How Ignorant Are Americans?

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Misty
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Re: How Ignorant Are Americans?

Post by Misty »

Greta wrote:
"Poverty caused by extreme wealth disparity would seem to be the main issue. There have been studies showing that children raised in poverty experience permanent changes to brain structure and operation: [link]
Reality has shown many children reared in poverty (red, yellow, black and white) have become wealthy so it does not hold true that poor children are brain damaged.
Things are not always as they appear; it's a matter of perception.

The eyes can only see what the mind has, is, or will be prepared to comprehend.

I am Lion, hear me ROAR! Meow.
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Elder
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Re: How Ignorant Are Americans?

Post by Elder »

Greta wrote:Allowing such a disparity to persist seems a careless waste of the nation's human resources, with significant potential long term social and economic ramifications."
From my biography of Michael Faraday:
Faraday was one of those rare individuals who were brilliant, honest, kind, ambitious and very, very lucky. One shudders to think how many potential geniuses have been destroyed by bad luck and rotten circumstances. It warms the heart to know that, once in a while, the odds are beaten and a miracle happens.

One of ten children of a blacksmith, young Michael had few options in life. At age fourteen, having learned to read and write, he was apprenticed to a book binder. That was the first bit of luck. Not only did he have access to books but, quite uncharacteristically for a tradesman, Master Riebau took an interest in, and encouraged, his apprentice. Faraday read everything that came through the shop, from the Arabian Nights to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. In fact, it was an article on electricity that first stirred his interest in science.
I don't debate with the evaders, the hopelessly 'confused' or the too lazy to think -- life is too short!
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Misty
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Re: How Ignorant Are Americans?

Post by Misty »

Elder wrote:
Greta wrote:Allowing such a disparity to persist seems a careless waste of the nation's human resources, with significant potential long term social and economic ramifications."
From my biography of Michael Faraday:
Faraday was one of those rare individuals who were brilliant, honest, kind, ambitious and very, very lucky. One shudders to think how many potential geniuses have been destroyed by bad luck and rotten circumstances. It warms the heart to know that, once in a while, the odds are beaten and a miracle happens.

One of ten children of a blacksmith, young Michael had few options in life. At age fourteen, having learned to read and write, he was apprenticed to a book binder. That was the first bit of luck. Not only did he have access to books but, quite uncharacteristically for a tradesman, Master Riebau took an interest in, and encouraged, his apprentice. Faraday read everything that came through the shop, from the Arabian Nights to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. In fact, it was an article on electricity that first stirred his interest in science.
Success in spite of poverty is not rare, but commonplace, one just needs to not place all success at the door of wealth or fame. There are also many children reared in wealth that are not successful in life.
Things are not always as they appear; it's a matter of perception.

The eyes can only see what the mind has, is, or will be prepared to comprehend.

I am Lion, hear me ROAR! Meow.
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LuckyR
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Re: How Ignorant Are Americans?

Post by LuckyR »

Misty wrote:
Greta wrote:
"Poverty caused by extreme wealth disparity would seem to be the main issue. There have been studies showing that children raised in poverty experience permanent changes to brain structure and operation: [link]
Reality has shown many children reared in poverty (red, yellow, black and white) have become wealthy so it does not hold true that poor children are brain damaged.
Depends on your meaning of "many". If you mean "a normal percentage", you are dreaming. If you mean "on occasion it happens and we plaster the media with the story about it, since it is so uncommon", then I guess I will agree with you.

In any case from a pure logic standpoint your conclusion is not supported by your observation. Those wealthy and successful flks from poor origins, perhaps could have been twice as wealthy if they were not born poor, you don't know that. So their upbringing could totally have screwed up their prospects. As an aside, no one claimed that all poor folk are bran damaged (under the common understanding of that phrase)...
"As usual... it depends."
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Robert66
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Re: How Ignorant Are Americans?

Post by Robert66 »

JKlint wrote (Post #79) that: '... every organized institution has its agenda in maintaining THE or THEIR status quo. These, of course, are usually at odds. As in most cases relating to governments and institutions, the system has to implode before any major changes are made. Funding, funding, funding! Where are all these 'funds' supposed to come from? People are already pissed off with all the taxes which includes those in the public sector who actually benefit by it since it pays THEIR salaries and THEIR value added benefits.'

Well, JKlint, you are wrong about that. The institution known as public broadcasting has the agenda of questioning the status quo, of holding our governments to account, and of informing the (otherwise ignorant) public so they may properly participate as citizens. Informed citizens tend to believe that the taxes they pay in order to receive the benefits of well organised public broadcasting and education are monies well-spent.

Neo-liberals attack public institutions, using arguments which appeal to ignorance ('pissed off with all the taxes' etc) because they desire widespread ignorance. How ignorant are Americans? Not yet ignorant enough, some would say, and they say it loudly every day, not in those words, but in a way that tries to prevent the ignorant from changing their status.
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MarcusMalone
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Re: How Ignorant Are Americans?

Post by MarcusMalone »

I personally found the article quite fascinating. My hypothesis as to why the American public may be less aware of their government then oppose to other nations would be how that particular country values freedom of expression. What I have found in observing American culture is an emphasis on doing what you want. The aim is to above all, satisfy your desires be it food, entertainment, etc and meet that pursuit of happiness. There is a problem unfortunately. In many cases, the pursuit of these desires comes at the expense of intellectual curiosity and with that comes the knowledge of ones own government. I think that the absent-mindedness in comparison to other countries for Americans is primarily a cultural one and one that is remaining intact for the time being.
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