Get comfortable; this may take a while.

[zippy_the_eel]

I've been sitting on this one for a while now, because I just haven't had the time to sit down and spew it all out. Well, not enough time when I felt like doing it, more likely. But here it goes

Comments

[kubbylass]

I have to say I agree with you on this. After many years of observation, it seems to me that the "dumbing down of America" is alive and well. Have you ever seen the "Jaywalking" segment on the Tonight show? OMG! Are these people for real?? Surely people aren't really THAT dumb, are they? More and more I'm thinking, yes, they really are...some of them, anyhow. Scary

[zippy_the_eel]

I don't know how much of it is that the general public is getting dumber, and how much of it is that society in general is really celebrating stupidity more. By all indications, Babe Ruth drank himself falling down, stupid drunk a number of times, and did a bunch of things people tend to frown on, but there wasn't a Perez Hilton, TMZ, or any of that crap beating us over the head with it. There were gossip columns and such, sure. It was reported on to some degree, but people were allowed to be people, kind of, even if they were famous.

Not so, anymore. People seem to be intentionally stupid, to get famous. And if you're famous and stupid, everyone seems to love hearing about it, and be constantly dying for more stories about you. ...At least there aren't as many of the stupidity freak-shows as there used to be. ...Jerry Springer, and such.

The focus on sports has been a problem with a lot of schools for a long time. I'm not sure where all the money for public schools is going. They don't all have extensive sports programs, but quite

[euphoricdaze]

a good work ethic starts early on in life...assigning homework prepares well for college. there's no getting around that. when i was in high school and grade school of COURSE I hated assignments and thought many of my assignments as well as my classes were pointless. I was an angsty brat. but in hindsight there was so many valuable things in high school no matter hwo I hated it. but I've used almost everything in one way or another without even realizing it most of the time. and I've heard so many people say their life's passion started in high school..an inspiring history lass taught them that history has many lessons and actions DO, indeed, bring consequences. bringing standards down in public schools is definitely not the answer...and teaching law is a bad idea since many ordinances and laws are not universal and many times questionable. High school is not meant to substitute for parenting

[zippy_the_eel]

The kids Michelley's dad (I think they were his class) teaches, are clearly whiny, spoiled little brats. Actually succeeding in having your parents call up and complain about the amount of homework you get? Who's ever heard of that?! And he has to grade them, so whatever he assigns, he's got to look over it 20-30 times, for each class he teaches. He can't be giving out that much stuff, because he doesn't want to have to deal with it either

reply part 2 ...yeah, I talk too much, but it's an important subject

[zippy_the_eel]

I know school isn't a replacement for parenting, but since it's pretty obvious that a lot of parents aren't taking their job seriously, or just aren't up to it, something is better than nothing. You can't just drive past a huge car wreck with people bleeding to death on the street, and say "They should be getting taken care of by a doctor" or "It's a paramedic's job to get them to the hospital, not mine." If you see they need help and aren't getting it, you have to do something about it, don't you? Pull over and see if there's anything that you can do in that situation. Or at the very least, call 911 or something, right? It's just as much of an emergency, but it's an ongoing one