Something that bothers me about '5th Grader'

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Anybody here watch that Fox game show "Are You Smarter Than an Fifth Grader"?

I certainly do. I think it's so much fun to play along and see if I can do better then the contestant playing in the episode I'm watching.

But...I do have a problem with it, in one aspect. It has to do with the stipulation of having to confess to the viewing audience "I am not smarter than a fifth grader", as a consequence of dropping out or flunking out. You see, regardless of how well or poor you do, if you didn't win a million dollars, you have to say it!

Honestly, if I were a contestant there, I would rather flunk out and say those words, then to win half-a-million dollars and STILL SAY THEM! I mean, you'd have to show SOME intelligence to remember crap you learned like 25 years ago. And yet, I've seen contestants that have scored perfect on college entrance exams, I.Q.'s of 130, and even a ROCKET SCIENTIST have to drop out and say those eight words.

But the biggest slap in the face to pride I've ever seen, is that some contestants have to add the most annoying excuse of "but I'm a whole lot richer" to make themselves feel better inside. That proves to me one thing about human beings in general...

And that's people would rather be rich then smart...heh, poor dumb bastards.

Usagi1992

Which would you rather be: A penniless PhD living in a cardboard box on Skid Row, or an Uber-Wealthy Dimbo living in a Mansion in Beverly Hills?

I'm sure they make a point to weed out potential contestants with annoying qualities like pride or thoughtfulness or at least the ability to not think out loud (God that irritates me). And frankly, most fifth graders aren't as smart as the "fifth grader" this show purports to know all this stuff. No, I don't remember what year Magellan made his historic voyage, and the 10 year old who does will retain it just long enough to pass the next pop quiz and go to recess. Yeah, I don't like this show.

I like the random trivia aspect of it, and one of my kids got the board game (well, it came in a metal lunch box) version of it.

I think it's so the little kids can feel "big" when you don't get the dough.

I'd rather be poor then stupid, sir. Case closed, next case.

Yes yes!

This guy probably had the right idea:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope

That's what Chris Gardner was when he tried to sell Bone-Density Scanners in '81. You ever see Will Smith's "The Pursuit of Happyness?" Even though he was homeless for a while, it was temporary and became pretty well-off for the rest of his life.

On the other hand, if you were stupid indeed, you wouldn’t realize it or maybe rather you wouldn’t care.

A joke by the way: A fisherman caught a goldfish. The fish tells him: “Don’t kill me and I will make one of those two wishes come true – you will be either the wisest or the richest man in the world, make a choice”. So our fisherman makes a choice – from now on he wants to be a smart guy. Moment later, the fish asks: “Wise one, what would you like to tell me now”? - “That I should have chosen the cash”.

Yeah, I don't think my fifth-grade class was like that..

I can't stand that show. Dare someone get a zoology question that is so simple wrong. One lady didn't even know what a crayfish was. How stupid can people get? But then my mom says will pick apart any TV show.

You know what stupid is? When Kelly Pickler guessed the right answer to a U.S. History question, because of DUMB BLONDE LUCK!! The question was 'Which of the following American Revolution men was actually President?'

Well, she guessed the right answer, Franklin Pierce...on the logic that all the letters in his last name...WERE IN *HER* LAST NAME!! !

*shakes head ashamedly* Absolutely pathetic.