Go to From The Observation Deck
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- Go to Youngsters today probably can't even spell I.Q., let alone attain it . . .
Indeed with the invention of new wave phones younsters spend most of the time playing and chatting
posted by
adventurer02
on December 5, 2015 at 1:29 AM
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Re:
It really is, lustor. And the general consensus is that it doesn't look like it's going to get any better anytime soon! I have absolutely no doubts that my parents would have never put up with such nonsense from any of us, had this same technology existed 40 or 50 years ago! It's really a shame . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 12:05 PM
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its sad to think these kids are being educated by cell phones and absent parents
posted by
Lanetay
on April 2, 2015 at 9:10 AM
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I have to agree, C C T. Even the prospect of getting into a good field after graduation isn't enough of a motivation for some of these kids, and I'm not sure why that is. Yes, the distractions are there, but apparently, the parents aren't, who should be yanking those damned smart phones out of their kid's hands and replacing them with a book! Write a letter? Kids today don't write! They type, or tap! What a terrible trend . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 7:01 AM
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That is an alarming percentage, Kabu, and that's in Australia! Here in the states, it would probably be 50 out of that 800! I remember when I was in school, actually feeling terrible if I got a "C" in a particular subject, and almost being in tears if those dreaded "D's" or "F's" showed up! Now, kids aspire to "C's!" No, the future does not look good . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:58 AM
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I hope so, adnohr, I really do! Like I said, I don't want to be negative or pessimistic, but unfortunately, I read a lot, I see a lot, and I observe a lot. And almost everything tells me that this vicious cycle just keeps getting worse and worse and worse! Students are simply passed along the educational assembly line, and by the time they graduate high school, most of them seem to still only have no better than a sixth grade education! I really hope the trend can be reversed, but I simply see no signs of it yet . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:54 AM
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Paper, Annicita? Do kids even know what that is today? Hand a kid a piece of paper and ask them to do either long division or some multiplication, and they'll stare at you as if you just asked them to build a nuclear bomb! It seems the more things have tried to be simplified, the worse things have gotten! It's a tragedy, and I don't see it being reversed any time soon . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:50 AM
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I believe you're right, FSI. It may no longer be a matter of trying to keep this trend from hitting rock bottom. We are at rock bottom! Can we go up from here? It seems highly unlikely! We are headed for some dark days indeed . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:47 AM
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Well, lovelylady, it may not be complete or utter, but it does seem to be damned close! I think there are a few of us left with some intelligence and common sense, but our numbers are dwindling every day! And I believe you're right . . . some people are satisfied to remain in a world of total ignorance, and let others do the thinking for them. Again, I hate to sound overly pessimistic, but our future seems very bleak indeed . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:45 AM
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Re: Jimmy
I understand, Naut, I really do. And yes, I know this is really nothing new. However, the articles I've read in the past concerning this particular subject had always shown Americans simply 'sliding down' that scale. Now it appears we've finally reached rock bottom! I think next week I'll post a commencement speech written ( but never actually delivered ) by Ronald Khol, Senior Editor of Machine Digest, from May of 2003, that I used in my second novel "Welcome To America - Society In Decline." I believe you'll find it quite interesting . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:41 AM
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Re: JimmyA
I certainly hope not, Sir Wiley! But the way things are going down here, it almost seems inevitable. I've never been one to take my own education for granted, but what I'm seeing today makes me very, very nervous . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 2, 2015 at 6:35 AM
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Prosperity seems inclined to stem the inclination to improve oneself . I suppose there are so many simple distractions available and unless there is an incentive to do something different the motivation is not there. So much easier to phone 'Hi ya,what gives?' Than write a letter. A good job it is not by quill and ink.
posted by
C_C_T
on April 1, 2015 at 11:02 PM
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meeting my Grandson's year 12 graduating class at the end of last year i felt so proud of young Australians and then the dance friends and my Granddaughter, and finally the younger Grandson and all the academic awards he won...
I was brought to earth by my son who explained to me that there are a thousand children in that high school and I was seeing the top 200. From there it went down down very quickly..200 achievers out of 800 isn't looking good for the future really, and that is just one school.
posted by
Kabu
on April 1, 2015 at 6:17 PM
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Don't give up on them yet, Jimmy. The generation following the present youngsters are more awake it seems - paying attention to both new and old ways, working things out in their minds for the day it might be needed. 
posted by
adnohr
on April 1, 2015 at 4:36 PM
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Check out the new way to do math...they take a long path to do easy addition and subtraction no wonder they can't do simple problems...the amount of paper they would need
posted by
Annicita
on April 1, 2015 at 12:14 PM
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I am not surprised by that news either. As a Generation Y'er, I saw a lot of people who lacked the skills they need in this day and age.
Like you, I feel that technology is in play as well.
Hopefully, the trend can be reversed, but with bureaucracy and political standstill, I do not see things improving. Sadly, things may have to get worse before they get better, and getting worse may simply be too late.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on April 1, 2015 at 9:42 AM
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I agree with this on many levels, Jimmy. Though I don't believe that all people are idiots. Having said this, I actually believe there are far too many people who actually choose to be idiots! Does that make any sense?
As I've written countless times before, I abhor it when someone can't take the time to speak or to spell properly. Though in my case, the spelling properly requires using British spellings for the most part. I love that it drives other people crazy!
I'm always correcting other people's spelling or the way they pronounce or say something. It annoys them no end, I have no doubt. I don't mean it as an offense, it's just a habit of yours truly.
Another thing that really gets my goat is the over use of worsds. Especially when they don't belong in a sentence to begin with! For example, the excessive use of the word "like." "He said this or that, and I was like, you know." UGH!!!!
I openly admit that I'm useless when it comes to proper grammar. It isn't that I don't try...it's just that even in all my years at school, I never managed to get the hang of it. Alas, I fear I'm doomed to a lifetime of failure in that regard.
And one more thing...I hate getting a text message from someone written in slang or short hand.
Sigh. I'm afraid this article might be right after all, my friend.
We are slowly becoming a planet of complete and utter morons!
posted by
lovelyladymonk
on April 1, 2015 at 9:17 AM
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Jimmy
Yes, it is very sad, and very disturbing - but it isn't really news! I could (though I won't here) cite books written by many authors who have discussed these matters decades ago! I have made my own observations at very close hand...But there are so many reasons, cultural reasons, for all of this - there's so much history involved - that it's really impossible to even begin to talk about it sensibly in a forum such as this...
posted by
Nautikos
on April 1, 2015 at 9:09 AM
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JimmyA
You'll never see here come 'American' jokes, no way can you take over from the Newfies and the Poles.
posted by
WileyJohn
on April 1, 2015 at 8:07 AM
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