expression 'sadder but wiser now' pay no attention to that. Those are just the words of a fool who got burnt and thinks he knows better now. He still imagines his problem is out there. The acquisition of real knowledge always brings relief in the form of humility.

 

[Tab]

There are plently of smart people out there who unforunatly voted for our current president. In my opinion I beileve any unbiased person who looks at the facts will see that our current administration shouldn't be the current administration. Just because you do well in school means nothing of your political education. It just happens to be that those with a very high education in general seem to be more interested in politics.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: chrisms
College-educated people followed Hitler in the 1930s in Germany. It isn't always about how much school you've attended.

I believe doctors had the highest percentage of members in the Nazi party, if I remember correctly.

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

Increasingly obtuse, superstitious and malleable? Not really, at from what I've read. However, there is an increasing amount of fundamentalism(remember folks, this word doesn't mean terrorism) in America. Does that mean that those people are stupid? Hardly. They are quite scary to most of us though.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: chrisms
College-educated people followed Hitler in the 1930s in Germany. It isn't always about how much school you've attended.

I believe doctors had the highest percentage of members in the Nazi party, if I remember correctly.

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

Increasingly obtuse, superstitious and malleable? Not really, at from what I've read. However, there is an increasing amount of fundamentalism(remember folks, this word doesn't mean terrorism) in America. Does that mean that those people are stupid? Hardly. They are quite scary to most of us though.

I've heard this claim but have seen no substantiation of it. Quite the contrary, church attendance has been decreasing since the 60s according to the things I've read so the claim about fundies seems more fearmongering (THEY ARE OUT TO GET YUO!) than anything else.

 

[klah]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
I believe the following:

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom and one can have either, both, or neither. Everybody knows what knowledge is except the totally ignorant, but far fewer people have much wisdom let alone a lot of it. Wisdom is a kind of experience but experience is no guarantee. You can teach knowledge rather easily, but the transmitting of wisdom in a different matter. Wisdom can only be acquired from need. One has to want it badly as it comes at a high price. Wisdom can only be traded for ones foolishness. The last price a fool will pay is recognition that he is a fool.

And when you hear the expression 'sadder but wiser now' pay no attention to that. Those are just the words of a fool who got burnt and thinks he knows better now. He still imagines his problem is out there. The acquisition of real knowledge always brings relief in the form of humility....

...Human wisdom in its complete purity, is ideas. The wise man is, however, an ideal, that is, a man existing in thought only, but in complete conformity with the idea of wisdom. As the idea gives the rule, so the ideal in such a case serves as the archetype for the complete determination of the copy; and we have no other standard for our actions than the conduct of this divine man within us, with which we compare and judge ourselves, and so reform ourselves, although we can never attain to the perfection thereby prescribed. Although we cannot concede to these ideals objective reality, they are not therefore to be regarded as figments of the brain; they supply reason with a standard which is indispensable to it, providing it, as they do, with a concept of that which is entirely complete in its kind, and thereby enabling it to estimate and to measure the degree and the defects of the incomplete.

 

[SuperTool]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.


Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

And you have liberal social programs to thank for that. For all the rightwing bashing of the educational establishment, even you have to give it credit 😀

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

How do conservatives explain the disconnect between their belief that colleges are just liberal brainwashing machines and reality?
That's what I'd like to know. As far as your question, you can be educated and obtuse, superstitious and malleable at the same time. A lot of really smart people get suckered in by a good sales pitch and hype. Take the tech boom. Very smart "analysts" with PhD's and MBA's were buying stocks and valuing companies that made no money ever at billions of dollars, because of belief in "new economy." You repeat "earnings don't matter" enough times, and people start believing it even if it doesn't make any sense. Same thing applies to Reaganomics. You repeat "deficits don't matter" enough and people start believing that. Republicans are good with staying on message, so people start believing it, even if it doesn't make any sense.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

And 60 years ago, an eight grade education was of a much higher quality than it is today. Have you ever seen the old tests? I doubt many college graduates today could pass what every 8th grader was required to pass just a few generations ago.
The increase in the number of people educated has been brought about mostly by relaxing the standards.

If anyone is disconnected, Rip... it is YOU. But it obviously never stops you from trolling.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

And 60 years ago, an eight grade education was of a much higher quality than it is today. Have you ever seen the old tests? I doubt many college graduates today could pass what every 8th grader was required to pass just a few generations ago.
The increase in the number of people educated has been brought about mostly by relaxing the standards.

If anyone is disconnected, Rip... it is YOU. But it obviously never stops you from trolling.

As someone who was in 8th grade a few generations ago, I disagree completely.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

And 60 years ago, an eight grade education was of a much higher quality than it is today. Have you ever seen the old tests? I doubt many college graduates today could pass what every 8th grader was required to pass just a few generations ago.
The increase in the number of people educated has been brought about mostly by relaxing the standards.

If anyone is disconnected, Rip... it is YOU. But it obviously never stops you from trolling.

Link to those 8th grade tests?

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

And 60 years ago, an eight grade education was of a much higher quality than it is today. Have you ever seen the old tests? I doubt many college graduates today could pass what every 8th grader was required to pass just a few generations ago.
The increase in the number of people educated has been brought about mostly by relaxing the standards.

If anyone is disconnected, Rip... it is YOU. But it obviously never stops you from trolling.

As someone who was in 8th grade a few generations ago, I disagree completely.

You were educated in the thirties?

How old are you?

 

[chess9]

Vic should have to post a link if and only if Rip can post a link supporting his argument.

-Robert

 

[amol]

now i may be wrong since im only a teenager, but i think i play the game called "politics"

book smartiness and MBAs and PhDs had NOTHING TO DO with the election, or which party you voted for, or which party you despised.

its all about your wisdom, and i believe most importantly, your POV of events that happened in the past 3½ years

if you are a US resident and only watched the war or the horrific events of 9/11 on tv, then obviously, they were not allowed to show graphic images, or US troops getting killed, so on, so forth

however, if you saw the real pictures of the war, your POV would drastically change (unless youre a war maniac or halliburton)

if you only saw the tv news, then you probably thought that the u.s. and coalition forces were kicking @$$!

but in some places, we were getting our @$$e$ kicked!
************************
i also remember on november 4th, a UK tabloid, the Daily Mirror, had a front cover page that said "How could 58,xxx,xxx people be so DUMB?"

that can be taken two ways, the wrong way, and the right way

the wrong way is saying "Republicans are stupid."

Yes, that's we Democrats like to think, but I know tons of Republicans that are very book-smart . . .

There's also the right way, which to me, is how those who strongly favored Bush did not see what was really happening with Iraq. We also know that there was a memo in Aug 2001 that said "bin Laden determined to strike in U.S.A.", but he didn't heed it

I guess people didn't care about that

So, its ALL about your wisdom and POV, not your book-smartiness

As Alec Bourne said,

"It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated"

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

And 60 years ago, an eight grade education was of a much higher quality than it is today. Have you ever seen the old tests? I doubt many college graduates today could pass what every 8th grader was required to pass just a few generations ago.
The increase in the number of people educated has been brought about mostly by relaxing the standards.

If anyone is disconnected, Rip... it is YOU. But it obviously never stops you from trolling.

As someone who was in 8th grade a few generations ago, I disagree completely.

You were educated in the thirties?

D'oh. No.

See how bad education was back then? I can't read or do the math. 😉

Actually it was a few decades ago.

My beef with Vic's assertion is that we don't have nearly the breadth of knowledge that's available now to teach. How many kids in the 30s were taught about black holes, continental drift, or semiconductors? In the 30s it was still the basics...the 3 R's. Because they could concentrate on those basics, kids back then may have been better in readin', ritin', and rithmetic but I don't think that makes them smarter.

Then again, not as many kids received a decent education back then as they do today.

 

[marcello]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
Liberals claim that Americans are becoming increasingly obtuse, superstitious, and malleable. Yet the American public is better educated now that at any time in our nation's history.

Just 60 years ago, more than 50% of Americans had an eighth grade education of less.

How do you libbies explain the disconnect between what you say and believe and reality?

What does education have to do with being a jackass? It helps to be dumb, but it's not a requirement.