Comments on: The elephant in the room http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/llpof/the-elephant-in-the-room/ She drinks, you know. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:50:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: cocktailhag http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/llpof/the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-2810 cocktailhag Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:19:45 +0000 http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/?p=1215#comment-2810 I never have a snappy comeback for that annoying slur. It's even more galling when it comes on a day spent doing something more than usually horrendous, like laying tile or mudding drywall. That's why I got a blog. Too much time to think. I never have a snappy comeback for that annoying slur. It’s even more galling when it comes on a day spent doing something more than usually horrendous, like laying tile or mudding drywall.
That’s why I got a blog. Too much time to think.

]]> By: retzilian http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/llpof/the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-2808 retzilian Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:11:27 +0000 http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/?p=1215#comment-2808 That's why I love you, Hag! I was an English major and when I tell people that, they squint their eyes and say, "What the hell did you do with THAT?!" That’s why I love you, Hag! I was an English major and when I tell people that, they squint their eyes and say, “What the hell did you do with THAT?!”

]]> By: cocktailhag http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/llpof/the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-2805 cocktailhag Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:55:21 +0000 http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/?p=1215#comment-2805 Excellent list, Retzilian. I'd add the car culture, which took away time and opportunity for people to read a newspaper each day, and removed most people from day-to-day contact with each other. Media consolidation, which reduced the depth and variety of news, and produced a relentless pursuit of profit over all other values, further turning people off and distorting the idea of what was important. I think you're right, though, that the worst thing is the decline of liberal education, together with the enormous costs of college in general, that has been the worst. Not only do people avoid the humanities, but even those in science, medicine, and law are often indentured with loans that force them to pursue the most lucrative, but least beneficial to society, of career paths. But what do I know; I majored in history and I remodel houses for a living. Excellent list, Retzilian. I’d add the car culture, which took away time and opportunity for people to read a newspaper each day, and removed most people from day-to-day contact with each other. Media consolidation, which reduced the depth and variety of news, and produced a relentless pursuit of profit over all other values, further turning people off and distorting the idea of what was important.
I think you’re right, though, that the worst thing is the decline of liberal education, together with the enormous costs of college in general, that has been the worst. Not only do people avoid the humanities, but even those in science, medicine, and law are often indentured with loans that force them to pursue the most lucrative, but least beneficial to society, of career paths.
But what do I know; I majored in history and I remodel houses for a living.

]]> By: retzilian http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/llpof/the-elephant-in-the-room/comment-page-1/#comment-2803 retzilian Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:39:58 +0000 http://www.cocktailhag.com/blog/?p=1215#comment-2803 I'll don the tin foil hat and posit a few theories about why Americans are getting dumber. I really do think there is a widescale strategy (and some consequences were unanticipated but allowed to happen) and it has been in the works for awhile. In no particular order, here is what I think has contributed to the "dumbing down" of our population: 1. Nutritionally bereft, contaminated food, lead, heavy metals, toxins, etc. We are being poisoned and some people are weaker than others and become more easily sick, crazy, etc. We can thank Monsanto, ADM, and our government for that. Basically we are malnourished and our brains don't work well because of that. Solution: buy local, eat low on the food chain, eat organic if you can afford it, avoid processed food and fast food. Be a food heretic! 2. Modern medicine - pharmaceuticals - Rx drugs are poison. If I were dying of cancer right now, I'd skip the treatments, tell my doctor or daughters (who are nurses) or boyfriend to get me the good stuff (heroin, morphine, dilaudid, who cares) and let me get stoned. That's it. The drug industry keeps people sick, period. And now they want to drug your kids if they are too wiry or hyper or don't shut up in class all day. Don't even get me started. 3. Debasing, defunding, vilifying the Humanities, which made now two generations of kids avoid reading, writing, philosophy, religion, fine arts, humanities, foreign languages, history, etc. We were discouraged (as were my kids) from focusing on liberal arts because all the jobs were in "marketing" or "business" or medicine. Those of us who majored in liberal arts were laughed at. And now, most college graduates can't read, spell, recite Shakespeare, quote Kant, or speak a foreign language. Anyway, it's an uphill battle trying to foil this plot. I’ll don the tin foil hat and posit a few theories about why Americans are getting dumber. I really do think there is a widescale strategy (and some consequences were unanticipated but allowed to happen) and it has been in the works for awhile.

In no particular order, here is what I think has contributed to the “dumbing down” of our population:

1. Nutritionally bereft, contaminated food, lead, heavy metals, toxins, etc. We are being poisoned and some people are weaker than others and become more easily sick, crazy, etc. We can thank Monsanto, ADM, and our government for that. Basically we are malnourished and our brains don’t work well because of that. Solution: buy local, eat low on the food chain, eat organic if you can afford it, avoid processed food and fast food. Be a food heretic!

2. Modern medicine – pharmaceuticals – Rx drugs are poison. If I were dying of cancer right now, I’d skip the treatments, tell my doctor or daughters (who are nurses) or boyfriend to get me the good stuff (heroin, morphine, dilaudid, who cares) and let me get stoned. That’s it. The drug industry keeps people sick, period. And now they want to drug your kids if they are too wiry or hyper or don’t shut up in class all day. Don’t even get me started.

3. Debasing, defunding, vilifying the Humanities, which made now two generations of kids avoid reading, writing, philosophy, religion, fine arts, humanities, foreign languages, history, etc. We were discouraged (as were my kids) from focusing on liberal arts because all the jobs were in “marketing” or “business” or medicine. Those of us who majored in liberal arts were laughed at.

And now, most college graduates can’t read, spell, recite Shakespeare, quote Kant, or speak a foreign language.

Anyway, it’s an uphill battle trying to foil this plot.

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