How Did Some Americans Become So Stupid?

Page 16 of 20 [ 318 posts ] Go to page Previous 1 ... 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Next

Joined: 8 Aug 2019
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,587

02 Sep 2023, 9:06 pm

It's worth mention that so far, both videos of Tyson, have been very short snippets of what were in fact very long lectures, and a lot of the framing and finishing information has been omitted from the presented fragments. They may be more fulfilling or elaborative, if watched in their entirety.

The ability to think critically is often one of his major foci.

I don't always agree with all of his assumptions and conclusions, but I do find him more than worth bending an ear to.

Tim_Tex
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 2 Jul 2004
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 46,398
Location: Houston, Texas

02 Sep 2023, 11:34 pm

TwilightPrincess wrote:

Tim_Tex wrote:

They don't teach real world skills, they only teach student to take standardized tests. Once you pass, they're done with you.

The school system isn’t perfect, but it’s not that bad.

Tim_Tex wrote:

And most students who do go to college don't make it pass the first year, because they have not been adequately prepared for higher education.

^ Not true.

Quote:

Roughly 25% of first-year college students don't return for their second year to any school and about 35% don't return to the same school, according to the NSCRC.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-c ... he%20NSCRC.

I’m just seeing a lot of generalizations, exaggerations, and misinformation in this thread.

I am mostly going by my own experiences and observations. Plus it was 25-30 years ago, and maybe some things have changed or improved since then.

_________________
Who’s better at math than a robot? They’re made of math!

cyberdad
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Feb 2011
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Posts: 36,036

03 Sep 2023, 2:38 am

TwilightPrincess wrote:

cyberdad wrote:

I am searching for reasons why as a nation the US is so obsessed about patriotism/identity at the expense of health/education/environmental and technological progress.

I’m not patriotic, but I must admit that the US has contributed a lot, especially in the realms of science and technology. Perhaps you’re searching for reasons to uphold your own biases and prejudice.

I don't actually subscribe to the "Americans are more stupid > Europe, Canada or Australia. However, the perception is strongly held
https://medium.com/illumination/why-eur ... 8648f10448
I mean can you blame them? 75 million Americans voted Trump 3 years ago.
Lack of free healthcare, education, affordable housing (things taken for granted in western Europe or Australia) and obsession about gun ownership, mass shootings and patriotism feeds these beliefs outside of the USA. You may say these are biased. From where I am, the majority of Americans aren't exactly presenting a good counter-argument.

RetroGamer87
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 30 Jul 2013
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,160
Location: Adelaide, Australia

03 Sep 2023, 2:46 am

Is housing in Australia really so affordable that we can take it for granted?

_________________
The days are long, but the years are short

cyberdad
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Feb 2011
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Posts: 36,036

03 Sep 2023, 2:57 am

RetroGamer87 wrote:

Is housing in Australia really so affordable that we can take it for granted?

We take housing and employment more seriously > identity politics

IsabellaLinton
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 1 Nov 2017
Gender: Female
Posts: 72,433
Location: Chez Quis

03 Sep 2023, 3:02 am

More seriously than what? ^

I'd argue that Canadians take it more seriously than anyone and we have the highest prices in the world.

_________________
I never give you my number, I only give you my situation.
Beatles

RetroGamer87
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 30 Jul 2013
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,160
Location: Adelaide, Australia

03 Sep 2023, 3:11 am

cyberdad wrote:

RetroGamer87 wrote:

Is housing in Australia really so affordable that we can take it for granted?

We take housing and employment more seriously > identity politics

Is that why the interest rate on my mortgage is going to triple next month? A government that actually took things seriously would put limits on how much the RBA can F with people's lives.

_________________
The days are long, but the years are short

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 60,939
Location:

03 Sep 2023, 3:12 am

What if . . . every human being on Earth was to instantly forget all of the religion-based "facts" they ever learned?

What kinds of knowledge would be left? Would atheists be better off then most, or would there be so much flat-out ignorance that all of humanity would be plunged into another "Dark Age"?

blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 21,488

04 Sep 2023, 3:13 pm

cyberdad wrote:

TwilightPrincess wrote:

cyberdad wrote:

I am searching for reasons why as a nation the US is so obsessed about patriotism/identity at the expense of health/education/environmental and technological progress.

The UK is a part of western Europe and housing here isn't particularly affordable.

House prices are insane in London, which is where all the decent paying jobs are.

Think, 10 or 12 times the yearly salary to buy a house. In other parts of the country it can be as low as 6 or 7 times a yearly salary. That covers buying.

For renting, the private sector is a complete rip off, with monthly rents high and disproportionate to income for most people. Social housing is an option at least, but even that has a waiting time of many years for most people, unless a person is sleeping in a hostel and has declared themselves homeless.

It can take up to 10 years or more, on a waiting list, to be offered social housing, in the UK.

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 60,939
Location:

04 Sep 2023, 5:56 pm

How did some Americans get so stupid? Let me take a wild-arsed guess . . .

cyberdad
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Feb 2011
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Posts: 36,036

04 Sep 2023, 9:41 pm

Fnord wrote:

How did some Americans get so stupid? Let me take a wild-arsed guess . . .

I mean this is literally who conservative american christians expect to meet them at the gates of heaven

At least in heaven there's a wall to keep Mexicans out

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 60,939
Location:

04 Sep 2023, 9:47 pm

cyberdad wrote:

. . . this is literally who conservative american christians expect to meet them at the gates of heaven

No, that is whom members of the Roman Catholic Church expect to meet in Heaven -- blond, blue-eyed, long-nosed Jesus with a weird tattoo on His chest.

This looks more like the Jesus I expect to meet: