Is Society "Dumbing Down"?

Call Me Jimmy · 30-11-2013 10:17PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:20PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:21PM

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

Czarcasm · 30-11-2013 10:33PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:36PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:38PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:45PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:47PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:47PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:48PM

Cienciano wrote: »

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

Really, name a few?

gugleguy · 30-11-2013 10:52PM

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 · 30-11-2013 10:54PM

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? · 30-11-2013 10:55PM

What is this thread about?

mfceiling · 30-11-2013 11:00PM

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 · 30-11-2013 11:04PM

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 · 30-11-2013 11:05PM

This post has been deleted.

Sunglasses Ron · 30-11-2013 11:06PM

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 · 30-11-2013 11:11PM

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 · 30-11-2013 11:17PM

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 · 30-11-2013 11:30PM

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.

UCDVet · 30-11-2013 11:44PM

I strongly disagree.

Our society is more educated than any other point in history. There are things we all take for granted that, 100 or more years ago where huge. Like being able to read, or what causes the seasons, or why things fall when we drop them.

Every generation seems to think that the next is lazier, that society is less moral, that it's inhabitants are stupider...but all the evidence suggests the opposite. Not only are people more educated, they are also more intelligent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect

It's easy to say kids are wasting all their time watching silly TV shows.....and maybe that is true; but they've also got the greatest collection of information ever compiled by humanity available at their finger-tips. You can pull out a cell phone and answer any trivial question or get an overview of any topic imaginable. Anyone who wants, can go on the internet and they are a few clicks away from attending lectures given by the brightest minds in their field - for free.

Esoteric_ · 01-12-2013 12:18AM

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...

I was a young child twenty years ago.

When I was five, I wanted to be famous. I didn't care for what, I just wanted to be famous.

When I was eight, I was intelligent enough to be asked to move forward a year in school and I read Shakespeare and John Donne for fun. If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, 'famous' was still my answer.

Now, as an adult, I want to be a criminal psychologist with a focus on child sex abuse cases.

I haven't become any more intelligent. I'm just not a child anymore.

Kids want silly things. It doesn't mean society as a whole is less intelligent than our previous generations.

mfceiling · 01-12-2013 09:37AM

UCDVet wrote: »

I strongly disagree.

Our society is more educated than any other point in history. There are things we all take for granted that, 100 or more years ago where huge. Like being able to read, or what causes the seasons, or why things fall when we drop them.

Every generation seems to think that the next is lazier, that society is less moral, that it's inhabitants are stupider...but all the evidence suggests the opposite. Not only are people more educated, they are also more intelligent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect

It's easy to say kids are wasting all their time watching silly TV shows.....and maybe that is true; but they've also got the greatest collection of information ever compiled by humanity available at their finger-tips. You can pull out a cell phone and answer any trivial question or get an overview of any topic imaginable. Anyone who wants, can go on the internet and they are a few clicks away from attending lectures given by the brightest minds in their field - for free.

As opposed to pulling it out of your brain...

MJ23 · 01-12-2013 10:36AM

Of course it is, text speak, poor grammar and spelling. Using a satnav on a 20 mile trip.
Just look at that idiot on Celebrity Jungle who cant tell the time.

camel jockey · 01-12-2013 10:50AM

Stupid is as stupid does, OP. There is a lesson in there for all of us.

guppy · 01-12-2013 12:02PM

My son wants to go to college so he can be on Mythbusters when he grows up. Should I celebrate or despair?

deco nate · 01-12-2013 12:09PM

guppy wrote: »

My son wants to go to college so he can be on Mythbusters when he grows up. Should I celebrate or despair?

There is only one reason anyone wants to be on Mythbusters .... Carrie! Be proud! ;-)

Legs.Eleven · 01-12-2013 12:12PM

Everyone has their guilty pleasure. I like to read quality books and watch quality films, like the theatre and art museums and read a few broadsheet newspapers everyday and don't like the world of celebrity generally etc. but I've watched 5 episodes of Gordan Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares this week and have watched plenty of other so-called low brow TV series in the past year. It's nice to just turn off and distract yourself from the stresses of life and everyone has their way of doing it. Don't get the hatred directed at people who like X Factor. It's just a tv programme. Chill out, like.

googled eyes · 01-12-2013 12:16PM

Society may or may not be dumbing down. But the english language is evolving. Unfortunately for people who don't like txtspeak the course of evolution is on a path they don't like or understand.

Esoteric_ · 01-12-2013 12:17PM

Esoteric_ wrote: »

I was a young child twenty years ago.

When I was five, I wanted to be famous. I didn't care for what, I just wanted to be famous.

When I was eight, I was intelligent enough to be asked to move forward a year in school and I read Shakespeare and John Donne for fun. If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, 'famous' was still my answer.

Now, as an adult, I want to be a criminal psychologist with a focus on child sex abuse cases.

I haven't become any more intelligent. I'm just not a child anymore.

Kids want silly things. It doesn't mean society as a whole is less intelligent than our previous generations.

To add to this - I watch reality TV because it's funny. I find celebrity news entertaining. I also enjoy reading history books. Some things are so pathetic that they're funny. I'm still intelligent, and I know that I am. I'll enjoy whatever rubbish TV I want. Watching bad TV doesn't deplete brain cells, last time I checked.

Is Society "Dumbing Down"?

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