Dumbest Generation?
Wow, 8 reasons why this is the dumbest generation is way off target. Let’s review the list, put together by author Mark Bauerlein.
1. They make excellent “Jaywalking” targets.
The article starts with a weak argument that today’s young people “…are encased in more immediate realities that shut out conditions beyond — friends, work, clothes, cars, pop music, sitcoms, Facebook.”
Apparently “pop music” and “Facebook” are bad. But where is the evidence? Let’s continue.
2. They don’t read books — and don’t want to, either
Again, he presents no evidence. My gut tells me he is right: people read less today, particularly “young” people. But I’m also sure that has something to do with the availability of more information online. Why dig through books when I can look up something in a few seconds on Wikipedia? Does that make me “dumber”? Prove it. You may be right, but I think some evidence is in order.
3. They can’t spell
From TFA:
Lack of capitalization and IM codes dominate online writing. Without spellcheck, folks are toast.
Actually, my quote is the entire explanation put forth in the article.. Maybe people adopt shorthand writing styles because it is a PITA to text on most phones? I am detecting a distinct trend in these wacky reasons we are so “dumb”. This guy does not like technology.
4. They get ridiculed for original thought, good writing
He uses MySpace as the first example, where (apparently) buddies make fun of you if you write clearly. Huh? OK, I’m sure you can find lots of examples of this. But again, are these cherry-picked examples evidence of widespread dumbness?
He then goes on to criticize Wikipedia:
Wikipedia writing is clean and factual, but colorless and judgment-free.
That is because it is an encyclopedia. It is supposed to be judgment-free. They call it NPOV, which is actually quite smart.
5. Grand Theft Auto IV, etc.
Holy shit. Go read the article. I don’t even know where to start. He somehow connects video games to “Thousands of Massachusetts public school graduates are ending up in remedial reading and writing classes in college…”
What absolute rubbish. Maybe we ought to look at poverty, single parent households, and other such factors before pointing fingers at video games.
6. They don’t store the information
The fact that we can easily look up information on the Internet makes us dumber. I don’t get it.
7. Because their teachers don’t tell them so
Here we go again. Another “blame the teachers first” article. Sigh.
8. Because they’re young
No, no, no!. I think I first read this in a book called “The Invisible Future“, but I might be remembering that wrong. (thanks to reason 6?) The general idea is that EVERY generation since the dawn of time has always thought the young “next” generation is dumber, that society is decaying, etc. This must be wrong, of course, or by now we’d be in complete disarray.
The Dumbest Author: How a Quick Amazon Search Stupefies a Young American and Jeopardizes Mark Bauerlein’s Future as an Author; Or, Don’t Trust an Author with 7 Published Books and Only 5 of 35 Possible Amazon Rating Stars.
I hope people take the time at least to look at the book, which compiles several years of empirical data about young people leisure time and habits, screen experience (including screen reading), test scores and achievement levels, remedial course taking . . .
Maybe the smart ones in the next generation will step up and give an intelligent argument opposing the authors views. That would be refreshing. I suspect instead, no one in his targeted generation will give a crap about his opinions or his book (unless he posts some porn on his MySpace page).
Consider how ironic it would be to write a book with no evidence to support ones opinion, and no one even pointed out such a “dumb” mistake. Maybe this article is just daring us to notice.
An example of an academic mind open so far that the door hits him/she/other-yet-to-be-determined-non-descriptive-pronoun in the ass and closes again.
We are smart enough not to pad his wallet with a book sale.
The large print edition is going to be the best seller.
As a high school teacher, I see the proof every day that the writer of this book is quite right. Kids can’t spell, or memorize/remember things, or write creatively (not imitatively!) - and a host of other shortcomings. It’s no wonder the graduate schools in America are full of “foreign” students - the lazy American students can’t cut it - especially in math and science, where you do have to “store the information” in order to succeed. Nuff sed.
The point is that he falsely points the blame at technology and teachers (like you, apparently) without offering any data to back it up. Maybe the next generation is dumb…but I suspect if that is true, it has more to do with other issues like poverty, bad parenting, etc.
Baurlein is right! The last four words of the item 6 retort says it all about the critic.
First it was the “new” math, and now the alibi is a high-tech. age. How about just plain spoiled, pampered, and lazy? Own up to it, young ‘uns, and shape up. Your kids will be even worse.