The issue Americans don't care about

Many of Americas problems can be traced back to this one issue, yet most people simply don't think this is very important. As Danny Devito once said, "who needs education when you can blow up the world?!" In an age when Larry the cable guy is our country's unofficial posterboy, I was a little sad, but not very suprised to read this.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/07/28/youll-never-guess-what-americans-consider-the-leas.aspx🙁

Originally posted by bill718
Many of Americas problems can be traced back to this one issue, yet most people simply don't think this is very important. As Danny Devito once said, "who needs education when you can blow up the world?!" In an age when Larry the cable guy is our country's unofficial posterboy, I was a little sad, but not very suprised to read this.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/07/28/youll-never-guess-what-americans-consider-the-leas.aspx🙁

Not just America.
I think education is always down the list in times of strife, mainly because
putting money/resource/effort into education is an investment for the
future and people want instant fixes to their problems.

It's like the old management training Q.

Put these tasks into their order of priority.

A. Urgent/not important
B. Urgent/important
C. Non-urgent/not important
D. Non-urgent/important

Of course the correct answer is B then D
But so many do B then A

I think education is considered "important" but there are so many urgent
fixes required elsewhere that it gets side-lined, put-off for another day
when all the other problems are fixed.

Originally posted by bill718
Many of Americas problems can be traced back to this one issue, yet most people simply don't think this is very important. As Danny Devito once said, "who needs education when you can blow up the world?!" In an age when Larry the cable guy is our country's unofficial posterboy, I was a little sad, but not very suprised to read this.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/07/28/youll-never-guess-what-americans-consider-the-leas.aspx🙁

Any government with tyrannical aspirations should have a goal of dumbing down the population first. The US is down to 48th in the world when it comes to science and math.

State run education rests squarely on the shoulders of our politicians. But alas, as with everything else it's never their fault, is it?

With a population without such critical thinking skills, who cares?

Originally posted by whodey
Any government with tyrannical aspirations should have a goal of dumbing down the population first. The US is down to 48th in the world when it comes to science and math.

State run education rests squarely on the shoulders of our politicians. But alas, as with everything else it's never their fault, is it?

With a population without such critical thinking skills, who cares?

How can you have equality in a country where some people are smart and others are stupid. You can't make the stupid people smart, but you can leave the smart people stupid as long as you don't educate them.

Originally posted by whodey
Any government with tyrannical aspirations should have a goal of dumbing down the population first. The US is down to 48th in the world when it comes to science and math.

State run education rests squarely on the shoulders of our politicians. But alas, as with everything else it's never their fault, is it?

With a population without such critical thinking skills, who cares?

Whether the poor performance of government schools is intentional "dumbing down", or simply the incompetence of government in accomplishing difficult and complex tasks, you can decide.

All the things that we see as constantly improving, are products and services of the private sector. Things we gripe about are usually government productions.

Originally posted by Eladar
How can you have equality in a country where some people are smart and others are stupid. You can't make the stupid people smart, but you can leave the smart people stupid as long as you don't educate them.

There is a difference between stupidity and ignorance.

Originally posted by bill718
Many of Americas problems can be traced back to this one issue, yet most people simply don't think this is very important. As Danny Devito once said, "who needs education when you can blow up the world?!" In an age when Larry the cable guy is our country's unofficial posterboy, I was a little sad, but not very suprised to read this.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/07/28/youll-never-guess-what-americans-consider-the-leas.aspx🙁

It doesn't surprise me at all.

Most Americans are inward looking and care nothing
for anything or anyone outside the USA. Most of the
300 million or so Americans have never been outside
the USA and don't even own a passport.


YouTube

Originally posted by johnnylongwoody


Most Americans are inward looking and care nothing
for anything or anyone outside the USA.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnnHprUGKF0

A completely inaccurate statement told merely to reinforce an anti-American stereotype. If you made a similar statement about a minority group, there would be a immediate hostile reaction and a discussion of your motives to make such a statement.

Originally posted by normbenign
There is a difference between stupidity and ignorance.

Not when you are taking entrance exams. If you miss a problem because you are stupid you look exactly the same as the person who misses the question out of ignorance.