Seriously, I feel like language has completely taken a step backwards when I turn on the television and hear all the slang used in mainstream dialogue. This is especially true when it comes to music. Also, we're totally a society based on mass consumption, which in itself limits our ability to think for ourselves. We are constantly bombarded with advertising and jingles and noise, noise, noise. Has forward-thinking taken a backseat to wanting to suck in the latest "cool"?
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Is modern society slowly getting...dumber?
- Thread starter Alucard
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To misquote some Douglas Coupland, nature always teaches us what we need to know. I think it's tough to compare relative dumbassity from generation to generation because while in general maybe people of my grandparents age spoke and wrote a little more formally (and yeah, it does sound better in a lot of ways to me) they couldn't set the time on a microwave or make a call on a cell phone if you put a gun to their head. And while it's easy to get the idea that generations past were somehow smarter than we are I'm not sure at all that's the case - even my dad struggled with basic literacy in some ways because when he went to school it just didn't matter as much as learning how to help out on the farm. My dad talks a lot more clearly and with much less annoying slang than any of us, but there is no way he was educated even close to as well as we were.
And while I love to hear/read language well used I have to admit that despite making me cringe with the way they "rite 2 me" in emails my younger brothers know about 10,000x more about comps and technology in general than I did at their age. And what's really more important for them to know? As long as they can 'msg' each other and communicate well enough to get by in whatever they go on to do knowing more about other stuff (and virutally nothing about geography or history it seems to me) may be more important.
And while I love to hear/read language well used I have to admit that despite making me cringe with the way they "rite 2 me" in emails my younger brothers know about 10,000x more about comps and technology in general than I did at their age. And what's really more important for them to know? As long as they can 'msg' each other and communicate well enough to get by in whatever they go on to do knowing more about other stuff (and virutally nothing about geography or history it seems to me) may be more important.
No, it has always been consistent in its stupidity.
It's just kids grow up and suddenly have brains and realize what most other adults already know.
The paradox comes when you talk to most people and THEY think the same thing. So if everyone agrees the collective intelligence in society is relatively low, why don't they realize they themselves are part of the problem?
It's just kids grow up and suddenly have brains and realize what most other adults already know.
The paradox comes when you talk to most people and THEY think the same thing. So if everyone agrees the collective intelligence in society is relatively low, why don't they realize they themselves are part of the problem?
On one hand, you've got people who are dumb because they're like omghi2u lolz!!!1! GOT DAT MADDEN?!
Then on the other, you've got people who are dumb because they try so hard to sound intellectual, they come off as pompous dicks.
There's a balance in the middle... I'd like to think most people lie in the middle, but I could be wrong.
Then on the other, you've got people who are dumb because they try so hard to sound intellectual, they come off as pompous dicks.
There's a balance in the middle... I'd like to think most people lie in the middle, but I could be wrong.
V
Vennt
Unconfirmed Member
Slowly? 
ConfusingJazz
Member
We just need a big war (you know, two or three major nations actually trying to kill each other, not us blowing the crap out of a developing nation) to kill of some stupid people [/sarcasm]
DaCocoBrova
Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
^^
No, just accepted now. Which sucks.
No, just accepted now. Which sucks.
Ninja Scooter
Member
"The answer? YES!"
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