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Are we trying to "Dumb down" society?

  • 13-06-2013 04:50PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭


    think about it, Teenagers drink, they smoke, they watch shows like The valley's and Jersey shore, they complain education is 'too hard'...


    not all obviously but most will do at least one of the above.


    why do we encourage our toddlers to go outside and learn, give them shows like Team Umizoomi and Doc Mc Stuffins which teach them math, and that they can be doctors or anything they want to be? and then subject our teenagers to Jersey Shore/The Valleys and other teenage nonsense on MTV which teaches them flashing your boobs will get you laid and getting hammered drunk is the goal of a saturday night?

    there is now talk of dumbing down the Junior Cert because it is too hard, we have project maths in the Leaving Cert because they were failing the old course (which we got through just fine), Lecturers in science based university courses are despairing at the quality of maths in first years in university this year.

    why do we create this 'Dumbed down' environment for our future adults?

    and why is society moving this way rather than educating them towards better?


«134

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,973 ✭✭✭RayM


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    why do we create this 'Dumbed down' environment for our future adults?

    Umm i dunno lol


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭NothingMan


    We need to build a center for kids who can't read good and wanna learn to do other stuff good too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭Links234


    When I was a teenager, I drank, and I'm pretty sure my parents thought Beavis & Butthead were the epitome of stupid garbage TV for braindead morons. I'm sure every generation thinks the next are idiots and dumbed down, but teenage years are seemingly designed for the sole purpose of doing stupid crap anyway


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,162 ✭✭✭Augmerson


    Are we? Of course we are. You are told what to think and believe in the papers, society tells you what is acceptable behaviour, "entertainment" media gives you acceptable ideas of what you want to achieve with your life.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭NothingMan


    Older generations use to run around pushing a hoop with a stick... That seems pretty dumb to me.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,359 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Dunno what the difference is with the poor maths but if we want to compete with our far eastern friends we will have to lenghten the school year by four months and school days by six hours.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,707 ✭✭✭stimpson


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    think about it, Teenagers drink, they smoke, they watch shows like The valley's and Jersey shore, they complain education is 'too hard'...


    not all obviously but most will do at least one of the above.


    why do we encourage our toddlers to go outside and learn, give them shows like Team Umizoomi and Doc Mc Stuffins which teach them math, and that they can be doctors or anything they want to be? and then subject our teenagers to Jersey Shore/The Valleys and other teenage nonsense on MTV which teaches them flashing your boobs will get you laid and getting hammered drunk is the goal of a saturday night?

    there is now talk of dumbing down the Junior Cert because it is too hard, we have project maths in the Leaving Cert because they were failing the old course (which we got through just fine), Lecturers in science based university courses are despairing at the quality of maths in first years in university this year.

    why do we create this 'Dumbed down' environment for our future adults?

    and why is society moving this way rather than educating them towards better?

    Punctuation is for squares, man.


  • Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,252 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    Who's we?

    And I'm sure teenagers have been doing stupid things for centuries.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭hoodwinked


    Links234 wrote: »
    When I was a teenager, I drank, and I'm pretty sure my parents thought Beavis & Butthead were the epitome of stupid garbage TV for braindead morons. I'm sure every generation thinks the next are idiots and dumbed down, but teenage years are seemingly designed for the sole purpose of doing stupid crap anyway

    but seriously take a look at the shows teenagers today watch, they are nothing like Beavis and Butthead, The Valley's came to my attention lately and i really couldn't believe teenagers (or people in general) could live like that but they do.

    NothingMan wrote: »
    Older generations use to run around pushing a hoop with a stick... That seems pretty dumb to me.

    would you not think it was the best entertainment they had back then?


    now there is no excuse, with all the entertainment we have at our disposal why watch shows like that? they have to have some kind of audience otherwise MTV wouldn't be making them.


    why does society teach our children to learn and grow, yet push our teenagers into a world of drink/drugs and laziness?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,060 ✭✭✭✭biko


    We're merely separating the wheat from the chaff


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    but seriously take a look at the shows teenagers today watch, they are nothing like Beavis and Butthead, The Valley's came to my attention lately and i really couldn't believe teenagers (or people in general) could live like that but they do.




    would you not think it was the best entertainment they had back then?


    now there is no excuse, with all the entertainment we have at our disposal why watch shows like that? they have to have some kind of audience otherwise MTV wouldn't be making them.


    why does society teach our children to learn and grow, yet push our teenagers into a world of drink/drugs and laziness?
    I never thought I'd see the day where Beavis and Butthead were held up as a good example of TV programming for kids.:pac::pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    Big time, tv is getting stupider and stupider, for every great show that rewards its viewers like Breaking Bad or The Wire or something there's some reality guff about beauty pageants or hillbillies looking for gold. Look at channels like History or Discovery, they used to show actual decent programs about history or space travel or stuff worth knowing, now its all crap like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars, or aliens being responsible for everything in human history.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,433 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    but seriously take a look at the shows teenagers today watch, they are nothing like Beavis and Butthead, The Valley's came to my attention lately and i really couldn't believe teenagers (or people in general) could live like that but they do.




    would you not think it was the best entertainment they had back then?


    now there is no excuse, with all the entertainment we have at our disposal why watch shows like that? they have to have some kind of audience otherwise MTV wouldn't be making them.


    why does society teach our children to learn and grow, yet push our teenagers into a world of drink/drugs and laziness?

    You're repeating a sentiment that has been echoed ad nauseum for 4000 years. At least try to think logically before spewing out that crap.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭NothingMan


    You're repeating a sentiment that has been echoed ad nauseum for 4000 years. At least try to think logically before spewing out that crap.


    Well if we're not getting dumber, we may at least be getting ruder.


  • Posts: 12,694 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yes and no, the media is feeding teenagers (as well as everyone else ) a recycled regurgitated hyper real culture that can be hard to reject, clothes as lifestyle buy this buy that etc, however the the INTERNET has also helped to free people from social constraints which is a good thing.

    Anyway one night coming home late I saw teenagers coming from a well know teenager out door drinking area and lo and behold they were bring their empty cans home with them so there is hope for society:p


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭hoodwinked


    krudler wrote: »
    Big time, tv is getting stupider and stupider, for every great show that rewards its viewers like Breaking Bad or The Wire or something there's some reality guff about beauty pageants or hillbillies looking for gold. Look at channels like History or Discovery, they used to show actual decent programs about history or space travel or stuff worth knowing, now its all crap like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars, or aliens being responsible for everything in human history.

    but it would seem if todays teenagers are unable to do the Leaving Cert math course, and arguing the Junior Cert needs to be made easier that its spilling over into society as a whole?


  • Posts: 5,250 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    We are staying in education longer than ever before - we are most definitely not dumbing down.

    If you don't like those shows - don't watch them.

    If people are going to watch these things they could at least support Irish produced TV and watch Tallafornia...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭hoodwinked


    We are staying in education longer than ever before - we are most definitely not dumbing down.

    If you don't like those shows - don't watch them.

    If people are going to watch these things they could at least support Irish produced TV and watch Tallafornia...

    what good is it staying in education longer if the quality of that education is being reduced to avoid high failure rates?

    my point on the tv front was how do we go from educational shows like dora teaching them languages, Sesame street..etc to The Valleys teaching them bad language, promiscuity, drinking and whatever else...


  • Posts: 12,694 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    but it would seem if todays teenagers are unable to do the Leaving Cert math course, and arguing the Junior Cert needs to be made easier that its spilling over into society as a whole?

    That a ridiculous thing to say, more teenagers that every are taking higher maths ( because of the bonus points )

    However there is a problem with the fact that if you only offerer a very academic education a significant amount of people are going to fail or lack the ability to do well in that system, the big problem is trying to maintain an academic standard while making it relevant and accessible to the less able.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    NothingMan wrote: »
    Older generations use to run around pushing a hoop with a stick... That seems pretty dumb to me.

    and the best bit was they go on about it like it was an achievement of creative thinking to come up with it :confused:


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    biko wrote: »
    We're merely separating the wheat from the chaff chavs

    better


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,494 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    You just have to look at some of the stuff on channels like Discovery and History to see how 'dumbed down' people are compared to 10 years ago. Shite like Ancient Aliens and Swamp People... fcuking depressing.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,441 ✭✭✭old hippy


    Augmerson wrote: »
    Are we? Of course we are. You are told what to think and believe in the papers, society tells you what is acceptable behaviour, "entertainment" media gives you acceptable ideas of what you want to achieve with your life.

    But plenty of people question this status quo, hence we're not all dumbing down...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭hoodwinked


    mariaalice wrote: »
    That a ridiculous thing to say, more teenagers that every are taking higher maths ( because of the bonus points )

    However there is a problem with the fact that if you only offerer a very academic education a significant amount of people are going to fail or lack the ability to do well in that system, the big problem is trying to maintain an academic standard while making it relevant and accessible to the less able.

    but they now do project maths the whole point of introducing project maths was to get greater numbers doing higher level by making it easier, thus the quality in University's is now decreasing as lecturers struggle to teach, the (now larger) gap between what they know and what they should know.

    when we sat higher level, they had ordinary and foundation for those who weren't good at maths, but rather than bring students up to the higher level standard they made the exam easier to get more numbers doing higher level to give the appearance of more students taking 'higher level'.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    People have enjoyed laughing at stupid people forever, however wrong that may seem.

    I don't think anyone with half a brain actually wants to be like the people in those TV shows, they just enjoy watching some cretins running around acting like morons from the comfort of their own couch.

    That said, I don't watch any of them shows, they just make me cringe.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭hoodwinked


    old hippy wrote: »
    But plenty of people question this status quo, hence we're not all dumbing down...

    not even close, more people (who want to) are going the opposite way, but then most of the adults i deal with now would have come from a generation where knowledge was accessible (encyclopedias, internet..etc)


    where Lately Teenagers have the same information available but have no interest in learning it, and rather than society saying "thats ok but you still have to sit these exams if you want to get to college" they have adopted this "ah sure god love ya, look its too stressful for you, lets make it easier because we don't want you to fail"


    while they sit back watching Jersey shore, and go boozing with their friends.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    but they now do project maths the whole point of introducing project maths was to get greater numbers doing higher level by making it easier, thus the quality in University's is now decreasing as lecturers struggle to teach, the (now larger) gap between what they know and what they should know.

    when we sat higher level, they had ordinary and foundation for those who weren't good at maths, but rather than bring students up to the higher level standard they made the exam easier to get more numbers doing higher level to give the appearance of more students taking 'higher level'.

    and that tells you everything you need to know about the limitations of performance tables and 'maintaining' standards. if the incentive wasnt there for the schools as a whole then they wouldnt be dumbing down subjects so that technically more people end up doing higher level subjects and reaping whatever rewards in funding they no doubt get from such stats they present on spreadsheets


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,097 ✭✭✭✭Kintarō Hattori


    krudler wrote: »
    Big time, tv is getting stupider and stupider, for every great show that rewards its viewers like Breaking Bad or The Wire or something there's some reality guff about beauty pageants or hillbillies looking for gold. Look at channels like History or Discovery, they used to show actual decent programs about history or space travel or stuff worth knowing, now its all crap like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars, or aliens being responsible for everything in human history.

    OMG, you're right. The shame I feel now. I've been dumbed down, hadn't even noticed it and I'm not a teenager!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,996 ✭✭✭latenia


    Just 10 years ago laughing at pictures and videos of animals and babies doing stuff or of people falling over was considered the absolute lowest common denominator of humour but now it's the predominant culture.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭donegal_road


    hoodwinked wrote: »
    think about it, Teenagers drink, they smoke, they watch shows like The valley's and Jersey shore, they complain education is 'too hard'...


    not all obviously but most will do at least one of the above.


    why do we encourage our toddlers to go outside and learn, give them shows like Team Umizoomi and Doc Mc Stuffins which teach them math, and that they can be doctors or anything they want to be? and then subject our teenagers to Jersey Shore/The Valleys and other teenage nonsense on MTV which teaches them flashing your boobs will get you laid and getting hammered drunk is the goal of a saturday night?

    there is now talk of dumbing down the Junior Cert because it is too hard, we have project maths in the Leaving Cert because they were failing the old course (which we got through just fine), Lecturers in science based university courses are despairing at the quality of maths in first years in university this year.

    why do we create this 'Dumbed down' environment for our future adults?

    and why is society moving this way rather than educating them towards better?

    this maybe the case, but we don't come close to the US and UK for high levels of all-round stupidity amongst the younger population.

    Compare this trend of accademic degeneration in the West to countries like China, where each year there are more 3rd level graduates with first class honours, than the entire 3rd level graduates of the same year in the US. (ok, China has 4 times the population of the US)

    Some years ago it was predicted that China would become the world's largest economy by 2024. This date has now been brought forward to 2016.


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