The Dumbest Generation?

I apologize for any sarcasm that may or may not be present

In The Dumbest Generation, Bauerlein manages to attempt to try to make a somewhat effective argument. It was hidden throughout by a useless onslaught of redundant statistics, but I think I have been able to discern it:

• These kids have scored lower than other generations on some tests of knowledge
• A lack of knowledge in the areas these specific tests tested means that these kids are dumb
• They don't read as much as I did back before technology
• if they don't read as much as I did they are dumb
• They instead spend time on this newfangled compooter thing
• All new technology makes people dumb because I'm smart and I didn't use new technology 
• The statistics I am telling you show that technology is bad 
• See? Therefore anyone who uses it is dumb
• These kids don't respect smart people like me anymore
• Because all older people are smarter, kids should learn their place and not think their dumb opinions are valid.
• These kids aren't participating civically as much and when they do they don't do it the same way I do
• Because they don't do things my way they are dumb
• By combining the many ways these kids are dumb, it is clear that they are the dumbest generation that has ever existed in this country, and therefore they will affect the country negatively when they start to come into power.

I realize that was more than a little sarcastic. I'm not sure whether that tone is kosher, and considering this goes into the 85% category, I'll try to word that a bit more seriously.

Bauerlein thinks that the culture of the under-30 age group is one that has the effect of dumbing down to the point where they are the dumbest generation ever. They have no intellectual pursuits anymore, and are distracted by mindless technology that is hurting them. They, despite being dumber, act as though they are smarter than everyone else. Most importantly, they don't involve themselves civically, and those that do don't have the perspective required to do it properly. All of this is getting worse and people aren't realizing how dumb it makes them. Their dumbness will hurt the country.

Despite how much I hated the book, there were a few passages I agreed with. They are both from the only chapter I somewhat agreed with, chapter 6. 

"Democracy requires an informed electorate, and knowledge deficits equal civic decay"

This is one of the main themes of chapter 6, and it is one I agree with. Americans need to become smarter about politics. There are two aspects to this: Making sure everyone cares about their important civic duties, and making sure they can do those duties properly. This is one reason I think MoPro is one of the most important classes in the high school, despite its unpopularity among those who want to not give a shit.

"This knowledge principle forms part of the democratic faith, and it survives only as long as a fair potion of the American people embraces it, not just intellectuals and experts"

The reason that required knowledge for proper civic involvement is not known by a lot of people in America is because of a culture of anti-intellectualism in America. Being smart and actually knowing things and caring is seen as nerdy. We need to get it into people's heads that it's OK to be knowledgable, that you won't turn into a nerdy, geeky, dork.

The obstacle to this is that the people that really control the country won't allow people to become knowledgable, because an educated electorate goes against their interests.

There also were, of course, many passages that I didn't agree with.

"The Internet doesn't impart adult information; it crowds it out. Video games, cell phones, and blogs don't foster rightful citizenship. They hamper it."

This was a disgusting statement, because it proves that Bauerlein doesn't know what the hell he is talking about. He calls our generation dumb for embracing technology, but it is obvious that he knows nothing about it. If someone spent even 5 minutes on the internet they would figure out that it is the best resource in the WORLD for information, including adult information. you can learn everything on the internet, and just because it can also be used for other purposes doesn't negate the fact that it provides an availability of knowledge that cannot be compared to anything else that has ever existed.

The same thing can be said video games, cell phones and blogs. You cannot criticize these things outright, because the only "problem" with them is that they can appeal broadly enough  to have whatever affect the individual wants. It is ABSOLUTELY not the fault of these entities that some stupid things occur.

"Traditions must be there at hand"

This is something that Bauerlein got wrong over and over again. Just because this generation isn't the same as your generation doesn't mean that they are stupid. He needs to realize that sometimes thinking needs to evolve, and that doesn't happen by conforming to the same traditions over and over again. Traditions don't help us, they hold us back.

Overall, Bauerlein was not effective in arguing his point, at least not to me. I was not his audience. His audience were other people his age that were fed up with all the stupid teenagers that wouldn't listen to them. Perhaps his argument would have worked better for that age group, but it sure won't convince anybody who doesn't agree with him to start. He doesn't persuade, he just encourages the opinions of people who hate stupid young people by providing them with statistics. He appeals to their distrust of everything new, such as technology. To top it all off, we AREN'T the dumbest generation. Guess which generation is? HIS generation. 

Proof here

Yep. The guy writing the book "The Dumbest Generation" is actually from the real dumbest generation. Maybe that's why the book was so terrible.