The latter generation of people becoming more stupid?

[Puppet]

Discussions like these are interesting to read but i must stress some of the core values of this forum quickly before certain things continue

No user of this forum should be attacked - while our Code of Conduct has not been officially released i would like to leave you with 2 quotes that generally sum up the whole idea

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - "Be excellent to each other"

Will Wheaton - "Don't be a dick"

There is an incredible difference between debating and attacking, and while many posts here have been debating there have also been some attacks mixed within. I will not be letting the ban hammer drop and I will not be handing out infractions but this is heavily due with the moderation team still being put in place and many of our rules still being roughed out.

Just chill guys - Be excellent to each other - and don't be a dick!

It would be amazing if these were the only two rules we needed...Here's hoping! Much of what you said is applicable to real life as well...Well said! :)

[Art Vandelay]

If the IB programme has taught me anything, it's that a lot of what you do in highschool is completely pointless and will never be used again in your life. IB French is pretty much a game for marks, when it comes to exams, rather than your ability to speak french.

I had parents that never forced me to study anything, but I am driven to try to actually do well in highschool, unlike many of the people I know who have parents that pushed them hard to do well. I try to do well in highschool because I enjoy most of the things I am doing and am willing to suffer through the pointless garbage to do more of the stuff that I like doing in university. If you push someone to do well in a field that they hate, they are not going to do well in it regardless.

(Being totally racist here) As weird as it may seem, anybody that is a decent Asian view Americans in a very bad light [YES, THIS IS TRUE]. The majority of Americans in our eyes are stupid, fat and lack moral values, due to lack of social enforcement, and has since become the norm. (Which is really funny because Americans think that all Asians have -.- eyes :P)

Calling ethnocentricity racism while you are calling people stupid...

People actually are that extreme in their views of the US? This should be an interesting discussion topic at my next witch burning.

[gliliumho]

I can understand why you feel this way because I once felt that way too(and sometimes, I still feel the same). BUT, there will always be people who're lazy and relatively "dumber". You're only 15 and you still have a lot to see, Brian. People change as time passes and in time, they'll get better and someday, they'll realize that they're wasting their time and wake up.

I've a friend who skips 3/5 days of schools, going to pubs to play games and hang out with friends everyday back in high school. He barely got through it and then we went to grade 12 together. He just woke up and realized that he had been wasting time all a long and then he became one of the most hardworking(he's not very smart but he worked hard) among my circle of friends. Some people just shine only slightly slowly than the others. Intelligence isn't measured by grades alone. I've seen some people who didn't really excel academically but they really do shine when it comes to their specialization.

The people that you see from previous generations are older, more experienced as you said, and wiser. They've gone through so many things and they're all adults so you can't really compare them like that. I agree with you that reading is very good way of learning but there are just people who learn differently. Not hanging out in library doesn't mean they don't read at all. I personally prefer reading articles from the Internet, ebooks on my phone and physical books when I'm alone at night before sleep. I don't really like reading in public or in bus because I tend to get distracted by things around.

Regarding your argument about parents, I can't really say you're wrong but I'll just say some parents prefer to let their kids learn as they live and do things their own way. I used to be very rebellious when I was 13~15. I'm an Asian(and I'm from Malaysia, and the society is still very Asian-like) and I was really against this Asian-style of force and learn thingy. I believe in my own decision and I want my freedom to do whatever I want. I don't want to learn just because it's going to be tested in the test. I want to learn because I'm interested in it. After a few years, my mum just gave in and let me learn the way I wanted. She allowed me to explore and learn from the mistakes that I learned from my own decisions. Broken relationship, failing grades, and so on. I find it a better way to learn and by time I graduate from high school, most of the teachers were impressed by how much more things I know that's not in the textbook and things that most typical Asian kids had no clue in. I believe some of the parents want their kids to learn in their own ways. Let them explore and slowly find how they want things to be. It's better to explore and learn from mistakes than to just blindly follow what is told.

No, I'm not saying you're wrong, Brian. It's just that we all see things from differently and this is my view on this issue. ;)

[Lukiose]

Discussions like these are interesting to read but i must stress some of the core values of this forum quickly before certain things continue

No user of this forum should be attacked - while our Code of Conduct has not been officially released i would like to leave you with 2 quotes that generally sum up the whole idea

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - "Be excellent to each other"

Will Wheaton - "Don't be a dick"

There is an incredible difference between debating and attacking, and while many posts here have been debating there have also been some attacks mixed within. I will not be letting the ban hammer drop and I will not be handing out infractions but this is heavily due with the moderation team still being put in place and many of our rules still being roughed out.

Just chill guys - Be excellent to each other - and don't be a dick!

Yeah sorry for my extremist remarks to smokers, i am personally very critical in that genre but considering that this is an IT forum i shall not bash anyone here.

[Lukiose]

If the IB programme has taught me anything, it's that a lot of what you do in highschool is completely pointless and will never be used again in your life. IB French is pretty much a game for marks, when it comes to exams, rather than your ability to speak french.

I had parents that never forced me to study anything, but I am driven to try to actually do well in highschool, unlike many of the people I know who have parents that pushed them hard to do well. I try to do well in highschool because I enjoy most of the things I am doing and am willing to suffer through the pointless garbage to do more of the stuff that I like doing in university. If you push someone to do well in a field that they hate, they are not going to do well in it regardless.

(Being totally racist here) As weird as it may seem, anybody that is a decent Asian view Americans in a very bad light [YES, THIS IS TRUE]. The majority of Americans in our eyes are stupid, fat and lack moral values, due to lack of social enforcement, and has since become the norm. (Which is really funny because Americans think that all Asians have -.- eyes :P)

Calling ethnocentricity racism while you are calling people stupid...

People actually are that extreme in their views of the US? This should be an interesting discussion topic at my next witch burning.

In a sense, not extreme but it has somewhat become the social norm here too. In Asia generally you will NOT see thins waging war against their parents at 17, running out and doping 'like what is frequently portrayed on the internet' etc. Americans are also one of the most emotional types out there, hence having the impulse to act on your feelings while most Asians(Like me) can come off as cold and heartless[lol]. But one thing i can clearly say here, that is a solid fact and is not intended to directly bash anyone, is that Americans are quite high on the ignorance scale when it comes to the big picture.

This is from a test conducted in 2011, 30 of the most developed countries were marked on international science and math tests, America came in 21st and 25th out of 30 respectively....... But, America also came in 1st in thinking that they outperformed everybody else, get the picture here? It is all about perspective.

Sorry if i come off as too brash, this is how i roll :P

[Lukiose]

I can understand why you feel this way because I once felt that way too(and sometimes, I still feel the same). BUT, there will always be people who're lazy and relatively "dumber". You're only 15 and you still have a lot to see, Brian. People change as time passes and in time, they'll get better and someday, they'll realize that they're wasting their time and wake up.

I've a friend who skips 3/5 days of schools, going to pubs to play games and hang out with friends everyday back in high school. He barely got through it and then we went to grade 12 together. He just woke up and realized that he had been wasting time all a long and then he became one of the most hardworking(he's not very smart but he worked hard) among my circle of friends. Some people just shine only slightly slowly than the others. Intelligence isn't measured by grades alone. I've seen some people who didn't really excel academically but they really do shine when it comes to their specialization.

The people that you see from previous generations are older, more experienced as you said, and wiser. They've gone through so many things and they're all adults so you can't really compare them like that. I agree with you that reading is very good way of learning but there are just people who learn differently. Not hanging out in library doesn't mean they don't read at all. I personally prefer reading articles from the Internet, ebooks on my phone and physical books when I'm alone at night before sleep. I don't really like reading in public or in bus because I tend to get distracted by things around.

Regarding your argument about parents, I can't really say you're wrong but I'll just say some parents prefer to let their kids learn as they live and do things their own way. I used to be very rebellious when I was 13~15. I'm an Asian(and I'm from Malaysia, and the society is still very Asian-like) and I was really against this Asian-style of force and learn thingy. I believe in my own decision and I want my freedom to do whatever I want. I don't want to learn just because it's going to be tested in the test. I want to learn because I'm interested in it. After a few years, my mum just gave in and let me learn the way I wanted. She allowed me to explore and learn from the mistakes that I learned from my own decisions. Broken relationship, failing grades, and so on. I find it a better way to learn and by time I graduate from high school, most of the teachers were impressed by how much more things I know that's not in the textbook and things that most typical Asian kids had no clue in. I believe some of the parents want their kids to learn in their own ways. Let them explore and slowly find how they want things to be. It's better to explore and learn from mistakes than to just blindly follow what is told.

No, I'm not saying you're wrong, Brian. It's just that we all see things from differently and this is my view on this issue. ;)

"I was really against this Asian-style of force and learn thingy."

And this is why i love my parents, they have never imposed that liability upon me despite me living in your neighbouring country.

[Lukiose]

If the IB programme has taught me anything, it's that a lot of what you do in highschool is completely pointless and will never be used again in your life. IB French is pretty much a game for marks, when it comes to exams, rather than your ability to speak french.

I had parents that never forced me to study anything, but I am driven to try to actually do well in highschool, unlike many of the people I know who have parents that pushed them hard to do well. I try to do well in highschool because I enjoy most of the things I am doing and am willing to suffer through the pointless garbage to do more of the stuff that I like doing in university. If you push someone to do well in a field that they hate, they are not going to do well in it regardless.

(Being totally racist here) As weird as it may seem, anybody that is a decent Asian view Americans in a very bad light [YES, THIS IS TRUE]. The majority of Americans in our eyes are stupid, fat and lack moral values, due to lack of social enforcement, and has since become the norm. (Which is really funny because Americans think that all Asians have -.- eyes :P)

Calling ethnocentricity racism while you are calling people stupid...

People actually are that extreme in their views of the US? This should be an interesting discussion topic at my next witch burning.

And please carry on with the discussion, i believe this is an interesting topic to see the perspective from both groups of people to get a clearer idea of the big picture. I want to see the POV from an American to let me broaden my scope

[Brainiac777]

I can understand why you feel this way because I once felt that way too(and sometimes, I still feel the same). BUT, there will always be people who're lazy and relatively "dumber". You're only 15 and you still have a lot to see, Brian. People change as time passes and in time, they'll get better and someday, they'll realize that they're wasting their time and wake up.

I've a friend who skips 3/5 days of schools, going to pubs to play games and hang out with friends everyday back in high school. He barely got through it and then we went to grade 12 together. He just woke up and realized that he had been wasting time all a long and then he became one of the most hardworking(he's not very smart but he worked hard) among my circle of friends. Some people just shine only slightly slowly than the others. Intelligence isn't measured by grades alone. I've seen some people who didn't really excel academically but they really do shine when it comes to their specialization.

The people that you see from previous generations are older, more experienced as you said, and wiser. They've gone through so many things and they're all adults so you can't really compare them like that. I agree with you that reading is very good way of learning but there are just people who learn differently. Not hanging out in library doesn't mean they don't read at all. I personally prefer reading articles from the Internet, ebooks on my phone and physical books when I'm alone at night before sleep. I don't really like reading in public or in bus because I tend to get distracted by things around.

Regarding your argument about parents, I can't really say you're wrong but I'll just say some parents prefer to let their kids learn as they live and do things their own way. I used to be very rebellious when I was 13~15. I'm an Asian(and I'm from Malaysia, and the society is still very Asian-like) and I was really against this Asian-style of force and learn thingy. I believe in my own decision and I want my freedom to do whatever I want. I don't want to learn just because it's going to be tested in the test. I want to learn because I'm interested in it. After a few years, my mum just gave in and let me learn the way I wanted. She allowed me to explore and learn from the mistakes that I learned from my own decisions. Broken relationship, failing grades, and so on. I find it a better way to learn and by time I graduate from high school, most of the teachers were impressed by how much more things I know that's not in the textbook and things that most typical Asian kids had no clue in. I believe some of the parents want their kids to learn in their own ways. Let them explore and slowly find how they want things to be. It's better to explore and learn from mistakes than to just blindly follow what is told.

No, I'm not saying you're wrong, Brian. It's just that we all see things from differently and this is my view on this issue. ;)

From the above comments, you seem like the nicest person that has replied, I do understand that I have lots to learn, I might be wrong, probably am because I do live in the ghetto area of my city. I see your trying to say "that only time will tell" and it will.

[Lukiose]

I dont even know if I should comment here, because it may lead to something of a 'big deal'. But how old are you? like 15, how many generations have you experienced to say that this generation isn't smart to your standards?

I am calling you out on your outrageous statement.

You should be just grateful that you were blessed with the knowledge you claim you have and remember everyone is not gonna be the same. It a society, to my recollection a society isn't made up of high-class citizens, its a balance between the 'stupids' as you put and the 'intelligent'.

This notion that you have that everybody must be on the same level is ridiculous ( at least thats the message i am getting).

Just in case you were interesting i was talking about cigarettes smokers indeed.

[Lukiose]

I can understand why you feel this way because I once felt that way too(and sometimes, I still feel the same). BUT, there will always be people who're lazy and relatively "dumber". You're only 15 and you still have a lot to see, Brian. People change as time passes and in time, they'll get better and someday, they'll realize that they're wasting their time and wake up.

I've a friend who skips 3/5 days of schools, going to pubs to play games and hang out with friends everyday back in high school. He barely got through it and then we went to grade 12 together. He just woke up and realized that he had been wasting time all a long and then he became one of the most hardworking(he's not very smart but he worked hard) among my circle of friends. Some people just shine only slightly slowly than the others. Intelligence isn't measured by grades alone. I've seen some people who didn't really excel academically but they really do shine when it comes to their specialization.

The people that you see from previous generations are older, more experienced as you said, and wiser. They've gone through so many things and they're all adults so you can't really compare them like that. I agree with you that reading is very good way of learning but there are just people who learn differently. Not hanging out in library doesn't mean they don't read at all. I personally prefer reading articles from the Internet, ebooks on my phone and physical books when I'm alone at night before sleep. I don't really like reading in public or in bus because I tend to get distracted by things around.

Regarding your argument about parents, I can't really say you're wrong but I'll just say some parents prefer to let their kids learn as they live and do things their own way. I used to be very rebellious when I was 13~15. I'm an Asian(and I'm from Malaysia, and the society is still very Asian-like) and I was really against this Asian-style of force and learn thingy. I believe in my own decision and I want my freedom to do whatever I want. I don't want to learn just because it's going to be tested in the test. I want to learn because I'm interested in it. After a few years, my mum just gave in and let me learn the way I wanted. She allowed me to explore and learn from the mistakes that I learned from my own decisions. Broken relationship, failing grades, and so on. I find it a better way to learn and by time I graduate from high school, most of the teachers were impressed by how much more things I know that's not in the textbook and things that most typical Asian kids had no clue in. I believe some of the parents want their kids to learn in their own ways. Let them explore and slowly find how they want things to be. It's better to explore and learn from mistakes than to just blindly follow what is told.

No, I'm not saying you're wrong, Brian. It's just that we all see things from differently and this is my view on this issue. ;)

On the contrary, i am probably the harshest of the people here who don't understand why i speak so XD

But anyway, on topic: At the end of the day, the fault still lies with globalisation. Different cultures appearing in places with different rules seldom turn out well and it still boils down to parental guidance and how people perceive as the social norm in your area of residence. What you consider bad might be normal to them, and what you consider good might be weird/nerdy/gay to them as well, so i guess the best way is to move on, take advantage of their 'stupidity' :P and be successful.

Money is the stepping stone to being heard.

'If you know what i mean'

[Brainiac777]

I can understand why you feel this way because I once felt that way too(and sometimes, I still feel the same). BUT, there will always be people who're lazy and relatively "dumber". You're only 15 and you still have a lot to see, Brian. People change as time passes and in time, they'll get better and someday, they'll realize that they're wasting their time and wake up.

I've a friend who skips 3/5 days of schools, going to pubs to play games and hang out with friends everyday back in high school. He barely got through it and then we went to grade 12 together. He just woke up and realized that he had been wasting time all a long and then he became one of the most hardworking(he's not very smart but he worked hard) among my circle of friends. Some people just shine only slightly slowly than the others. Intelligence isn't measured by grades alone. I've seen some people who didn't really excel academically but they really do shine when it comes to their specialization.

The people that you see from previous generations are older, more experienced as you said, and wiser. They've gone through so many things and they're all adults so you can't really compare them like that. I agree with you that reading is very good way of learning but there are just people who learn differently. Not hanging out in library doesn't mean they don't read at all. I personally prefer reading articles from the Internet, ebooks on my phone and physical books when I'm alone at night before sleep. I don't really like reading in public or in bus because I tend to get distracted by things around.

Regarding your argument about parents, I can't really say you're wrong but I'll just say some parents prefer to let their kids learn as they live and do things their own way. I used to be very rebellious when I was 13~15. I'm an Asian(and I'm from Malaysia, and the society is still very Asian-like) and I was really against this Asian-style of force and learn thingy. I believe in my own decision and I want my freedom to do whatever I want. I don't want to learn just because it's going to be tested in the test. I want to learn because I'm interested in it. After a few years, my mum just gave in and let me learn the way I wanted. She allowed me to explore and learn from the mistakes that I learned from my own decisions. Broken relationship, failing grades, and so on. I find it a better way to learn and by time I graduate from high school, most of the teachers were impressed by how much more things I know that's not in the textbook and things that most typical Asian kids had no clue in. I believe some of the parents want their kids to learn in their own ways. Let them explore and slowly find how they want things to be. It's better to explore and learn from mistakes than to just blindly follow what is told.

No, I'm not saying you're wrong, Brian. It's just that we all see things from differently and this is my view on this issue. ;)

Very well said, I believe so that people are getting assimilated and acculturated, it is true of a norm here in America differs from a norm in Asia. That's what influences our opinion and our way of life.

[tobben]

im sure you all know this i just felt like saying it

let me just add that that intelligence isn't all about going to school for ages cramming information into your head and grabbing those high degrees

dependss on how you define being stupid .. be it knowledge or intelligence

let's just say ive seen a fair share of engineers lab people and whatnot that lacks a fair share of common sense ..

and the oposite .. people who havent really specialised in anything and just have a *mandatory* education

who are brilliant in different ways it's just that they werent the types suited for "cramming" or ... you could just call them lazy if that's what you want

that doesn't always have to be the case though some people just prefer working

this is coming from someone who lives in Norway though .. so .. it's kinda different

[Art Vandelay]

If the IB programme has taught me anything, it's that a lot of what you do in highschool is completely pointless and will never be used again in your life. IB French is pretty much a game for marks, when it comes to exams, rather than your ability to speak french.

I had parents that never forced me to study anything, but I am driven to try to actually do well in highschool, unlike many of the people I know who have parents that pushed them hard to do well. I try to do well in highschool because I enjoy most of the things I am doing and am willing to suffer through the pointless garbage to do more of the stuff that I like doing in university. If you push someone to do well in a field that they hate, they are not going to do well in it regardless.

(Being totally racist here) As weird as it may seem, anybody that is a decent Asian view Americans in a very bad light [YES, THIS IS TRUE]. The majority of Americans in our eyes are stupid, fat and lack moral values, due to lack of social enforcement, and has since become the norm. (Which is really funny because Americans think that all Asians have -.- eyes :P)

Calling ethnocentricity racism while you are calling people stupid...

People actually are that extreme in their views of the US? This should be an interesting discussion topic at my next witch burning.

POV from someone in North America:

Why do people keep saying this generation is getting stupider? People have always been this stupid.

When people get older they see the world differently than when they were younger and can pinpoint the mistakes of younger people better than they could pinpoint the mistakes of others, so they assume that the following generations are getting gradually stupider or less inclined to work hard, when they really are.

People who force their kids to work as hard as they possibly can are really not helping at all; if anything is not helping me in highschool it's the stress, and making a big deal out of everything does not help at all.

The only thing that has been getting worse in recent years is the mainstream music, and movies, to a degree, but that's because teenagers control the music industry, and teenagers will always be stupid.

Also, a lot of people seem to portray places like the US in really incorrect ways. (I'm exaggerating here) People here in Toronto seem to think that the majority of America is made up of crazy Christian people who don't understand how the world works and that America is in such a worse state than Canada entirely because of the government. People just like to feel superior.

[Brainiac777]

I dont even know if I should comment here, because it may lead to something of a 'big deal'. But how old are you? like 15, how many generations have you experienced to say that this generation isn't smart to your standards?

I am calling you out on your outrageous statement.

You should be just grateful that you were blessed with the knowledge you claim you have and remember everyone is not gonna be the same. It a society, to my recollection a society isn't made up of high-class citizens, its a balance between the 'stupids' as you put and the 'intelligent'.

This notion that you have that everybody must be on the same level is ridiculous ( at least thats the message i am getting).

You choosing not to reply shows your level of ignorance to change and adaption. You must be the stupidest person I have come across, weed DOES KILL, you must be a fool to believe it doesn't. Weed does not kill physically, it influences other factors to kill you. Overdoes, brain damage, money loss all contribute to death. So if your high and jump off a bridge, did weed kill you? IT DID, because you would have never done that not high. If its so harmless, why not legalize it? Why is it still being blocked at the US border then? How many people do you know that use weed as medicine? Yeah, future my ass. It's still a drug in the end.

[Guest]

Something that I believe is rather relevant. Someone rather famous once said:

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid

[Brainiac777]

Assume everyone is an idiot until proven otherwise...

Ohh I very sorry if I offended you. Never knew it was you opinion.

[Brainiac777]

Something that I believe is rather relevant. Someone rather famous once said:

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid

I judge a person by their knowledge of the school subjects, which I think is relevant. You guys probably judge people by their ability to help society.

[Brainiac777]

If the IB programme has taught me anything, it's that a lot of what you do in highschool is completely pointless and will never be used again in your life. IB French is pretty much a game for marks, when it comes to exams, rather than your ability to speak french.

I had parents that never forced me to study anything, but I am driven to try to actually do well in highschool, unlike many of the people I know who have parents that pushed them hard to do well. I try to do well in highschool because I enjoy most of the things I am doing and am willing to suffer through the pointless garbage to do more of the stuff that I like doing in university. If you push someone to do well in a field that they hate, they are not going to do well in it regardless.

(Being totally racist here) As weird as it may seem, anybody that is a decent Asian view Americans in a very bad light [YES, THIS IS TRUE]. The majority of Americans in our eyes are stupid, fat and lack moral values, due to lack of social enforcement, and has since become the norm. (Which is really funny because Americans think that all Asians have -.- eyes :P)

Calling ethnocentricity racism while you are calling people stupid...

People actually are that extreme in their views of the US? This should be an interesting discussion topic at my next witch burning.

I find the above comment very true, music MAY seem to be getting worse to YOU but you don't represent those people so you can not say. I am sorry but if no one pushed you up to your feet, their is no motivation to do that job. Parents want you to have a good future, they have been to your age before, they know what it's like, hindsight is what's it called. Then you contradict yourself because you say older people can pinpoint your mistake better, they why not let you parent guide you because they can pinpoint your mistakes?

[Guest]

I judge a person by their knowledge of the school subjects' date=' which I think is relevant. You guys probably judge people by their ability to help society.[/quote']

Then in your eyes, everyone who fails at an education is a failure. I personally know - and I mean face to face - dozens of highly successful people who dropped out of secondary education or didn't pursue tertiary education, most of whom are millionaires. Then you have examples such as Steve Jobs - say what you want about Apple and their products but at the end of the day - it's an incredibly successful company. Walt Disney(Disney), Bill Gates(Microsoft), Sir Richard Branson (Virgin), Colonel Sanders (KFC) - these are just 4 people who all dropped out of school and became highly successful.

As Einstein said: Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"

[SubTract]

I believe that it isn't necessarily down to generational intelligence decreasing. If time (or rather what I can gather from information I've been given in my time) has shown us anything. It is that there are a lot of "Sheep" people who don't really care but just do what they have to do to get by. There are few people who are willing to go above and beyond to do something significant or be part of something significant. Then even less who actually are recognized for their achievement. Now I have left out those who achieve what they set out to because this is something that I myself can not define.

I'm sure some people would debate that anybody can go above and beyond and really excel, but most people don't "really" try.

There is obviously an exception for those who try and fail. As long as they keep trying.

So I don't think it comes down to less intelligence over the generations. The difference is we've not lived to see generations before us so we can not go into accurate details as to how they were to give an accurate comparison. When you look back all you see is those who tried, succeeded and were recognized.

If less people were sheep there would be a lower percentage of people who try get recognized.

I do agree that all of your above factors may contribute to those who try. It does not change the fact that still only a few would be recognized and without the incentive there are simply more sheep. IMO it is all down to everybody being selfish, wanting to get more for them selves. Sad thing is that is what drives our society. we're constantly stuck in a loop of lose lose situations which we'll always be in.

My conclusion:

I don't believe there is a lot we can do to change the outcome just try to make our children the ones who "Try"

[Salmiakbal]

I judge a person by their knowledge of the school subjects, which I think is relevant. You guys probably judge people by their ability to help society.

Why would you do that though? There's so much more to a person than just raw knowledge that the school sees as ''important''. Like windspeed said, there are enough persons that didn't excel in their education but still became very rich. And money isn't everything. There's still something called emotional quotient and there's a lot of people that are extremely bright and open minded emotionally and have a very wide understanding of things, all of which doesn't require education. To judge someone on their knowledge of trivial school knowledge is not fair.

I understand that you consider yourself as intelligent and quite possibly enlightened, but there's still much, much more to a person than raw school knowledge, ie there are a lot of things you don't learn in school.

[deafboy]

Assume everyone is an idiot until proven otherwise...

lol. No worries, my fault by not clarifying earlier.

Takes way more than that to offend me anyways, lol.

[Salmiakbal]

I dont even know if I should comment here, because it may lead to something of a 'big deal'. But how old are you? like 15, how many generations have you experienced to say that this generation isn't smart to your standards?

I am calling you out on your outrageous statement.

You should be just grateful that you were blessed with the knowledge you claim you have and remember everyone is not gonna be the same. It a society, to my recollection a society isn't made up of high-class citizens, its a balance between the 'stupids' as you put and the 'intelligent'.

This notion that you have that everybody must be on the same level is ridiculous ( at least thats the message i am getting).

Weed does indeed influence your mental health. While it is pretty harmless if used in limited doses, smoking every day for years on end is definitively not good for your mental (and physical) health.

Where I live weed is legalized to a certain degree (you can't have more than 5 plants per person and carrying more than a certain weight with you is also forbidden) and a friend of mine is a daily smoker (super smooth heavy metal kinda type, gotta love em). Anyway he smokes a lot and he's been getting more and more anger management issues and it's hard to stop a habit. I also know a few persons that only smoke on occasion, and they're very normal. At such a level, controlling the habit is easy.

[Glaith]

Roflcopters and Broccoli

[NeoZeon]

I'd like to give this topic a whirl.

Some credentials, I have a BA in physics and am studying computational Geodynamics in graduate school. My BA came from a small liberal arts school, where I VOLUNTARILY took classes out side my major: English(3 upper division classes), Philosophy(2 upper division classes), History, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Chemistry. In fact, the only courses I didn't take were Earth Science which is what I now study. This is common for students of the liberal arts, but not so common for most collegiate institutions. The general distate for understanding, in all fields, is apparent in the tedium of students.

I also teach introductory Earth Science classes at my grad school, and have been always more or less let down my the majority of my students. Most of them are Education Majors, taking geology or oceanography as a requirement showing little to no enthusiasm for the subject. Are they stupid ? Perhaps, but they will never work hard enough for me to find out. Laziness and stupidity are far from different, and this laziness is a societal thing. For example, during one of my labs a student asked me "what answer will give me most credit". Most students think like that, I can't blame them as they are evaluated by grades, but I would never ask a question like that. That question is lazy, for obvious reason.

Most of the time grades don't measure how well you can process information but how well you can regurgitate it. Thats a problem, but the deeper problem is that students don't take ownership of their education. They take classes because they are required to, not because they want to. I have never taken a class I did not originally want to take. Sure there are classes I didn't like, but I wanted to take that class. I thought it would be interesting before I took it. People are in school because they believe it will give them a higher income and not happiness. While there are exceptions, happy people are generally smart people and we have a society of severe unhappiness.

Perhaps education should focus on learning ways to be happy instead of ways to score high on standardized tests. Either way, I'll continue to be happy no matter what.