There was a time when it may not have been “cool” to be a nerd (unlike today), but intelligence as a whole was valued. Parents watched over their children to make sure homework was completed, school teachers pushed their students (instead of catering to the lowest common denominator), and graduating from college was actually an achievement (aka “difficult”). Books were read, theatre was intelligent, and issues were discussed among ordinary people.
No longer is this true.
The public school system caters to the dumbest of the class, aiming only to get more funding than the year previous – essentially teaching for the tests. A common topic of discussion among ordinary people is the previous night’s episode of a reality TV show or brain-numbing “drama”, rather than world news or even politics. Entertainment itself has degraded, with the majority of TV showcasing idiots and their adventures, and plays are no longer witty satire, instead choosing to produce stage versions of movies or books.
Even more frightening is that books are not considered a valid form of entertainment any longer – which shouldn’t be a surprise, given the average reading level of today’s people. Instead of reading news from the source via the Internet, newspapers, or slightly-biased publications like TIME or Newsweek, people choose to watch CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC, where the goal is not to inform you, but to make advertising money.
From a chilling essay by Kyle Brady, a voice of the kids of the 80s/'90's generation. Is this "y"; proto "Google Gen"?
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