Dumbing down. Interesting points for consideration.

Quicksilver · #1 09-26-2006, 02:41 PM

I read some information that I had seen before and thought i would share it here because there are lots of young people who are in my view being affected by this issue. It is NOT a political issue but a cultural of society issue that is progressing in a rather interesting direction.

“Dumbing down” is caused by some of the following multiple influences.
The list contains what could be the reason why the world is headed in a direction many see as on a collision course with self destruction. What do you think?

the erosion of authority (in the text, in politicians, the church, parents, teachers, tradition, etc). The malign influence of cultural relativist propaganda.

family instability, value shifts, changing beliefs about what life "should" offer and how much "effort" is required, an increasing sense of powerlessness over work in a global economy.

changing values that give permission to the expression and release of certain personality and behavioural patterns that were previously less acceptable

related to the above, populism, an apparent democratisation of culture, and the downward trends in taste and discrimination seen in market-directed art and entertainment, produce a culture of consumption rather than a culture of intelligence.

changes in social organisation to smaller families that have less time for childcare, changing work patterns, and age-stratified social grouping that not only affect family structure but have emotional consequences in the next generation

the influence and pervasiveness of media influences as discussed above

the loss of the feeling of certainty, of being rooted in a real community with deep ties to others, together with constant change and a loss of the sense that things are getting better and the world is improving. “Why should I bother” and a hedonistic orientation may be the result.

the move into a society that values economics above most other values. Neoliberalism since the 1970s has set out to disempower and depoliticise the general population, the better to empower business. Discipline, deskilling, and fear at work have devalued experience and skill and hence age; you survive and prosper through opportunism rather than wisdom.
changes in educational priorities and philosophies and changes in parenting practices and family dynamics

a move into individualism and self-centredness: a culture that promotes egotism informed by a sense of entitlement leading to an expectation that everything is permitted and that no limitations should be placed on actions or desires.

the increasing commoditisation of social life, and the consequent rise of advertising and publicity as the key culture, tend to promote knowledge as soundbite, enjoyment as sensation, and repute as celebrity - all characteristics of adolescent culture.

the cult of youth has led to a fractured dialogue between the generations, an end of the communicating of vital experience and wisdom from one generation to the next. This has led to a gross impoverishment for society, a loss of shared values, social stability and cohesion. Because young people are seen merely as a market and treated as consumers only, a shallow and banal mass culture has been promoted.

all these have produced cultural change and an ethos in which narcissistic motives, drives, and behaviour are both accepted and expected.
these changes produce a cultural background that infiltrates the personality structure of the individual and particularly those who grow up within this culture so that it increasingly becomes the norm - the normal state of affairs which is “the way things should be”. This has led to the dramatic increase that mental health clinicians have charted in recent times in our chosen cultural psychopathology, narcissistic and borderline personality disorders

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cmyX6go · #2 09-26-2006, 03:02 PM

110%. I believe that the change in the family unit has alot to do with it. When I was growing up, single parents were by far the minority. I, along with most of my friends had moms that were home with us all day. They were there when we came home from school, watched over us like hawks. Wasn't easy to get away with stuff. Our parents knew where we were, what we did, taught us respect. You didn't dare come home and say you got in trouble in school because you'd get your ass kicked. We were middle class. We didn't have things handed to us. We had to work towards something we wanted, we had to deserve it and appreciate it.

Things are different today. Having one parent at home with their kids is a luxury not many have. Whether due to single parent homes or both parents working in order to survive (or keep up with the Jones) the family unit is not the same. Some don't have the time, others put their own wants and needs before their childrens. No discipline at home, let the teachers worry about it.

We also want to give our children things that we couldn't have when we were kids. I think we give them too much. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. How do you appreciate something you get too easily.

PersonaNonGrata · #3 09-26-2006, 03:03 PM

Wow, that is a thesaurus worth of stuff.

I would agree with most of it but some of it is academic research paper bunk, created by a professor trying to justify getting tenure. Some points are pretty much saying the same thing but the major points are there. Yes, the erosion of authority is a major cause. I don't want to get into the cause of this, whether it be lying presidents, corrupt officials or whatever, setting a bad example. The point is that there is an overall lack of respect for authority. We can see it in schools and in the general public. We are all old enough to remember when we were afraid of our teachers and parents. That doesn't exist like it used to. Kids are more defiant and less disciplined than they used to be. This dovetails into the other point that the family structures are family values are different now. There are too many parents trying to be their kids' buddies rather than being their parents. Add to that the busier schedules and putting kids second behind other things. Add to that some parent's expectation that the government should raise their kids. They expect the schools and other entities to teach their kids right and wrong. (I know this first hand all too well.) Put these kids into a society where there is a sense of entitlement caused by said parents, the media, politicians, etc, and you've got kids that who lack the fundamental moral development and sense of social responsibility that we all should have.

IMO, there are some very basic things that is causing the phenomenon. As I stated, it starts with parents. I deal with many parents who throw up their hands when their 14 year old kid is out of control. I ask them if the kid woke up one day and was a hellion and almost universally, the problems started when the kids was much younger. Parents need to actually be parents from day one. Also, our society has started allowing mediocrity to be the norm. We dumb things down for people and make it easier to remain, well, dumb. We make too many accomodations and demand less which in turn lowers the level of expectations and the commensurate level of ambition people have. To put it simply, kids don't try as hard or aren't as respectful because it is not expected of them. Kids are like water: they'll sink to the lowest point you'll allow. Having said that, I can tell you from personal experience that kids want discpline and thrive when there is more structure. Unfortunately there are too few parents providing that.

Anyway, there's more stuff but I'm pretty sure I've put some of you to sleep so I'll stop my diatribe.

Peace out.

* Disclaimer: Gross generalizations were used in the formation of the above opinions. Exceptions to the general rule are acknowledged.

Quicksilver · #4 09-26-2006, 04:12 PM

Actually what I included was only the tip of the iceberg regarding this issue. I thought this list summed up what I believe is only part of the issue. Dumbing down of course from my perspective seems to include the decision on the part of many not to make their best effort at some of the smallest things like dressing for dinner or for an evening out. Jeans and a T shirt for dinner at a decent resturant? Come on.

From where i sit downward trends in taste and discrimination have taken over. I suppose art and entertainment is market-directed but it seems to me that if a person can tell the difference between a chevrolet and a BMW then it would seem that a culture of intelligence would develop over time but it aint happining. Instead bad taste has increasingly become the norm.

But it's good to talk about it. Perhaps some will try to stand out in the crowd and make the point that it's ok to have good manners, ethics and morals even if you do get laughed at.

Eric5273 · #5 09-26-2006, 06:11 PM

Interesting that this thread was started today. I was discussing a similar thing with my girlfriend last night.

She is a 5th grade teacher in the Bronx, and her students are mostly minorities from poor single-parent families. This year she has one kid which is disrupting the class continuously and she does not know what to do. The kid does not get into fights and is not violent, nor is he stupid either. He is the "class clown". He talks and yells when she is trying to teach, he gets up and walks around the classroom without permission. He throws things at other students. One day he even peed in his pants and all over the floor around his desk, which disrupted her class for about an hour. Apparently he thought it was funny (and so did the other students).

On Friday, he asked to go to the bathroom, and then he apparently ripped one of the sinks off the wall in the boys bathroom (he claims it "fell" off the wall) and caused the entire 5th floor of the school to be flooded.

So she has a meeting with the mother and the school dean tomorrow morning. However, the mother has been less than cooperative. She thinks the teachers are simply picking on her kid, as apparently he does not act like this at home. According to my girlfriend, he had similar behavior problems last year in the 4th grade. After getting no cooperation from the mother, the 4th grade teacher even video taped the kid misbehaving, and when shown to the mother, she claimed it wasn't her kid in the video and was another student who looked similar, since her son "does not act like that".

The problem is that there is nothing my girlfriend can do to get this kid out of her class. Everything has to be so "politicially correct". She cannot send him home when he misbehaves. If he walks out of her class without permission (which he does often), she has to go retrieve him as she is responsible if something was to happen to him while he was unsupervised.

She cannot even have him stay after school for detention, as this is an elementary school and they do not have detention. So instead, all of the other kids in her class are going to suffer for the entire school year due to this single kid.

Back when I went to school (I was in 5th grade in 1983), this kid would have been screamed at, punished, and definately sent home early. But apparently teachers are no longer allowed to scream or yell at students. She is not even allowed to slam a yardstick on a table or blow a wistle to get their attention. Everything has to be nice and easy going. Anything loud or mean is banned and is considered "corporal punishment".

I'm sure this is not the only problem with the public school system today, but it certainly a major factor.

Mr. D · #6 09-27-2006, 09:13 AM

I am definately in agreement with the breakdown of the family unit. I also think some parents just want to be friends with their kids.....

Wagner · #7 09-27-2006, 09:52 AM

Simply put:

This was ghetto in the late 1930's:

This is ghetto in 2007:

This was gangsta' in 1940:

This is gangsta' in 2007:

Eric5273 · #8 09-27-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WagnerX5

This is gangsta' in 2007:

Ummm....didn't he die in 1996?

jwilburn · #9 09-27-2006, 01:08 PM

Being one of the "younger generation" to which this article refers, I would still have to agree to most of what was said. Whether or not it is the “family instability” and/or “erosion of authority” I do not know.

I am sure the media has a lot to blame. You just have to look at FOX and see how American morals are changing. People complain about the degradation of the sanctity of marriage yet tune in weekly for “Who wants to marry a millionaire bachelorette in Paris.”

America has very much become a consumption society. I kind of find this topic of discussion ironic as we are talking about this on an on-line forum for top-of-the-line luxury SUV’s. 19mpg what?

Also I am not trying to say that I am better than this article as it really describes me quite well. However I came from a “stable” household where the parents are not divorced and my mom stayed home. So clearly, no single factor can actually be pinned down for the cause in this culture shift.

This is just my lunch time rant.