eclectica
2003-05-30, 21:58
Americans love ignorance and shun intellectualism. There's something really cute and adorable about an idiot such as Forrest Gump or president Bush.
Remember how they crashed one of their Martian space crafts because they confused English and metric units? The question to ask is why the country holds on to an archaic system. The answer is that the country is not secular or scientific but instead prefers faith-based or dumb solutions to problems.
While all countries have their ignorant members, the particularity of America is that the ignorance is a preferred choice amongst the culture and its leaders.
In an attempt to shun intellectual snobbery, the Americans have made intellectual sloppiness a desirable trait. People who know the correct answers or facts will pretend that they don't so that they don't appear too smart. There is a shame in having the right answer or knowing how to spell correctly.
Try and correct the typical American who has made a misspelling or other error, and rather than the person be grateful to you, the person will be defensive and resentful. There's nothing like a nation filled with spoiled brats who refuse to recognize their own mistakes.
The roots of this probably come about because of the attempt towards equality in American culture. But in this well-intentioned attempt, the lowest common denominator of intellecuality prevails. It doesn't apply in other fields though. It's okay to be among the richer, stronger, or more beautiful Americans, but it's not okay to be among the more intelligent.
Though I dislike intellectual snobbery, I appreciate accuracy. There ought to be a balance. One should not be ashamed of being accurate, nor should one be ashamed to not know something and to ask questions.
The United States would have more potential if it didn't glamorize stupidity. But then how would it be any different from the Germans?
Remember how they crashed one of their Martian space crafts because they confused English and metric units? The question to ask is why the country holds on to an archaic system. The answer is that the country is not secular or scientific but instead prefers faith-based or dumb solutions to problems.
While all countries have their ignorant members, the particularity of America is that the ignorance is a preferred choice amongst the culture and its leaders.
In an attempt to shun intellectual snobbery, the Americans have made intellectual sloppiness a desirable trait. People who know the correct answers or facts will pretend that they don't so that they don't appear too smart. There is a shame in having the right answer or knowing how to spell correctly.
Try and correct the typical American who has made a misspelling or other error, and rather than the person be grateful to you, the person will be defensive and resentful. There's nothing like a nation filled with spoiled brats who refuse to recognize their own mistakes.
The roots of this probably come about because of the attempt towards equality in American culture. But in this well-intentioned attempt, the lowest common denominator of intellecuality prevails. It doesn't apply in other fields though. It's okay to be among the richer, stronger, or more beautiful Americans, but it's not okay to be among the more intelligent.
Though I dislike intellectual snobbery, I appreciate accuracy. There ought to be a balance. One should not be ashamed of being accurate, nor should one be ashamed to not know something and to ask questions.
The United States would have more potential if it didn't glamorize stupidity. But then how would it be any different from the Germans?