Dear Metoos

Have a nice reading
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/books/14dumb.html

I really enjoyed the comments

Janusz

<janusz_w@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:320219c3-c495-49ca-aeb1-c02cf7ee5139@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
> Have a nice reading
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/books/14dumb.html
>
> I really enjoyed the comments
>
> Janusz

Well, that was interesting, I guess. Mostly, it just strikes me as more
American bashing, only this time it seems to be coming from within. I lose
how they use a segment from "Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader" to prove
their point when, I'd wager, most countrtries probably have similar "stupid
people" shows.

Personally, I was always taught that the facts only matter in so far as they
can be used for the problem at hand. What that means is that while I was in
school, I was basically instructed in how to digest facts to regurgitate on
the exams I would need but not to be concerned about remembering all of
those facts after they were no longer useful (for my grade). Facts can be
looked up. There's no real reason to fill up valuable memory space with
stuff that you can easily find like what country Budapest is the capitol of.
I was taught that it is much more important to think for yourself than it is
to be able to spew useless facts. Of course, I didn't listen to that
teaching very well and can still spew any number of useless facts, but the
sentiment remains the same. Also, I've sincec learned that, without regard
to nationality, race, color, creed, sex, etc..., only about 2% of the
population ever reaches the stage of development where they actually *do*
think for themselves. Empirical evidence tends to make me believe that the
percentage is much lower than that, but I'll defer to the people who did the
studies.

"Americans can be best compared to a human baby. A baby has an egotistical
sense of self, which makes him/her focus on his/her own needs. They are
incapable of paying attention to anything else as they only aware of how
everything revolves around them. Since they only perceive and observe their
inmediate surroundings they miss out on a world beyond their natural
borders.

Americans miss out on global knowledge due to their innate egocentrism.
Institutions, as well as government, foster a sense that the world revolves
around the USA and nothing else matters. Nonethless, the rest of the world
is taking advantage of the true effects of this "global village", sharing
experiences and being more aware of both diversity and commonalities.

The true question is can the US catch up?
- Jeff Quinones, San Juan, Puerto Rico"

I wonder if he realizes that Puerto Rico is a US Territory?

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@gmail.net> wrote in message news:QpvHj.269$net...
>
> <snip>

Holy crap!

On Mar 29, 1:55*pm, "Chris Guynn" <chris.gu...@gmail.net> wrote:
> <janus...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:320219c3-c495-49ca-aeb1-c02cf7ee5139@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Have a nice reading
> >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/books/14dumb.html
>
> > I really enjoyed the comments
>
> > Janusz
>
> Well, that was interesting, I guess. *Mostly, it just strikes me as more
> American bashing, only this time it seems to be coming from within. *I lose
> how they use a segment from "Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader" to prove
> their point when, I'd wager, most countrtries probably have similar "stupid
> people" shows.
>
> Personally, I was always taught that the facts only matter in so far as they
> can be used for the problem at hand. *What that means is that while I was in
> school, I was basically instructed in how to digest facts to regurgitate on
> the exams I would need but not to be concerned about remembering all of
> those facts after they were no longer useful (for my grade). *Facts can be
> looked up. *There's no real reason to fill up valuable memory space with
> stuff that you can easily find like what country Budapest is the capitol of.
> I was taught that it is much more important to think for yourself than it is
> to be able to spew useless facts. *Of course, I didn't listen to that
> teaching very well and can still spew any number of useless facts, but the
> sentiment remains the same. *Also, I've sincec learned that, without regard
> to nationality, race, color, creed, sex, etc..., only about 2% of the
> population ever reaches the stage of development where they actually *do*
> think for themselves. *Empirical evidence tends to make me believe that the
> percentage is much lower than that, but I'll defer to the people who did the
> studies.

It's too bad that your education was only centred around what you
needed to know for the exams rather than actually preparing you for a
career and life generally. Sounds like you attended a diploma mill.
Seems to me that's exactly what the article was about. Hopefully your
doctors and other professionals who provide services for you got a
more retention based education.

And I'm pretty sure there are more than a few of your fellows here
who'd argue with you relegating Pearl Harbor to "useless fact".
Admittedly the compendium of wolrd knowledge has grown too large for
any one person to know it all, but surely there are some moments in
history that should stick, if only out of national pride and loyalty.
I think the point of the article is that there's something inherently
lacking in the education or at least the knowledge of presumably
intelligent Americans who aren't even aware of the significance of
Pearl Harbor. That's the "solipsism" thing in microcosm.

I'm not suggesting that America's alone in that failing. We have our
share of self-absorbed empty-headed clowns up here in the frozen north
who are like the human baby mentioned.

JF

"John R. Macdonald" <scubajohn@remove.claranet.fr> wrote in message
news:upatu3ldge0imgsfn6bnt33i56o95qtj5m@4ax.com...

> You mean like the French did in 1778 for the Thirteen Colonies?
> Thus allowing you some 200 something years later to spew forth your
> mindless ignorant drivel

Yeah, you can take credit for a few overt acts, but it was colonization, not
pure human freedom that the French gave.

We, meaning the US and it's youth and best, had to pick up the chunks of
what you punks left in Viet Nam.

Don't worry, no one is asking you to do anything but shut the fuck up, or,
if you have to run your suck, at least do it honestly. which you cant do.

While you are at it, why don't you list the cemeteries where Americans are
buried in your nation so that you can be free to spit on them.

Any idea how many?

Quick, Google it.

Fucking punk.

The day I or anyone else depends upon the likes of you or "people" like you
to make and keep them free, we are all fucked.

Jump bad froggy.

On 30 Mar, 07:19, "Scott" <pugetsounddi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "John R. Macdonald" <scubaj...@remove.claranet.fr> wrote in messagenews:upatu3ldge0imgsfn6bnt33i56o95qtj5m@4ax .com...
>
> > You mean like the French did in 1778 for the Thirteen Colonies?
> > Thus allowing you some 200 something years later to spew forth your
> > mindless ignorant drivel
>
> Yeah, you can take credit for a few overt acts, but it was colonization, not
> pure human freedom that the French gave.

As you are typical byproduct of failing American educational system
it is not possible to shame you on your lack of elementary historical
knowledge. If not the French there is good chance that America would
be still part of the British empire.
Scotty, if you have somebody more intelligent than you who can read
and explain it to you in much simple terms- nice cite
http://xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/marine.htm
>
> We, meaning the US and it's youth and best, had to pick up the chunks of
> what you punks left in Viet Nam.
Scotty, you know nothing about the country and the conflict history.



>
> Don't worry, no one is asking you to do anything but shut the fuck up, or,
> if you have to run your suck, at least do it honestly. which you cant do.

No one? Since when you have the right to speak for everybody on thin
ng, moron?
delusions of grandeur?

Janusz

<janusz_w@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:d06c26fa-68f5-41a8-a295-4059466d8bc5@13g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On 30 Mar, 07:19, "Scott" <pugetsounddi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > "John R. Macdonald" <scubaj...@remove.claranet.fr> wrote in
messagenews:upatu3ldge0imgsfn6bnt33i56o95qtj5m@4ax .com...
> >
> > > You mean like the French did in 1778 for the Thirteen Colonies?
> > > Thus allowing you some 200 something years later to spew forth your
> > > mindless ignorant drivel
> >
> > Yeah, you can take credit for a few overt acts, but it was colonization,
not
> > pure human freedom that the French gave.
>
> As you are typical byproduct of failing American educational system
> it is not possible to shame you on your lack of elementary historical
> knowledge. If not the French there is good chance that America would
> be still part of the British empire.

Like India? Pakistan? Canada? Australia?
One of the things we've covered in history was the de-colonization of the
British empire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British...2.80.931997.29

Anticipating your response, te commonwealth of nations is not the British
Empire.

Dennis

On Mar 30, 11:38*am, Joe English <joe2aengl...@wisperhome.com> wrote:

> JOF - he wasn't over there longer than 9 months before you were born was?
>
> I am just kidding - I mean no disrespect to you, your father, and
> especially not your mother

Canadian gestation periods are longer when you figure in the
hibernation time.

On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:43:39 -0700, Greg Mossman wrote:

> Canadian gestation periods are longer when you figure in the hibernation
> time.

I thought it was due to the reduced daylight periods...

--
See NNTP header field "X-Real-Email-Address" to reply by email.

On 30 Mar, 15:35, "Dennis \(Icarus\)" <ala_dir_di...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> <janus...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:d06c26fa-68f5-41a8-a295-4059466d8bc5@13g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...> On 30 Mar, 07:19, "Scott" <pugetsounddi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > "John R. Macdonald" <scubaj...@remove.claranet.fr> wrote in
>
> messagenews:upatu3ldge0imgsfn6bnt33i56o95qtj5m@4ax .com...
>
>
>
> > > > You mean like the French did in 1778 for the Thirteen Colonies?
> > > > Thus allowing you some 200 something years later to spew forth your
> > > > mindless ignorant drivel
>
> > > Yeah, you can take credit for a few overt acts, but it was colonization,
> not
> > > pure human freedom that the French gave.
>
> > As you are typical byproduct of failing American educational system
> > it is not possible to shame you on your lack of elementary historical
> > knowledge. If not the French there is good chance that America would
> > be still part of the British empire.
>
> Like India? Pakistan? Canada? Australia?

No. Rather like Northern Ireland.


> One of the things we've covered in history was the de-colonization of the
> British empire.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British...ion_and_declin...

Of course, but as you probably know (I'm not so sure) winning the
revolutionary war (subsiding rebellion) by the Brits would mean for
example - no big pressure for Africa colonization, penal colonies in
America - so no need for Australia colonization etc. etc. - different
history.

>
> Anticipating your response, te commonwealth of nations is not the British
> Empire.

As usual you "anticipated" wrongly.

Janusz