Is Society "Dumbing Down"?

mfceiling

Is it?

People more interested in the x-factor and any programme with the word "celebrity" in it.

Magazines spouting sh*te about girls who've put on weight - "is x pregnant", when the same girl has lost a bit of weight - "how you can get a body like x".
Showing pictures of z list celebrities who would turn up to to a bag of crisps opening.

A maths professor was on the radio during the week about society dumbing down. Kids now getting a prize for coming last. No more striving to get first, second or third when you get a medal for coming 26th. He reckons if you set the pass mark in exams at 30% you will get kids aiming for 25%.

Adults who now exclusively use text speak and don't understand basic grammar and spelling.

Kids who want to "be famous" when they grow up. Not even considering what they want to be famous for.

I think society is dumbing down personally speaking. A few years past, people were talking about jade goody being an inspiration. Why? I don't want to speak ill of the dead but the girl was incredibly dumb and showed sinister racist tendencies when she felt threatened by a prettier, more intelligent indian girl.

Time to maybe celebrate the people who are pushing the boundaries in science, maths, physics, biology, computers etc...

cloud493

Yes. /thread

drdeadlift

Yes

Frosty McSnowballs

Yse

Seachmall

If they had X Factor 50 years ago people would have watched.

Society isn't dumbing down, we've just come up with more ways of expressing our stupidity.

wazky

Soictys nvr been smarters likke!!!1!

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

OMG like no

Fr_Dougal

Yes.

I shoot birds at the airport.

Mint Aero

Yep

RayM

uh dunno lol

Gbear

I'm not sure it is dumbing down.

I just think that stupid people have more free time and disposable income and technology has facilitated selling **** to them more often - bad tv, bad music, etc.

kneemos

Stupid has an outlet

Pherekydes

Y u no lyk clebritee realitee tee vee shwz?

Serious answer: Yes.

Vincent Vega

Indubitably.

jjf1974

From what I hear the x factor has lost a lot of viewers this year. I never really watched it as i disliked the way they showed weaker acts being ridiculed by the judges.The dumbest programe at the moment imo is that jungle nonsense.

Pherekydes

Pherekydes wrote: »

Y u no lyk clebritee realitee tee vee shwz?

Serious answer: Yes.

F U lyk dis post Jesus will answer ur prayerz lyk.#Jesussaves

thecatspjs

We can't all be as clever as you OP.
I'd say that people are smarter on average due to easier access to information. I'm sure there were a lot of extremely stupid people throughout history.

Banjo String

Stupid is as stupid does.

PizzamanIRL

Yes. I don't know what people's obsession is with celebrities. Most celebrities just see their fans as cash cows.

Saw something about one direction/justin bieber fans and all the rest of those type of people.
On twitter they send thousands of tweets begging for a 'mention/retweet or follow'. It's like they have little clans and they congratulate each other when one of them gets followed. They think the above celebrities are actually interested in what they have to say on twitter.

You know society is dumb when stories about celebrities getting married or being seen together make front page news

I just wasted 2 minutes typing about these people, time to stop.

Czarcasm

No OP, society isn't dumbing down.

You're just taking frivolous things far too seriously. I wouldn't base my opinion of society on the basis of the prevalence of idiocy on television and social media.

They're called attention seekers for a reason.

Damien360

thecatspjs wrote: »

We can't all be as clever as you OP.
I'd say that people are smarter on average due to easier access to information. I'm sure there were a lot of extremely stupid people throughout history.

Just having information is not a measure of how smart you are. Your ability to use that information is the true measure.

Yes society is dumbing down . The media in the uk love an idiot and frown upon the smarter people. The current guy from celebrity get me out of here will be in huge demand when it finishes and doted upon for his stupidity.

Cienciano

It's a talent show. Same as Stars in their Eyes which was massive in the 90's, New Faces which was massive in the 80's, Opportunity Knocks which was big since the 60's.
People forget the crap that was on tv before and just remember the good stuff. Some of the best tv shows of all time were made in the last 10 years.

mfceiling

thecatspjs wrote: »

We can't all be as clever as you OP.
I'd say that people are smarter on average due to easier access to information. I'm sure there were a lot of extremely stupid people throughout history.

Where in my post did i say i was clever?

I'm not leading the way in physics, the arts or IT...

So answer me again where i stated that i was clever?

Rothko

I'm sorry. I don't understand the question.

thecatspjs

Damien360 wrote: »

Just having information is not a measure of how smart you are. Your ability to use that information is the true measure.

Yes society is dumbing down . The media in the uk love an idiot and frown upon the smarter people. The current guy from celebrity get me out of here will be in huge demand when it finishes and doted upon for his stupidity.

The point I'm trying to make is that I think people are generally smarter. Literacy rates are much higher that they were 100 years ago, and I would think that most people know more about the world too.

Just because someone likes reality TV does not make them stupid.

The vibe I'm getting from this thread is - 'People like things that I think are dumb, therefore they must be dumb'

Vurnon San Benito

As a wise man once said: "Society is dumbing down".

JustShon

As far as I'm aware, global average IQ levels are higher now than they ever have been. The reason society seems an awful lot stupider than it used to is because with the internet and the media's obsession with "reality tv" we're far more exposed to the stupidity than we would have been a decade or two ago. Used to be that an idiot never got heard because they're an idiot but now any idiot can start a blog and shout their ill-informed opinion to the world.

thecatspjs

mfceiling wrote: »

Where in my post did i say i was clever?

I'm not leading the way in physics, the arts or IT...

So answer me again were i stated that i was clever?

mfceiling wrote: »

Let me start by saying I'm clever

Is it?

People more interested in the x-factor and any programme with the word "celebrity" in it.

Magazines spouting sh*te about girls who've put on weight - "is x pregnant", when the same girl has lost a bit of weight - "how you can get a body like x".
Showing pictures of z list celebrities who would turn up to to a bag of crisps opening.

A maths professor was on the radio during the week about society dumbing down. Kids now getting a prize for coming last. No more striving to get first, second or third when you get a medal for coming 26th. He reckons if you set the pass mark in exams at 30% you will get kids aiming for 25%.

Adults who now exclusively use text speak and don't understand basic grammar and spelling.

Kids who want to "be famous" when they grow up. Not even considering what they want to be famous for.

I think society is dumbing down personally speaking. A few years past, people were talking about jade goody being an inspiration. Why? I don't want to speak ill of the dead but the girl was incredibly dumb and showed sinister racist tendencies when she felt threatened by a prettier, more intelligent indian girl.

Time to maybe celebrate the people who are pushing the boundaries in science, maths, physics, biology, computers etc...

Right there!

You didn't say it, it's just the vibe I got from your post. You sound like you think you are above all of the celebrity nonsense and look down on those who take an interest in it. Apologies if I misunderstood the tone of your statement.

Fukuyama

mfceiling wrote: »

Is it?

People more interested in the x-factor and any programme with the word "celebrity" in it.

Magazines spouting sh*te about girls who've put on weight - "is x pregnant", when the same girl has lost a bit of weight - "how you can get a body like x".
Showing pictures of z list celebrities who would turn up to to a bag of crisps opening.

A maths professor was on the radio during the week about society dumbing down. Kids now getting a prize for coming last. No more striving to get first, second or third when you get a medal for coming 26th. He reckons if you set the pass mark in exams at 30% you will get kids aiming for 25%.

Adults who now exclusively use text speak and don't understand basic grammar and spelling.

Kids who want to "be famous" when they grow up. Not even considering what they want to be famous for.

I think society is dumbing down personally speaking. A few years past, people were talking about jade goody being an inspiration. Why? I don't want to speak ill of the dead but the girl was incredibly dumb and showed sinister racist tendencies when she felt threatened by a prettier, more intelligent indian girl.

Time to maybe celebrate the people who are pushing the boundaries in science, maths, physics, biology, computers etc...

Content needs to be divisible by the lowest common denominator of society in order to maximise potential number of users.

Which is why we get low-level reality tripe pumped into newspapers, TV sets and radio stations.

It's still possible to actively seek out good stuff though. Piracy FTW.

mfceiling

thecatspjs wrote: »

The point I'm trying to make is that I think people are generally smarter. Literacy rates are much higher that they were 100 years ago, and I would think that most people know more about the world too.

Just because someone likes reality TV does not make them stupid.

The vibe I'm getting from this thread is - 'People like things that I think are dumb, therefore they must be dumb'

Right then, leave reality tv aside.

Explain why kids want to "be famous" without an idea of what they are famous for?
Why do Z list celebrities get spread over papers and magazines yet no one is interested in people involved in say, the Cern Project?

I don't care what other people are "in to"... i don't care if it is dumb or not.

Call Me Jimmy

I think the opposite, because of the internet I think a lot of people continue learning things and see more opinions then they would have without it.

thecatspjs

mfceiling wrote: »

Right then, leave reality tv aside.

Explain why kids want to "be famous" without an idea of what they are famous for?
Why do Z list celebrities get spread over papers and magazines yet no one is interested in people involved in say, the Cern Project?

I don't care what other people are "in to"... i don't care if it is dumb or not.

Because they are kids.

zenno

The dumbing down is obviously from fluoridated water ingestion jezz I thought you all knew this already.

Czarcasm

mfceiling wrote: »

Right then, leave reality tv aside.

Explain why some kids want to "be famous" without an idea of what they are famous for?

Because they want attention.

Why do Z list celebrities get spread over papers and magazines yet no one is interested in people involved in say, the Cern Project?

No one?

The term CERN is also used to refer to the laboratory, which employs just under 2,400 full-time employees and 1,500 part-time employees, and hosts some 10,000 visiting scientists and engineers, representing 608 universities and research facilities and 113 nationalities.

Source: Wikipedia


Seems like plenty of interest to me. Just because somebody has no interest in computers and IT like I do doesn't mean they're not very smart either, they could have interests in architecture, marketing, sports, philosophy, etc, shìt I know fannyadams about, because I have no interest in those subjects.

Tabloid rags pumping Z list celebrities?

Has it ever crossed your mind that CERN employees might also enjoy the latest sexploits of Kym Kardashian too?

I don't care what other people are "in to"... i don't care if it is dumb or not.

You cared enough to start a thread about it though?

mfceiling

thecatspjs wrote: »

Because they are kids.

So from a few years ago when kids were young and wanted to be nurses, firemen, teachers or even builders, now they want to be famous. That's not dumbing down then...

mfceiling

Czarcasm wrote: »

Because they want attention.





No one?




Source: Wikipedia


Seems like plenty of interest to me. Just because somebody has no interest in computers and IT like I do doesn't mean they're not very smart either, they could have interests in architecture, marketing, sports, philosophy, etc, shìt I know fannyadams about, because I have no interest in those subjects.

Tabloid rags pumping Z list celebrities?

Has it ever crossed your mind that CERN employees might also enjoy the latest sexploits of Kym Kardashian too?





You cared enough to start a thread about it though?

If you read the title again it asks - is society dumbing down.

Czarcasm

mfceiling wrote: »

So from a few years ago when kids were young and wanted to be nurses, firemen, teachers or even builders, now they want to be famous. That's not dumbing down then...

Plenty of children wanted to be famous back then too - who doesn't want to conquer the world when they're a child?

Plenty of children still want to be nurses, firemen, teachers and even builders too, hell they even want to be famous scientists (I haven't met too many that wanted to be politicians though, even though they wanted to be President of Ireland!)


You're not giving society and future generations enough credit at all at all mfceiling in fairness.

"In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes"


- Andy Warhol, 1968.


Who? :pac:

Sunglasses Ron

The last five years has certainly seen a rise in people who have no discern able talent (music, acting and so on) who are famous and shockingly wealthy for nothing in particular. The Kardashians, Jedward, the casts of Geordie/ Jersey Shore, Only Way is Essex and several others. They also seem to have a longer shelf life- all of the above are still well known up to four years after coming on the scene. Big Brother created household names every year, even if, like me, you never watched the garbage the media coverage was so iniquitous you knew the name/ look of most of the contestants. But by the following year most of them had drifted back into obscurity.

stoneill

I despair at what goes as society these days.
Everyone I know is a reasonable, intelligent person who have good general knowledge and are able
to articulate their thoughts on many different subjects.

The amount of stupid halfwits on "reality" TV does not reflect what is real, and certainly does not
represent the real society. The preponderance of Celeb and gossip media has a lot to answer for in
giving the impression that society is dumbing down, it's not it's just that the idiots are running the show.

Sam Kade

Cienciano wrote: »

Some of the best tv shows of all time were made in the last 10 years.

Really, name a few?

gugleguy

Yes. Take the context of video games. I bought The Sims 3 PC version as an adult. The game has cert 12. As an adult, I found the game fun enough at first. Then I discovered, confirmed online, that EA were purposefully dumbing down the game. A female sim can no longer date or romance The Grim Reaper is one example here.
So society is dumbing down.

Czarcasm

mfceiling wrote: »

If you read the title again it asks - is society dumbing down.

Yes, I read the title, and I read your opening post -

mfceiling wrote: »

Is it?

People more interested in the x-factor and any programme with the word "celebrity" in it.

Magazines spouting sh*te about girls who've put on weight - "is x pregnant", when the same girl has lost a bit of weight - "how you can get a body like x".
Showing pictures of z list celebrities who would turn up to to a bag of crisps opening.

A maths professor was on the radio during the week about society dumbing down. Kids now getting a prize for coming last. No more striving to get first, second or third when you get a medal for coming 26th. He reckons if you set the pass mark in exams at 30% you will get kids aiming for 25%.

Adults who now exclusively use text speak and don't understand basic grammar and spelling.

Kids who want to "be famous" when they grow up. Not even considering what they want to be famous for.

I think society is dumbing down personally speaking. A few years past, people were talking about jade goody being an inspiration. Why? I don't want to speak ill of the dead but the girl was incredibly dumb and showed sinister racist tendencies when she felt threatened by a prettier, more intelligent indian girl.

Time to maybe celebrate the people who are pushing the boundaries in science, maths, physics, biology, computers etc...

Correct me if I'm wrong then that you care that people seem more interested in celebrity news than they are in science, mathematics, literature, etc?

Me?

What is this thread about?

mfceiling

Probably the on set of old age has kicked in for me.

Talking to a friend yesterday and he was telling me about his 23 year old sister who hoovers up all that is "celebrity". He asks her the other day "who is the president of ireland"? eh...Mary something she says. Reckons she's never watched the news or read a paper in years.

It's not about being elitest or feeling smug or superior on my behalf...i just wonder with the saturation of rubbish that is being fed to us, will society dumb down.

mfceiling

mfceiling wrote: »

Is it?

People more interested in the x-factor and any programme with the word "celebrity" in it.

Magazines spouting sh*te about girls who've put on weight - "is x pregnant", when the same girl has lost a bit of weight - "how you can get a body like x".
Showing pictures of z list celebrities who would turn up to to a bag of crisps opening.

A maths professor was on the radio during the week about society dumbing down. Kids now getting a prize for coming last. No more striving to get first, second or third when you get a medal for coming 26th. He reckons if you set the pass mark in exams at 30% you will get kids aiming for 25%.

Adults who now exclusively use text speak and don't understand basic grammar and spelling.

Kids who want to "be famous" when they grow up. Not even considering what they want to be famous for.

I think society is dumbing down personally speaking. A few years past, people were talking about jade goody being an inspiration. Why? I don't want to speak ill of the dead but the girl was incredibly dumb and showed sinister racist tendencies when she felt threatened by a prettier, more intelligent indian girl.

Time to maybe celebrate the people who are pushing the boundaries in science, maths, physics, biology, computers etc...

Czarcasm wrote: »

Yes, I read the title, and I read your opening post -





Correct me if I'm wrong then that you care that people seem more interested in celebrity news than they are in science, mathematics, literature, etc?

Most of that post doesn't mention celebrity culture. The maths professor was on with george hook, and he is adamant that we as a society are dumbing down.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

Sunglasses Ron

Sam Kade wrote: »

Really, name a few?

In fairness the quality of drama on TV has been excellent in the last 15 or so years. The Sopranos, Oz, Boardwalk Empire to name but a few.

However, the quality of sitcoms/ animated comedy has been tragic. Utter rubbish like Big Bang, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, the decline of The Simpsons. Apart from Peep Show and South Park I would struggle to think of one sharp, intelligent comedy out there.


I think these days people are also more inclined to latch onto flavour of the month political and social causes that they have little to no idea about. The anti Iraq war protests of 2003 were more about people plain not liking George W Bush than any of them having an opinion about whether Iraq actually posed an imminent threat from WMD. Add to that people making heroes out of Edward Snowden and being shocked by his "revelations" of info that anyone who kept half an eye on current affairs already knew, and the adulation for that nutjob Manning, and the Kony 2012 viral campaign, and so on.

Czarcasm

mfceiling wrote: »

Probably the on set of old age has kicked in for me.

Talking to a friend yesterday and he was telling me about his 23 year old sister who hoovers up all that is "celebrity". He asks her the other day "who is the president of ireland"? eh...Mary something she says. Reckons she's never watched the news or read a paper in years.

It's not about being elitest or feeling smug or superior on my behalf...i just wonder with the saturation of rubbish that is being fed to us, will society dumb down.

There will always be people who have little or no interest mfc in politics or even general knowledge, one of my friends is the same - no interest in politics, poor general knowledge, etc, but she's incredible with activities like sudoku and chess. I have no interest in learning how to solve sudoku puzzles, crosswords are more my thing.

Different strokes for different folks really.

Sam Kade

Sunglasses Ron wrote: »

In fairness the quality of drama on TV has been excellent in the last 15 or so years. The Sopranos, Oz, Boardwalk Empire to name but a few.

However, the quality of sitcoms/ animated comedy has been tragic. Utter rubbish like Big Bang, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, the decline of The Simpsons. Apart from Peep Show and South Park I would struggle to think of one sharp, intelligent comedy out there.

Never heard of them two. I gave up on comedies after Seinfeld.

thecatspjs

mfceiling wrote: »

So from a few years ago when kids were young and wanted to be nurses, firemen, teachers or even builders, now they want to be famous. That's not dumbing down then...

So you know that there were no kids that just wanted fame until recently? Where are you getting this information? I have heard children say that they want to be dragons when they grow up so I wouldn't read to much into what their dreams are.

mfceiling wrote: »

Probably the on set of old age has kicked in for me.

Talking to a friend yesterday and he was telling me about his 23 year old sister who hoovers up all that is "celebrity". He asks her the other day "who is the president of ireland"? eh...Mary something she says. Reckons she's never watched the news or read a paper in years.

It's not about being elitest or feeling smug or superior on my behalf...i just wonder with the saturation of rubbish that is being fed to us, will society dumb down.

There ya go. Everyone seems to think the next generation have either have no respect, are stupid or usually both.

If you have issues with the celebrity culture, that's fine. I'm not crazy about it myself. But just because a maths professor tells George Hook that he thinks society is dumbing down does not make it true.
I would say large portions of society were much dumber regarding racism and sexism 100 years ago, so be thankful that the biggest issue with society today is people wanting to be famous*. That's a step in the right direction if you ask me.

*I am not for one second saying that racism/sexism is not a problem these days, but it's less of a problem than it was 100 years ago.