Stupidity: A Real Problem or Not?

As I think about the post, I would say that we are all probably stupid about something, using this definition:

Stupid - unwillingness to properly consider the relevant information

Call in blinders if you will. Something we might see in others, but cannot see in ourselves.

So stupidity is probably as much of a problem as death. It is pervasive.

Rich

-Socrates was killed because he said this way better (and without accusing others ).

It may be stupid to be unwilling to properly consider the relevant information, but that is not what stupidity is.

I want to point out (about the 18% who think the sun revolves around the earth) that roughly 18% of people have boarderline cognative functioning. Also, certain areas have high concentration of low intellegence/education population. All of the relavent factors must be presented along with polling statistics.

Solving the problem of the perception of stupidity entails bringing everyone to the same level, a problem that has thus far proven to be insurmountable.

To what extent is this a problem in the US?
If it is, indeed, a problem - what might be the solution?

From time to time I see reports, surveys and/or articles detailing some of the most outlandish responses people give to - what I perceive to be - some very basic 'truths' about current events, the country we live in, history and so on. Here are some examples from Bill Maher's article New Rule: Smart President ≠ Smart Country - except where set off by brackets, all are direct quotes:

• On the eve of the Iraq War, 69% of Americans thought Saddam Hussein was personally involved in 9/11. Four years later, 34% still did.
  

• At a recent town-hall meeting [regarding Healthcare] in South Carolina, a man stood up and told his Congressman to "keep your government hands off my Medicare," which is kind of like driving cross country to protest highways.
  

• ...polls show that a majority of Americans cannot name a single branch of government, or explain what the Bill of Rights is
  

• ... 24% could not name the country America fought in the Revolutionary War.
  

• More than two-thirds of Americans don't know what's in Roe v. Wade.
  

• Two-thirds don't know what the Food and Drug Administration does.
  

• Nearly half of Americans don't know that states have two senators and more than half can't name their congressman.
  

• And among Republican governors, only 30% got their wife's name right on the first try [unable to discern if he's just being sarcastic here or using vocalized pauses to inject a point]
  

• Sarah Palin says she would never apologize for America. Even though a Gallup poll says 18% of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth.
  

• A third of Republicans believe Obama is not a citizen, and a third of Democrats believe that George Bush had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks
  

• The average voter thinks foreign aid consumes 24% of our federal budget. It's actually less than 1%.
  

• But here's one fun fact you can take away: did you know only about half of Americans are aware that Judaism is an older religion than Christianity? That's right, half of America looks at books called the Old Testament and the New Testament and cannot figure out which one came first.
  

Maher's text may be in dispute - I wouldn't swallow it all. But there are quite a few other sources which often speak of the same theme: We're not too smart. Is this political slandering or a real problem? I tend to think there's at least something to this issue since its come up so many times from many different sources.

Please discuss - and I'd ask that we try and stay centered on the theme "Is this a problem? Why? How?, etc".

Thanks

I just chose this an an example. I pretty much think that any definition can probably be applied to oneself. I am very egalitarian about this.

In 1972, a French plant imported this uranium ore. To their great surprise, chemical examinations showed that this ore had already been extracted and utilized, therefore they sent people of science to the country to investigate, and scientists from many other countries went there, too. They confirmed, at last, that this uranium ore was in fact a large-scale nuclear reactor, which was so well laid out that it would be impossible even for modern people to produce it. Then when was it completed? It was two billion years ago that it was completed, and it had been in operation for about 500000 years.

To what extent is this a problem in the US?
If it is, indeed, a problem - what might be the solution?
Maher's text may be in dispute - I wouldn't swallow it all. But there are quite a few other sources which often speak of the same theme: We're not too smart. Is this political slandering or a real problem? I tend to think there's at least something to this issue since its come up so many times from many different sources.
Thanks

Personally I believe that Bush was made president to serve a small group of people, (puppet on a string), and we must not forget that the average American are nice people and not stupid, I for one have gained alot from America.

Stupidity: Marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless: a stupid mistake.....We are here because we want the opinions of people worth getting opinions from. Not the stupid people that walk around like drones in this world doing as they are told without wanting to know why they are doing it.

As for the original post, I have felt this way for many years if not most of my life. I look around and see people that don't know more than what directly affects their lives and even some that know very little about that.

Most don't know that Paganism is one of the oldest know religions, older than any of the 5 major branches of Christianity (Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant) which I also feel the need to point out they all have different views on the same religion and "word of god" they bring hatred and chaos to this world all in the attempt to call themselves the correct path and people blindly follow.

Most don't even know the bible has been rewritten at least 3 know times and had information added and removed to better suit mankind's needs.

I am not diving into that issue any further because I don't feel the need to spend the next week debating religion but the point can be summed up as simple as witch-hunts. These hunts were caused by the teachings of the church. The Hebrew Bible condemns sorcery. Deuteronomy 18:11-12 calls it an "abomination" and Exodus 22:18 prescribes "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live", and tales like that of 1 Samuel 28, reporting how Saul "hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land" suggesting that in practice, sorcery could at least lead to exile.

Ignorance and Stupidity both lead to pain, suffering, and death. Wars are started and continued because of mans lack of desire to learn or know but also the immense desire to criticize, hate, kill, and hurt because of false information.

People walk the streets and a hurt, scolded and damned because a small group of people decided to run some jet airliners into some building. I have seen Indians hurt and scolded because they are Al-Qaeda as well as many others. What is wrong with this world and the people in it...?

People will blindly follow what TV and other media tells them and it is sick and it will someday destroy us all. I will cut this short but there are so many other events and issues that are caused by a lack of knowledge.

......I can go on forever.

It makes no difference to me what word we use (stupid or ignorant). If we choose to use the word ignorance, I think we must realize that some of this is a forced ignorance. That takes some energy on the part of the ignoramus. Constant distractions, like action movies, beer, (not that I don't like the occasional brew), and "multi-media" devices help reinforce the ignorance. Of course, I live in Texas, and that's is my perspective. :bigsmile:

Hi there Catchabula,

But suppose these 18% people are operating fine in their environment. This is what they believe and it works for them. Why is that stupid or low intelligence. I know lots of well informed people who I believe are very much uniformed (e.g. health and lifestyle practices). Are they stupid, uninformed, low intelligence, uneducated, or what? I choose to believe that they are simply living their own lives.



And it may not be a problem at all. Vive la difference!

Rich

If elitism is a position of fear, however, Epicureanism is a liberation from that fear. Can each individual liberate themselves from manipulation? Can each person develop themselves to the degree that they do not endanger society en mass? If so, should such development be considered a necessary responsibility of the individual in order to fully participate in society? What if they cannot? These are important, yet difficult and contentious questions.

A third of Republicans believe Obama is not a citizen

Sounds like the possibility for another thread. But you probably know by now where I stand. If I thought I knew the answers, I would tell people how to live. But I don't have the answers, so I am in the same boat as everyone else. Who am I to say?

For example, people tell me all the time I should go to doctors. People who are much worse physical condition than I am. People who apparently have higher degrees than me and possibly have read more Shakespeare. Maybe spent years and years in medical school. But am I really that stupid to listen to them and then turn out like them? Hmmm ... So, .... live and let live.

Rich

Most of us here probably enjoy searching for knowledge. I can't help myself, I am interested in knowing as much about everything as I can. It's hardly a choice, because it is how I pass my time. It is my leisure activity. That being said, a lot of information in the universe is really not needed by your average man. A farmer needs to know how to raise crops from the ground, when to harvest, how and when to slaughter, etc., but he really doesn't need to know how much foreign aid his country gives out, etc. Take the Indians, for example, they were considered quite stupid and childish, but they had a society that for a thousand years functioned far better than western civilization. Everything is relative. I tend to gravitate towards people who are around the same level of intelligence and knowledge as myself, and I must say that we are probably less happy than many "stupid" people. I suppose it takes all kinds, and I really don't believe it's much of a problem. Even ignorant people have a nose for right and wrong, sometimes more so.

Bingo. A look at the list leads one to question oneself...what utility might the average American have for such knowledge? Especially in a society where one's profession seemingly engulfs and defines a person, the American is more focused on know-how. A guy may not know his state's senators (as I don't either :Not-Impressed:), but most will probably not know how to replace a heater's thermocouple like he does. If he chooses to do so even if unrightful, he may call someone stupid for not knowing how to do such a simple thing. I'm sorry but, this survey isn't as revealing as it wishes to be. Its not hard to find tidbits of information people don't know and blast them for it. I believe there's a show hanging on this gimmick where contestants play trivia against 5th graders?

"But these are things everyone should know?" Who's to determine that? One's basic knowledge can be heiroglyphics to another.

I often think about it this way:

If the economy completely tanks or nuclear holocaust hits, etc., the knowledge of a great many things will be needed, including hunting, fishing, husbandry, carpentry, masonry, well-digging, tracking, trapping, natural medicine, and the list goes on. A lot of the people with "superior knowledge" in this country never took the time to learn the basics, and would be begging for support from a lot of "stupid" people.:bigsmile:

Whether or not there is a nuclear holocaust, all of these things are very nice things to know. A beggar, for example, knows how to survive by living on the street. They add to the flavor of life. I hope to add these things to other things that I have done in my life - but I know I will not do all.

Rich

You aspire to be a beggar living on the street? Now, that's all we need!