Comments on: Just how stupid are Americans?

By: ProudofMcCain

ProudofMcCain — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:02:05 +0000

I agree that Americans as a whole are stupid, and politicians facilitate this. Obama tells people what they want to hear, and omits any facts that might dampen the American voting public’s smile. McCain employs this same tactic, though not as much, and has suffered in the polls.

By: Erich Vieth

Erich Vieth — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:53:13 +0000

Here is undeniable evidence of American stupidity from the NYT:

Since the 1980s, fuel efficiency has flatlined at 24 m.p.g., while vehicle weight has jumped more than 25 percent and horsepower has nearly doubled. In Europe, on the other hand, fuel efficiency currently stands at 44 m.p.g. and is slated to hit 48 m.p.g. by 2012.

In short, we could have been burning about half the oil we’re currently burning, if we only had a brain.

And consider this:

Between 1974 and 1989, the efficiency of a typical car sold in the United States almost doubled, to 27.5 miles per gallon from 13.8.

Here’s the full story.

By: Dan Klarmann

Dan Klarmann — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:10:13 +0000

Related post at Alternet. Here’s the link.

By: Tim Hogan

Tim Hogan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:38:16 +0000

The modern facist corporatist state cannot survive where there is a continuous influx of persons knowledgeable enough to be aware of their oppression.

We have seen the sytematic repression of the middle class and lower classes in removing opportunities for education, employment and healthcare except as beneficiaries of their corporate masters.

The continued repression of the masses has been allied with a pernicious ethic of “individualism” which facist corporatist state uses to undermine collective supports and responsibilities except as approved by their fiat.

We are steered to not care about the “others” by labels issued by our masters which frame their issues in billion dollar campaigns to convince us their hand-picked lackey is the kind of guy we’d like to share a beer with, rather than one which will allow freedom, opportunity and the quality of life enjoyed by our parents.

The first thing we do is reclaim the American Revolution as belonging to us all, and not just the rich, white, monied property owners. I’ve seen some visions of a new American Revolution here:

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/11/01/america_101.php

But, ultimately, we are each of us, personally responsible for the world which we live in and give to our children. The question to us, are we prepared to re-take the American Revolution and own it so our children may have a better world?

By: Erich Vieth

Erich Vieth — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:04:26 +0000

Niklaus: I sense that you are correct. Just ask yourself who runs the government these days–who finances the campaigns? As long as the people can afford enough distractions and baubles, why would the government want most citizens to be informed? It would be inviting lots of trouble-makers, reformers, people to hold the government accountable, people that might stop invasions like Iraq. Keep them ignorant and happy seems to be AOK with the government.

In an ideal world, having vast numbers of citizens showing massive ignorance about how to be informed enough to participate in the government would be cause for massive educational and government reform. It would be cause for a national emergency.

By: Niklaus Pfirsig

Niklaus Pfirsig — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:13:29 +0000

Robert Heinlein worte many essays and articles regarding the steady increase in anti-intellectualism in the US. He advocated the idea of some sort of qualification test for voting rights. A variation of this concept was exlored his book “Starship Troopers” where voting rights were only given to those that had served in the military.

Much of the dumbing of America is the result of commercial interests working independantly toward the goal of making the general public into the “perfect consumption resource”. This is an unfortunate side-effect of dollar-democracy. ( The “vote with your dollars” attitude ).