THE DUMBING DOWN OF SOCIETY THROUGH SPORT,RELIGION AND MASS MEDIA ( Archived) (108)

I knew it wasn't a coincident :) not that I see the depth you are implying, but I did get a couple of cool ideas

It's all spearheaded by peewee herman and whackinatti

panem et circenses

hey olaix, yes this thing is monumental, the whole globe is affected, by,either,and,or entertainment, politics,economy,education,media,manufacturing,distributions,belief systems,and personal preferences,buying,selling,trading. this actually started in egypt.5000yr ago. not the oldest advanced society,but since then the most publicised,and with the use of magical influences(THE 72 SPIRITS OF SOLOMON) olaix LOOK that up, and check out their attributes they can convey to the magician that evokes them! just remember that is evoke,not invoke, there is a big difference! we are anonymous

Hahaha, well, I got the Alistair Crowley book collection, grabbed it on the run, but its a bit outside what I need to focus on at the moment. I know the Egyptians had knowledge that is now obscure, but then again, I'm not planning masonhood LoL. I'll give it a fast overview and see, as words probably are the most powerful things in the world.

Actually there isn't much evidence to support this concept. The latest research shows that across the entire population of the Earth, people are, in fact, increasing their average intelligence approximately 20% PER GENERATION.

The reason for the perception of a 'dumbing down' of society does not address society as a whole.

There is some evidence that our very best and brightest are not as relatively bright as perhaps they were 100 years ago but the average man in the street is considerably more educated, aware, connected and interpretive than ever before.

I read an entrance exam paper for Kings College in Scotland from 1910 or so. This was for boys aged 11. The paper looked really surprisingly difficult for children of that age group but their entry into one of the most elite schools in Europe at the time represented a tiny fraction of the population. Many of the rest of the children in Britain at the time would not have had any more formal schooling than up to that age. Scotland was a hub of intellectual activity and technological achievment in those days.

There is also the question of 'qualification inflation'. Lower quality universities issuing degrees to almost anyone who can afford to attend (because education is a business, you know) means that the quality of graduates in some countries has plummeted in the last few years.

However, the reserch suggests very good news for the world as a whole. It is interesting that the timeframe over which huge strides in average human intelligence has leapt has also coincided with the most peaceful era in mankinds history. Coincidence? Me thinks not.

I am optimistic that it will lead to a more informed, peaceloving, enlightened and egalitarian future for everyone.

lol i've got the same mentality. i went to a fortune teller when i was 19. she told me i would be close to death a 1000 times, but i would live a very long time. so far see's been right on the money(best $5.00 ever spent)haha the second thing she told me also came true. she said that any woman that i "loved",would never be true to me.three marriages,and more than a few girl friends later,she still is right on. the first one is not under my control, but the second part ,about the fedelity issue is. now that i'm on to the word game that's being played,unless i want to use the "love"word, no ladies are interested.not a coincidence! this is truly a cursed word, in our society, and despite the many words,one can use to wooo his intended, that is the one cursed word, they want to hear. yes words are powerful,my nordic brother

hi rubicon, i always find your comments, intelligent,well read,and diversified. even if i do not agree all the time they are respected. i believe that the OP here was not trying to slam anyone's inteelligence,or their education levels(i've personally known some very smart,talented what we call illiterate people today)if someone is called deaf or dumb,we would automatically cognisize that the person, can't hear or speak,correct? or in my case, can't type worth a damn,lol. ithink we as a people globally do not speak up, or give our opinions ,in voice, or vote, as much as we should,especially in an more, and more democratic society,sometimes one vote makes the difference you and i do not have that problem so much,lol. we will be heard i'm a pacifist in my heart,but decades of abuses,mostly emotional ,and spiritual, have made me a poet-warrior, and that sets pretty well, with the worldly scene,that's my "balance". everyone has that balance point,that they are comfortablle with,some more aggressive than us,and many who are not. dumbed down, i think so.

Thank you Wolfen. That is very kind of you to say. I too enjoy reading your commentary also and feel the same. We don't always have to agree but I'm sure we can find plenty of middle ground on which we can discuss the merits of the various subject matter.

In fact it is healthier to not agree on everything as debating issues highlights more facets for both ourselves and others.

I understand what you are saying and it is quite correct. I too have met many peopl like that. Highly educated but seemingly seriously lacking in other areas. In fact I have to work with engineers all day and (just to throw in a stereotype) they do tend to be specific personality types. They are often very theoretical (which is what you want from an engineer) but are generally lacking in interpersonal skills which are more evenly spread in the general population.

Like all stereotypes there are many exceptions but I make this point to highlight the fact that there are many different forms of intelligence. It is not an overly well understood area of study but some of the forms it takes are; cognitivity, interpretation, spacial awareness, general knowledge, specialised knowledge, rote memory, diplomacy, artistry, observation, compassion, openness, association, humor and many more which I can't remember (!).

We all know people who are especially good in one or more of these areas and, of course, what you are good at often defines what career you end up following.

EQ (emotional intelligence) and psychometric testing is a newish field of study which advanced employers are only now just taking notice of when recruiting for important positions. I expect to see considerable growth in the research of this area in the coming years.

Thank you also for your always thoughtful contributions in these pages.