Jon,
IMO, it's the old conundrum of prosperity in a high-tech society.
Some of the results are counterintuitive and not so pretty. For
those who wish, prosperity enables higher education; but for
those who don't, prosperity enables a "dumbing down". In a large
way, most people consist of the latter. Since technology improves
the standard of living for everyone, including those who are less
motivated, previous competence that was required for living in
earlier times is no longer essential. In other words, as society
progresses, more people can slack off without such severe
negative consequences to them. A more prosperous society supports
more incompetence because it can; OTOH, it is no longer
"incompetence" since it's no longer essential. So there is
nothing particularly wrong with most people no longer knowing how
to milk a cow, but it might help explain a lot of frustrating
social issues (esp political / constitutional ones).
Some might call it an increase in "specialization" and
"complexity". Others might call it an increase in "stupidity".
The younger generation is generally dumber than the older,
regarding basic knowledge and fundamental competence. Depending
on how you look at it (or who you talk to), it's both the goal of
civilization and its downfall. For most, the goal of the pursuit
of happiness is NOT to work and study; it is to PARTY. It's one
of those perfect dualities (if I'm using the word right), like
the galactic black hole that is responsible for both "creating"
and "destroying" everything.
-Mark
************
{American jurors have complete Constitutional authority to vote
"not guilty" based on nothing more than a disagreement with the
case, no matter the evidence - despite the judge's instructions.
There is absolutely no obligation to vote "guilty" to arrive at a
unanimous verdict. Get on a jury, stand your ground, and fulfill
its other main purpose: to counteract abusive government and
unjust lawsuits.
See www.fija.org
[Please adopt this as your own signature.] }
--------------------------
In a 2002 interview, retiring congressman J.C. Watts said,
"Here's the problem
with Washington: If you are explaining, you are losing." He was
saying that public
policy is being made on the basis of bumper-sticker slogans
rather than careful,
detailed deliberation, and not just among the electorate, but at
the highest
levels. If our survival ever depends on adopting complex
solutions, we are doomed.
This has an implication for candidates for public office. No one
gets elected on
platform planks that have to be explained, or that contain more
an half a dozen
words. People don't make their electoral decisions on the basis
of issues, but on
personalities or a sense of how the herd is moving. People don't
want to have to
think.
-- Jon
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