I believe that our inclination to use media technology daily, our obsession of entertainment culture and instant gratification, and the fact that we allow this culture to easily penetrate our society without limitations are some of the reasons why our nation is losing more and more brain cells. Many Americans do not realize that when they sit idly for hours checking people's profiles on Facebook, or watch entertainment shows about celebrity gossips on television, they losebrain cells as these activities do not really require much brain activity. For many years, America has maintained it's reputation as the most powerful and influential nation in the world. With the continuing decline of intellectualism in America, it will not surprise me should we lose our dominance over the world in the years to come.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
It is a "unique American feature".
Analyst Susan Jacoby believe that America is becoming dumber and ignorant over the years as the media culture triumph over print culture. She believe, along with other intellectuals, that this epidemic of anti-rationalism and anti-intellectualism running rampant throughout America is rooted from all the media technology we have today, like the iPod, the computer, and the television. As I listened to the podcast of Susan Jacoby in 2nd period, I could not help but nod in agreement with the things she has mentioned. I agree that our generation is becoming dumber. The demand for newspapers, magazines, and books have sharply declined as a result of people turning towards the television or the internet for instant access of information or worse: people not caring at all. More Americans have shown the lack of even the most basic math, science, and geography skills. Compared to other nations, the United States ranks low in mathematics and science. How is this possible in such a powerful first-world nation?
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Good point, Louise, but "lose our dominance over the world in years to come"? Not trying to sound like a uber-American, but China can not possibly compete while its people in the western slums are fighting for food Japan is only really improving on our technology.
ReplyDeleteIn my belief, Postman was right; technology "giveth and taketh away." It does supply an extension to our minds and eyes, but without proper education of these tools, it can be a block to those senses simultaneously.
You know, I can't help feeling as if this section we are studying about the numbing of minds due to technology and education as the cure is the mission statement for this class. I feel that we are being educated right now to learn the effects of technology and how to implement them properly.
Didn't China surpass Japan recently? They're the second largest economy in the world now.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Britain has the strongest currency in the world. I remember when the Dollar was undisputed. Now it's below the Pound Sterling and the Euro. So it's very plausible, in fact it's probably happening already, that America will lose it's dominance.
Perhaps, Raul. Currency wise? Of course. Economy wise? Not even close.
ReplyDeleteEven if China makes tons of American dollars from our Wal-Mart purchases, you have to count in the various poverty-stricken villages in the average. Then you will get something far closer to, say, pre-earthquake Haiti. Needless to say, this can not mean a particularly good economy.
In terms of education, we have not been surpassed in resources but actual results.
If we are so scared of these phones and computers numbing our minds, I'm sure I read somewhere in the LA Times that texting is beginning to undermine the use of the Chinese language of its youth. So, there.