The age of ignorance

[Newell Steamer]

With what guns and what army, since progressives have no experience with them? Not like you probably know about jobs either since we already offshored most of yours, as if you'd actually do hard work anyway.

We've diluting the gene pool of Americans, to make you all autistic mongoloids (via vaccine shots) and dragging down your best qualities via mixing with other less sub species,... as per the direction and orders of our true masters.

 

[mect]

Do people really believe that the average person today is more ignorant than 50 years ago? While I haven't seen any studies on this, I'm highly skeptical. Here are some things that have changed.

With the internet, any moron can present ideas and arguments to essentially the entire world, whereas 50 years ago only professional journalists were able to do this.

There has been a significant decrease in the number of religious people in the country.

There has been a significant increase in educational opportunities, especially for minority populations

There has been an exponential increase the total amount of information. I suppose if one argues ignorance based on percentage of information known by individuals, then there is an argument.

More people than ever accept the theory of evolution.

More people than ever accept the big bang theory.

More people than ever believe women deserve equal rights to men.

More people than ever believe homosexuals deserve equal rights.

Essentially every individual now has access to unprecedented amounts of information. Unfortunately, many never learn how to validate information. But then, this has been the case since the first snake oil salesman walked the earth.

Basically, this blog post should be titled, "Back in my day, I had to walk through 10 feet of snow uphill both ways to get to school. Oh, and conservatives suck."

 

[Thebobo]

Let's complete this list,...
....
* Loud music played by teens means you are being assaulted and attempted to be murdered - better fire 9 shots into the punk's car, flee and order some pizza.

With Pepperoni and sausage.

btw brilliant!

 

[bradly1101]

I didn't mean this to be an us vs. them thread. To me it's more about how we're controlled by all media, and how easy it is to believe something when it appeals to our emotions rather than to our intelligence and logic.

Some libruls(?) believe that the Koch brothers are ruining America.

Some conservatives believe that saying "happy holidays" is a war on Christianity.

So?

It's not about what we believe, but why we believe it.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Do people really believe that the average person today is more ignorant than 50 years ago?

No...actually mean IQ today in the U.S. is about 15 points higher than 50 years ago. Mean U.S. IQ has been rising about 3 points per decade over the past 100 years.

 

[boomerang]

Progressive blames victims of failed progressive education system. That's rich.

Well yeah, but, but, but it's underfunded.

 

[BUnit1701]

Quote:
The hucksters, who manipulate them for the powerful financial interests, know that they can be made to believe anything, because, to the ignorant and the bigoted, lies always sound better than truth:
* Christians are persecuted in this country.
* The government is coming to get your guns.
* Obama is a Muslim.
* Global Warming is a hoax.
* The president is forcing open homosexuality on the military.
* Schools push a left-wing agenda.
* Social Security is an entitlement, no different from welfare.
* Obama hates white people.
* The life on earth is 10,000 years old and so is the universe.
* The safety net contributes to poverty.
* The government is taking money from you and giving it to sex-crazed college women to pay for their birth control.
Let's complete this list,...
* There is no such thing as rape. A woman's vagina is capable of preventing rape and pregnancy.
* There was a woman who raped a teenage boy, she got pregnant, she was sent to jail, she was released, she got custody of her rape love child and sued the rape victim for child support - she got it and the rape victim has to pay child support.
* Women, specifically mothers, are out to get all men.
* A knock on the door at 2am means you are about to be home invaded,... get your gun and be sure to open said door,.. instead of, you know, keeping the door closed and calling the cops.
* Loud music played by teens means you are being assaulted and attempted to be murdered - better fire 9 shots into the punk's car, flee and order some pizza.

But lets not leave out the lies used to herd the other half of the country around:

* Whites are over-privileged in this country
* The Government can and will solve ALL of your problems
* Bush was Satan and Cruz is a Canadian!
* Climate change is going to destroy modern civilization unless we all start paying carbon taxes to the UN.
* The President would be considered right of center in any other country
* Unemployment benefits create jobs faster than almost any other initiative
* Greedy rich Republicans are not giving you their money fast enough
* Babies are not babies unless their mother says so
* Men are barbaric uncaring brutes and must be denigrated at every opportunity
* Urinating on yourself is sufficient to end any assault.
* Guns are the root of all evil, and if we just got rid of the guns, the criminals would go away too

Every person of every political persuasion who is not a member of the 1% is being hoodwinked in this country. Wake up and smell the bullshit.

 

[thraashman]

And the irony here is that he doesn't get it.

No, the irony is that the study you linked used samples based on European and Brazilian population. Areas significantly further left overall. So "center-right" to them is still generally left of the US.

Here's where the study was based.
Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ross University Medical School, Dominica

And the part you bolded about center-right and IQ was specifically about tests administered to Brazilians.

Here's a study based on American's. It was a London based study but used US population in it.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/26/liberals.atheists.sex.intelligence/

Finds the intelligent trend liberal and atheist.

 

[bradly1101]

Do people really believe that the average person today is more ignorant than 50 years ago? While I haven't seen any studies on this, I'm highly skeptical. Here are some things that have changed.

With the internet, any moron can present ideas and arguments to essentially the entire world, whereas 50 years ago only professional journalists were able to do this.

There has been a significant decrease in the number of religious people in the country.

There has been a significant increase in educational opportunities, especially for minority populations

There has been an exponential increase the total amount of information. I suppose if one argues ignorance based on percentage of information known by individuals, then there is an argument.

More people than ever accept the theory of evolution.

More people than ever accept the big bang theory.

More people than ever believe women deserve equal rights to men.

More people than ever believe homosexuals deserve equal rights.

Essentially every individual now has access to unprecedented amounts of information. Unfortunately, many never learn how to validate information. But then, this has been the case since the first snake oil salesman walked the earth.

Yes, but the most divisive, mainstream media to which many owe their 'knowledge' are dumbing us down with greater force than all we have done to rise above the fray. The voices that drive the conversation are just so loud. I see them forwarded in this forum all the time.

 

[mect]

I didn't mean this to be an us vs. them thread. To me it's more about how we're controlled by all media, and how easy it is to believe something when it appeals to our emotions rather than to our intelligence and logic.

Some libruls(?) believe that the Koch brothers are ruining America.

Some conservatives believe that saying "happy holidays" is a war on Christianity.

So?

It's not about what we believe, but why we believe it.

Certainly what we believe is easily manipulated by the media, but this has been the case ever since widespread media existed. The more media outlets there are and the lower the barrier to entry, the more balanced that information will be, so in that sense, things have really improved. The more basic problem is one that has existed forever, confirmation bias. If I read two stories on the same thing, one supports my current views, the other contradicts them, I'm much more likely to believe the former and discount the latter. I do think we need to change directions somewhat in our schools, and move from just pushing facts to teaching students how to validate information they find. We need to teach people how to trace to original sources, the difference between peer review and some random bloggers opinion. We need to teach students how to identify biased and ideologically driven sources. So often I'll see a blog stating one thing, and then trace back to the original source to find that the source said not to make the exact conclusion that the blogger is trying to push. Until students learn how to do this, they will be easily misled.

 

[glenn1]

We've diluting the gene pool of Americans, to make you all autistic mongoloids (via vaccine shots) and dragging down your best qualities via mixing with other less sub species,... as per the direction and orders of our true masters.

Thanks for the offer but I already have a fine brown woman at home. The whole no-vaccines is more of a TexasHiker thing really, although I'll be sure to hire some illegal aliens to disinfect things thoroughly after you. You forgot the whole "GMO/Frankenfoods" angle you guys are working also.

Let me guess, is this you?

 

[waggy]

Do people really believe that the average person today is more ignorant than 50 years ago? While I haven't seen any studies on this, I'm highly skeptical. Here are some things that have changed.

With the internet, any moron can present ideas and arguments to essentially the entire world, whereas 50 years ago only professional journalists were able to do this.

There has been a significant decrease in the number of religious people in the country.

There has been a significant increase in educational opportunities, especially for minority populations

There has been an exponential increase the total amount of information. I suppose if one argues ignorance based on percentage of information known by individuals, then there is an argument.

More people than ever accept the theory of evolution.

More people than ever accept the big bang theory.

More people than ever believe women deserve equal rights to men.

More people than ever believe homosexuals deserve equal rights.

Essentially every individual now has access to unprecedented amounts of information. Unfortunately, many never learn how to validate information. But then, this has been the case since the first snake oil salesman walked the earth.

Basically, this blog post should be titled, "Back in my day, I had to walk through 10 feet of snow uphill both ways to get to school. Oh, and conservatives suck."

are they more ignorant? depends.

When we were looking for a house a good school was #1 in our list. we chose a house in a very good school district (yes we have had issues). they push the kids hard and nearly across the board the students score in the 90% of the state and nation.

The school was what i describe as a throwback to the 50's. they did a LOT of homework, a LOT of reading and memorization.

The schools in a few towns around us were not as good. 40 kids in a class (vs 10 in the school tehy are in) and a lot of disruptive behavior. the kids are in 50% in state test (average) etc.

Some schools do push but its rare. far to many just want to get kids through the system. Good grades? pfft. can they move little johnny to the next class?

we have friends who have kids teh same age. one is 10 and has a 3rd grad reading level. they are proud of it because they say she is one of the better in class. For compression my 11 yr old has a 8th grade level and my 7 yr old son has a 3rd grade reading level.


A good school makes all teh difference. Though with "common core" i don't think that matters much anymore. i swear both kids are doing work they have done before.

 

[Matt1970]

No...actually mean IQ today in the U.S. is about 15 points higher than 50 years ago. Mean U.S. IQ has been rising about 3 points per decade over the past 100 years.

The IQ tests are not the same as they were 50 years ago. By the old Standards only 1% of the population would score above a 135. Jessica Simpson scored a 155 by the new standards. Only 5 points below where it is to be believed Einstein would score.

 

[Jhhnn]

But lets not leave out the lies used to herd the other half of the country around:

* Whites are over-privileged in this country
* The Government can and will solve ALL of your problems
* Bush was Satan and Cruz is a Canadian!
* Climate change is going to destroy modern civilization unless we all start paying carbon taxes to the UN.
* The President would be considered right of center in any other country
* Unemployment benefits create jobs faster than almost any other initiative
* Greedy rich Republicans are not giving you their money fast enough
* Babies are not babies unless their mother says so
* Men are barbaric uncaring brutes and must be denigrated at every opportunity
* Urinating on yourself is sufficient to end any assault.
* Guns are the root of all evil, and if we just got rid of the guns, the criminals would go away too

Every person of every political persuasion who is not a member of the 1% is being hoodwinked in this country. Wake up and smell the bullshit.

Except Libs only believe one of those things to be generally true, despite your terrible spin & wishing it were otherwise.

The President would be considered right of center in any other country

The only lie in most of them is your spin & false attribution of belief. That can't be said for the list in the article, all of which have been and will continue to be expressed countless times as inviolable truth many, many times.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Thanks for the offer but I already have a fine brown woman at home. The whole no-vaccines is more of a TexasHiker thing really, although I'll be sure to hire some illegal aliens to disinfect things thoroughly after you. You forgot the whole "GMO/Frankenfoods" angle you guys are working also.

Let me guess, is this you?

Of course it is!

My rule is, if I am not sure what I am, I turn to the conservatives - they know, since they know everything.

And, the only reason the country is going down the shitter is because us liberals botched things. Not that conservatives expect an unrealistic and contradictory existence.

These forums are wonderful and fresh air of reality check! Now, tell me again how a teen looking at me means I am going to get robbed - I love that story.

 

[bradly1101]

We need to teach students how to identify biased and ideologically driven sources... Until students learn how to do this, they will be easily misled.

In my experience most get their biases from their parents. I did at first, but after studying eastern philosophies I knew I had to live both sides. We find where our moral compasses lead us, but often people let others point the way.

 

[piasabird]

What will agreeing with Global Warming get me?

A bunch of Rich Scientists with no plan.

 

[waggy]

What will agreeing with Global Warming get me?

A bunch of Rich Scientists with no plan.

Global Warming is real. I have issues with how teh US and such think of as a salution. buying carbon credits? giving money to poorer countries? lol yeah those will work.

BUT we should be trying to find less destructive means to supply energy. better vehicles. etc.

 

[Moonbeam]

It seems to me that most people don't want truth but validation.

What is the most sensible explanation that you can find for this? I look to motivation, the presence of feeling that cause bias of perspective, the search for the beam in the eye of the other and never the mote in ones own.

The only thing that creates universal motivation, in my opinion, is pleasure and pain, the seeking of the warm and fuzzy, as LunarRay calls it, and the avoidance of pain.

Looking further into the nerve centers as to where these emotions find origin, I believe it lies in the human condition, our arrival into the world in a dependent state, the need for love and nurture the pain that exists when these things are missing or withheld.

We arrive then at this basic need for validation and how it could have come into being, the striving for acceptance due to its lack. A child that has been put down and told that he must be such and such to be loved, not the person he is, is doomed to a life seeking to meet the standards of whatever conformity was required by its guardians. We get a seeker of validation and an avoider of the truth that caused him to become who he now is.

Naturally, since one now has this external need for validation and is focused on it, and having told oneself a story that one is now a worthy conforming adult, it will not be an easy task to throw that all out and face ones inner lack, the knowledge that one was always perfectly worthy of being loved.

 

[BUnit1701]

Except Libs only believe one of those things to be generally true, despite your terrible spin & wishing it were otherwise.



The only lie in most of them is your spin & false attribution of belief. That can't be said for the list in the article, all of which have been and will continue to be expressed countless times as inviolable truth many, many times.

Thank you for again telling me what I believe. The crap list of right-wing positions is just as crap as the crap list of left-wing positions. Neither are true, but the mainstream media cheerleaders would have you believe the opposite. WAKE UP!

 

[piasabird]

Everyone wants free energy that pops out of the air. However, I am forced to live in reality.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

No, the irony is that the study you linked used samples based on European and Brazilian population. Areas significantly further left overall. So "center-right" to them is still generally left of the US.

Here's where the study was based.
Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ross University Medical School, Dominica

And the part you bolded about center-right and IQ was specifically about tests administered to Brazilians.

Here's a study based on American's. It was a London based study but used US population in it.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/26/liberals.atheists.sex.intelligence/

Finds the intelligent trend liberal and atheist.

Satoshi Kanazawa is a world-renowned pseudo-scientist with zero credibility. Just about every "study" he's ever conducted has been highly criticized.

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/psychology-today-asks-why-black-women-arent-pretty-131686

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/05/highereducation.research

http://www.science20.com/rogue_neur...ore_intelligent_better_check_your_definitions

LOL

Edit: BTW...Brazil is a very conservative country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism_by_country

In Brazil, Liberalism (in a general, international acceptance) is currently unrepresented, and there are no mainstream parties currently holding unambiguous liberal principles nor any members of the Liberal International. While at least three parties label themselves as "liberal", the Party of the Liberal Front (Partido da Frente Liberal), renamed Democrats (Democratas) in 2007, is actually a conservative party. The Liberal party (Partido Liberal), renamed Republic Party (Partido da Republica) in 2006, is a populist-conservative party with links to religious organizations, and the Social Liberal Party (Partido Social Liberal) can be considered a liberal party in the US sense.(Main article: Liberalism in Brazil).

 

[Moonbeam]

Progressive blames victims of failed progressive education system. That's rich.

How do I understand this? What is a progressive and what is a progressive education system. Surely you understand that what these things mean to you may be a product of biased distortion. You are coming from a predetermined position just as I am coming from a predetermined position that we come from predetermined positions, the assumption I am making and believe in. I can't trust what you say because I do not know what assumptions you are making about what these words mean to you and whether they are rational and fair minded.

 

[Moonbeam]

^ Case in point.

Why? I might not disagree but there is no meat on the bone you offer.

 

[piasabird]

Well maybe the Power company likes extorting people to pay for their power. So what incentive do they have that doesn't lead to making poor people pay more for power?

I guess if I was King I could make all of you live in a little bitty box of an apartment.