America The Illiterate Is Why We Find Ourselves on the Path To Catastrophe Chris Hedges Truthdig

[DaLittle Kitty]

Author Chris Hedges

Title America The Illiterate

This is a MUST READ article that really expresses what is wrong in America today.

"It's The Americans Stupid!

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081110_america_the_illiterate/

"We live in two Americas. One America, now the minority, functions in a print-based, literate world. It can cope with complexity and has the intellectual tools to separate illusion from truth. The other America, which constitutes the majority, exists in a non-reality-based belief system.

Think Southern and Bible Belt states including central and North Florida...:crazy:

This America, dependent on skillfully manipulated images for information, has severed itself from the literate, print-based culture. It cannot differentiate between lies and truth. It is informed by simplistic, childish narratives and clichés. It is thrown into confusion by ambiguity, nuance and self-reflection. This divide, more than race, class or gender, more than rural or urban, believer or nonbeliever, red state or blue state, has split the country into radically distinct, unbridgeable and antagonistic entities."


"Political leaders in our post-literate society no longer need to be competent, sincere or honest. They only need to appear to have these qualities. Most of all they need a story, a narrative. The reality of the narrative is irrelevant. It can be completely at odds with the facts.

The consistency and emotional appeal of the story are paramount. The most essential skill in political theater and the consumer culture is artifice.
Those who are best at artifice succeed.

Those who have not mastered the art of artifice fail.

In an age of images and entertainment, in an age of instant emotional gratification, we do not seek or want honesty. We ask to be indulged and entertained by clichés, stereotypes and mythic narratives that tell us we can be whomever we want to be, that we live in the greatest country on Earth, that we are endowed with superior moral and physical qualities and that our glorious future is preordained, either because of our attributes as Americans or because we are blessed by God or both."


http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081110_america_the_illiterate/


A quote from John Russell... "Those who are educated ask questions while those who are literate follow directions." www.johnrussellforcongress.com

This is what the author is alluding to... A society dominated by the ever increasing numbers of Americans who are "programmed" to respond to the most simple impulse... People who readily conform and do not cause "trouble" for the establishment powers.

George Orwell Would turn over in his grave...

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081110_america_the_illiterate/

[Odin2005]

1. The majority have ALWAYS been that way.

And as long as human nature remains what it is it will always will be that way. Most people are dumb sheep.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. I think upbringing has something to do with it

Imagine an American child, say 6 to 10 years old with a 110 IQ.

Teach him over and over throughout his developing years to sift through information, compare different sources, rule out the impossible, rule out the statements of known, habitual liars, etc, etc.

He'll probably be in that literate group.

On the other hand, take him to an Orwellian indoctrination center that uses fear, unsubstantiated horror stories, Pavlovian conditioning and group pressure to make him feel happy and safe when repeating whatever he's told and conversely anxiety and self-hatred when thinking outside that particular box.

The same kid will probably grow up to belong to the other group.

Especially if he's forced to undergo the conditioning every week for all the formative years of his life.

Maybe someone's teaching people to be stupid.

[hfojvt]

9. right, so it is church that is doing it.

especially for Catholics like Dennis Kucinich.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. Yes, I was talking about church.

Dennis may have read the Gospels and come out alright, but plenty of non-thinkers are carefully tweaked in the buildings of the indoctrination network that identifies itself with a torture instrument on the roof.

Note (to someone): One counter-example disproves a theorem, but not a general tendency.

[DaLittle Kitty]

18. ABSOLUTELY TRUE!

:)

[DaLittle Kitty]

24. Excellent Points!

:)

[burythehatchet]

2. AMEN. But he is completely wrong to identify a certain geography. That is simply false

The idiots are everywhere.

[Fumesucker]

3. True..

But the percentage of cretins is somewhat lower in some places than others..

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Author of the article didn't identify a geography. Think that came from the OP.

"The core values of our open society, the ability to think for oneself, to draw independent conclusions, to express dissent when judgment and common sense indicate something is wrong, to be self-critical, to challenge authority, to understand historical facts, to separate truth from lies, to advocate for change and to acknowledge that there are other views, different ways of being, that are morally and socially acceptable, are dying. Obama used hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign funds to appeal to and manipulate this illiteracy and irrationalism to his advantage, but these forces will prove to be his most deadly nemesis once they collide with the awful reality that awaits us."

This is the ultimate truth.

[burythehatchet]

8. Thanks.. MIsleading OP

[DaLittle Kitty]

16. Very Good Point... Reality Is Just Around Da Corner...

The Second Great Depression and ALL That that scenario entails is nearly upon us!

[DaLittle Kitty]

26. The Bertrand Russell Quote Says It All! "It IS The MONEY PARTY That Feeds Us The Propaganda

That invites us to deceive ourselves." This is a quote from John Russell

[DaLittle Kitty]

25. The Problem Is Of National Concern But IS Worse Where Religion/Belief Is More Respected Than Facts!

:think:

[leftstreet]

5. Disagree about people not seeking or wanting honesty

People turn away from the news when they sense they're being lied to.

Give citizens the truth - in print or in images - they can handle it.

[DaLittle Kitty]

20. A Synonym For Lies IS Mainstream Corporate Media! Hence The Disaffection

[DaLittle Kitty]

27. One Reason The Newspapers Are Going OOB Is That They're PURE PROPAGANDA

Corporatist variety! Let them go under I say... The they can compete w/ us... :think:

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. I think George Orwell would leap out of his grave and yell "I TOLD YOU SO"

His dystopia of a world containing ignorant illiterate proles and the party , an overburdened middle class and a shadowy elite with a in perpetual wars is turning out to be uncannily accurate!

[newtothegame]

10. George Orwell would NOT be rolling in his grave...

We are nowhere near "1984" and it's irresponsible and naive to say so; sure it makes great headlines, and might get posts recc'd, but it ain't the truth.

If we are anywhere near "1984," we're just as responsible here on DU. People calling for hangings over John Yoo's memos? Thoughtcrime anyone?

[FiveGoodMen]

13. Doubleplus ungood!

[Fumesucker]

15. Science Fiction and prediction generally is never one hundred percent accurate..

Ferinstance, there was never an SF story which predicted the first landing on the Moon would be televised around the world.

So of course this isn't 1984, Orwell wasn't trying to predict *the* future, he was showing *a* future, a significant difference.

That being said, I think Orwell would sadly recognize a great many aspects of our society today, take the AIG situation, all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. The guy who steals from a convenience store does long hard time, the guy who steals billions through manipulating the stock market gets his own highly paid spot on a TV show.

[DaLittle Kitty]

21. Oh The UnFairness... Those Suits Are Too "Cultured" To Do Such Penance, They ALL Dutifully

attend church each and every Sunday!

[DaLittle Kitty]

29. How Would Orwell View The Modern Television Era? Answer That One!

:think:

[DaLittle Kitty]

17. We Sir Do In Fact Have A FASCIST Government Right Now! Google The Criteria That Define It!

We Are There! It will become much more apparent as its machinations become more personally direct as the economy unwinds further... :think:

[omega minimo]

37. If you think that, you were born in 1984

:hi:

[BrklynLiberal]

12. This ignorance is a condition that the Republicans...and some Democrats...

have worked VERY hard to maintain, and even increase whenever and wherever possible.
An ignorant population is much easier to manipulate. The corporatists that have ruled
have no qualms about keeping the public as ignorant, uninformed, misinformed and/or
uneducated as possible.

Have you ever seen the "JayWalking" segment on Jay Leno's Show? It is actually
embarrassing to see those people answer the simplest questions incorrectly, and they
are not the least bit humiliated by their ignorance.

[DaLittle Kitty]

22. yep2

:think:

[tom_paine]

14. Yep. n/t

[sendero]

19. Idiocracy..

... is already here.

[DaLittle Kitty]

23. Been Here Awhile Now!

:think:

[DaLittle Kitty]

28. RIGHT!

:)

[datasuspect]

35. fox HAD to kill that movie

[DaLittle Kitty]

38. Certainly!

:think:

[jbs]

30. Plenty of ignorance across the spectrum

There's certainly a lot of ignorance all around, and I think it'd be unfair to try and attribute it to any one region, any one candidate's supporters, or any one party. Plenty of people who voted in 2008 voted out of excitement or fear, without ever having learned anything about the issues their candidate was talking about. It's a disservice to the republic.

[gratuitous]

31. Yeah, but Republicans always vote that way

I mean, if it wasn't for fear, Republicans probably wouldn't have even the pitiful minorities they have now. But since we don't require intelligence tests of our citizens before letting them into the voting booth, we'll just have to hope that we do a good enough job educating voters to offset the relentless barrage of fear and ignorance put out by Fox, Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the repressive right.

[DaLittle Kitty]

32. The Newspapers Are To Blame as Well... The Push The ESTABLISHMENT Candidates And Block Principled

candidates at every opportunity! Ask John Russell or Bob Bowman!

[DaLittle Kitty]

33. The Ignorant Are What The Establishment Wants... No Thinkers and NO Questions Asked~!

:think:

[DaLittle Kitty]

36. AGREED! That Is What This Article Desribes So Clearly... The Absolute Dissolution Of Our Political

System To Mindless Slogans Bereft of Legitimate Debate on THE ISSUES!

[Karenina]

34. bttt!

:kick: