Why is the generation with the most information at their fingertips so dumb?

[Reaganfan]

Why is the generation with the most information at their fingertips so dumb?

My mom was one of the so-called "popular" girls in High School and even dated a star football player. But she knew who Reagan and Bush were and what the Soviet Union and Communism was. How come we now see girls who are 21 and older with children who don't know why we celebrate the 4th of July?

It makes me sad. Serious responses only please.

[Paul Kemp]

Where's the evidence behind this generation being "so dumb" besides your anecdotes?

[Keystone Phil]

Mmmmmm. I smell a good thread cooking.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Where's the evidence behind this generation being "so dumb" besides your anecdotes?

The young chicks and milfs at the biker bar provide enough anecdotal evidence for anyone, Mr. Kemp, including me. 

[Paul Kemp]

Mmmmmm. I smell a good thread cooking.

Only "serious responses" Phil.

[fezzyfestoon]

We all know a little bit about a lot of things. A lot of what we invest time in has been reduced to "pop" versions. I don't imagine that lends itself well to an intellectually productive populace.

[Kitteh]

Where's the evidence behind this generation being "so dumb" besides your anecdotes?

^this

Besides, I highly doubt your mom really knew what communism is. "OMG it's teh evilz!!!111!" does not count.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Because Lena Dunham

[fezzyfestoon]

Guys, it's best to pretend as though a Naso thread isn't a Naso thread. The more attention you pay to the original post, the worse of a thread it tends to end up being.

[memphis]

Why is the generation with the most information at their fingertips so dumb?

My mom was one of the so-called "popular" girls in High School and even dated a star football player. But she knew who Reagan and Bush were and what the Soviet Union and Communism was. How come we now see girls who are 21 and older with children who don't know why we celebrate the 4th of July?

It makes me sad. Serious responses only please.

Your mom knew who Reagan was because he was the current President. I suspect most high schoolers today know who Barack Obama is.
I don't put much stock in IQ tests, but there's also this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect

[Paul Kemp]

What are the chances that Naso believes this corresponds to the last two presidential election results? I'm going with 100%.

[Simfan34]

Approaching this critically, I'd mark it down to the fact that people are not drawn to the internet as a informative source but rather a communicative or social network. Almost everyone avails themselves of information from the internet, but if people aren't doing it often or thinking critcally, then the net gain is zero. And a lot of people aren't thinking critically, which in part explains the rise of conspiracism, combined with pretensions of superiority.

I also think a lot of sources use the internet as a crutch in lieu of proper explaination. Call it the "LMGTFY" effect. People are often just expected to "get" things more nowadays. I think that might explain a lot of the extreme ignorance you're talking about.

Also, I might think the end of the Cold War played a role as well. With the rise of American unipolarity, understanding the world around us as well as why the American system was inherently better than Communism, became less politically pertinent.

Because Lena Dunham

But also this.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I wonder what Naso will be like when he is actually over 50.

[Paul Kemp]

I wonder what Naso will be like when he is actually over 50.

Just like his father.

[patrick1]

This is an interesting question- just poorly framed.

I can only speak for myself but I think the internet fosters a kind of intellectual laziness and short attention span. With information a google away, you consume the information fast and it is likely gone before it is properly digested.

There once was a more formal, orderly process for how you acquired information.  It took time and discipline-(trips to the library, card catalog etc).   After all of the work to attain it, you will more likely to hold it and even savor it.

There are, for me, direct parallels to how we acquire food it the modern age as well.  Things are pre-packaged, disposable and many designed for quick boosts. You just shovel in the information and food. We become fat on quick facts and fat but lack any real depth or sophistication.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

How did I know this was a Naso thread before clicking?

[Lief 🗽]

lol naso complaining that other people are dumb

[Torie]

This may shock all, but there were a lot of dumbs wandering around everywhere when I was Naso's age. I mean, if there were not, how could I possibly have succeeded? Think about it.

The 24,000 dollar question is whether Naso will engage on this thread, or is this just another thunderbolt from Zeus up there on Mt. Olympus?

I'm betting on the latter.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Information =/= intelligence, of course.

But yeah, another lol Naso thread.

[Reaganfan]

Approaching this critically, I'd mark it down to the fact that people are not drawn to the internet as a informative source but rather a communicative or social network. Almost everyone avails themselves of information from the internet, but if people aren't doing it often or thinking critcally, then the net gain is zero. And a lot of people aren't thinking critically, which in part explains the rise of conspiracism, combined with pretensions of superiority.

I also think a lot of sources use the internet as a crutch in lieu of proper explaination. Call it the "LMGTFY" effect. People are often just expected to "get" things more nowadays. I think that might explain a lot of the extreme ignorance you're talking about.

Also, I might think the end of the Cold War played a role as well. With the rise of American unipolarity, understanding the world around us as well as why the American system was inherently better than Communism, became less politically pertinent.

Because Lena Dunham

But also this.

You might be on to something regarding the end of the Cold War's effect.

[dead0man]

This is an interesting question- just poorly framed.

I can only speak for myself but I think the internet fosters a kind of intellectual laziness and short attention span. With information a google away, you consume the information fast and it is likely gone before it is properly digested.

There once was a more formal, orderly process for how you acquired information.  It took time and discipline-(trips to the library, card catalog etc).   After all of the work to attain it, you will more likely to hold it and even savor it.

There are, for me, direct parallels to how we acquire food it the modern age as well.  Things are pre-packaged, disposable and many designed for quick boosts. You just shovel in the information and food. We become fat on quick facts and fat but lack any real depth or sophistication.

Thank you, saved me some time.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Don't worry, Naso, it's just you.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

They're too lazy to look stuff up for themselves.

[fezzyfestoon]

They're too lazy to look stuff up for themselves.

Or type fully formed opinions in response to others'.

[minionofmidas]

Why is the generation with the most information at their fingertips so dumb?

Mankind copes badly with information overload. This is scientific fact. It's why we invent routines for ourselves, why we always buy the same crap at the supermarket rather than test every product, why Soviet Communism failed and why free market ideologues' idea of Capitalism failed every single time it's been tested so far.