Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Are Americans Stupid?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
IndianaJoe Donating Member (664 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:52 AM
Original message
Are Americans Stupid?
Edited on Tue Aug-17-10 12:46 PM by IndianaJoe
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Jackpine Radical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:55 AM
Response to Original message
1. Yes.
Any other questions?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
uncommon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 11:56 AM
Response to Original message
2. The vast majority of them, yes.
Most human beings are not sufficiently intelligent to understand matters of state - this is why democracy isn't necessarily the best invention ever.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
unpossibles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:16 PM
Response to Reply #2
16. I disagree. Statistically, most will be of average intelligence
Except that many more potentially smart people will not use their intelligence, which is a worse crime.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
uncommon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:21 PM
Response to Reply #16
19. People of average intelligence are not fit to make decisions for the rest of society -
sorry, but I prefer things to be in the hands of geniuses with the will of the people taken strongly into consideration.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
unpossibles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:37 PM
Response to Reply #19
26. I agree. That's why we have Representatives not a Democracy
oh wait, you said geniuses. But yeah, I suppose my point still stands.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
uncommon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:39 AM
Response to Reply #26
28. Lol. Well at least people of above-average intelligence.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ThomWV Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:47 AM
Response to Reply #19
31. I disagree completely
Because what you suggest is nothing short of slavery.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
liberal N proud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:01 PM
Response to Original message
3. That would be a definitive YES!
The majority of Americans are dumber than a box of rocks.

We have a Republican party with a sub part of Teabaggers to prove it.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
AlinPA Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:03 PM
Response to Original message
4. Sometimes, most are.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
HERVEPA Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:05 PM
Response to Original message
5. Ronald Reagen elected. George Bushes elected.
Need I say more?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
JHB Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:05 PM
Response to Original message
6. Some, but too many n/t
Edited on Tue Aug-17-10 12:06 PM by JHB
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
HiFructosePronSyrup Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:06 PM
Response to Original message
7. Consider how stupid the average American is.
Now realize that half of all Americans are even stupider than that.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MajorChode Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:47 AM
Response to Reply #7
30. The Downing effect insures most of them don't know it
These people are commonly referred to as "teabaggers".
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
proteus_lives Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:06 PM
Response to Original message
8. Meh.
I've been to other countries.

Stupidity is a world-wide problem.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
uncommon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:13 PM
Response to Reply #8
14. Exactly - most humans are stupid, not just Americans.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Aristus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:08 PM
Response to Original message
9. Well, there's a reason the movie "Idiocracy" was set in America, instead of, say, Denmark.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
asdjrocky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:12 PM
Response to Reply #9
12. Still love that movie. nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Mudoria Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:57 AM
Response to Reply #9
40. Because no one would watch "Idiocracy" based in Denmark..
I can assure you the percentage of stupid people is about the same inevery country.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Blue_Tires Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:09 PM
Response to Original message
10. i would argue poorly informed rather than stupid...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NoNothing Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:10 PM
Response to Original message
11. To those answering yes, a provoking follow-up question:
Does this lessen your commitment to democracy?

Is there such a thing as "too stupid to vote?" Have we reached that point?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
TexasProgresive Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:13 PM
Response to Original message
13. No more then anyone else but we have a tendency to be willfully ignorant &
proud of it. That kind of ignorance is worst then stupidity because they choose to be ignorant whereas the stupid are born that way.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Winterblues Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:14 PM
Response to Original message
15. Does the Pope shit in the woods?
I mean really...Bush* for eight years.....
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Steely_Dan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:17 PM
Response to Original message
17. Do They Still Teach Civics In School? n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:18 PM
Response to Original message
18. and proud of it ! nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
alterfurz Donating Member (723 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:20 PM
Response to Reply #18
25. "We're fat, we're loud, we're dumb, and we're proud!"
Greetings from Wisconsin...Come smell our dairy air & cut the cheese with us!

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Initech Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:47 AM
Response to Reply #18
38. To quote the movie Men In Black:
"Human thought is so primitive that it's looked upon as an infectious disease by most of the galaxy."
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
ProfessionalLeftist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:51 PM
Response to Original message
20. Uh. By and large, that would be a big "YEPPERS" n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Pharaoh Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:52 PM
Response to Original message
21. a yea...........
many morons out there!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
disillusioned73 Donating Member (963 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:53 PM
Response to Original message
22. I have yet to look @ the links - the answer is YES
Edited on Tue Aug-17-10 12:57 PM by disillusioned73
we even have some unreccing here @ DU
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Better Believe It Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 12:53 PM
Response to Original message
23. No. Not at all. Brainwashed by the mass media, schools and politicians. YES.
Edited on Tue Aug-17-10 12:56 PM by Better Believe It
But it's our job to counter and defeat the corporate propaganda machine.

Why are so many high income "educated" people snobbish and think they are so much better and smarter than ordinary working class people?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bigbaddan Donating Member (48 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-17-10 01:03 PM
Response to Original message
24. YES when it comes to political issues.
Just look at now. Less than two years ago the Republican's were thrown out on their ears for screwing up the economy. Now, just because Obama can not fix it after less than two years, they are willing to vote the very same Republican's who caused the problem back into office.

You tell me.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
immoderate Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:50 AM
Response to Reply #24
39. Not too good at math, science, history, writing, or critical thinking either.
--imm
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
unpossibles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:37 AM
Response to Original message
27. A growing number seem to be! More and more apparently think Obama is a Muslim
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Xenotime Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:45 AM
Response to Original message
29. Yes. Except for many on the east and west coasts.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
political_Dem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:51 AM
Response to Original message
32. America is the country that doesn't like intellectuals and education.
Edited on Thu Aug-19-10 10:00 AM by political_Dem
Some of the citizens sneer at anyone who has a degree and call them "elitists".

With such a disgust of those who are learned, is it such a surprise that America is a country who celebrates and lauds people who have no depth of knowledge or cultural awareness?

After all, Sarah Palin, George Bush and their RW ilk are people who are placed upon a pedestal on this country.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Arugula Latte Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 11:14 AM
Response to Reply #32
42. You're supposed to believe that the Earth is 6,000 years old and Jesus is coming back.
That's the 'Murikin way. Don't ruin it by getting that fancy book lernin'.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WinkyDink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 09:55 AM
Response to Original message
33. There's bound to be some!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
KansDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:16 AM
Response to Original message
34. Are you kidding us?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Javaman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:38 AM
Response to Original message
35. 2-5% intelligent, well informed...
10% well informed

15% have a clue, don't have the time get the details, but wish they did.

40% muddle through the day, doing the best they can but don't have time for anything other than survival.

15% don't have a clue and also don't have the time but refuse to get the details

10% uninformed

2-5% mouth breathing morons, who react to bright lights and shiny objects.

Now, I must remind you all, I didn't say to which party or affiliation these percentages belong to.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
slackmaster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:40 AM
Response to Original message
36. No more stupid than a lot of other people, and less stupid than most
Edited on Thu Aug-19-10 10:41 AM by slackmaster
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Initech Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 10:45 AM
Response to Original message
37. Are Americans stupid? Do heavy metal bands have really long hair?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Brewman_Jax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 11:00 AM
Response to Original message
41. Does a former drill sergeant make a terrible therapist?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LTX Donating Member (400 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 11:57 AM
Response to Original message
43. Kind of depends on what you mean when you say American.
After all, the United States is a rather ethnically diverse nation of immigrants. So the question is, I suppose:

Are Vietnamese/ Cambodian/ Korean/ Chinese/ Japanese/ Indonesian/ Cyprian/ Bangladesh/ Armenian/ Malaysian/ Mongolian/ Romanian/ Moldovan/ Hungarian/ Czech/ Indian/ Pakistani/ Philippine/ Haitian/ Russian/ Syrian/ Turkish/ Yemen/ Taiwanese/ Algerian/ Egyptian/ Sudanese/ Tanzanian/ South-African/ Somalian/ Kenyan/ Nigerian/ Congolese/ Rwandan/ Namibian/ Moroccan/ Mali/ Gambian/ Ghanaian/ Ethiopian/ Cameroon/ Botswana/ Columbian/ Mexican/ Brazilian/ Argentinian/ Bolivian/ Venezuelan/ Honduran/ Panamanian/ Chilean/ Ecuadoran/ Peruvian/ Belgian/ French/ Italian/ German/ English/ Irish/ Scottish/ Dutch/ Swedish/ Norwegian/ Spanish/ Portuguese/ etc., etc. -Americans stupid?


And the answer, of course, is -- Yes. Except me. And the people who came from where I came from. And the people who agree with me. And the people I like.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
steve2470 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 11:59 AM
Response to Original message
44. Apathetic and ignorant but not stupid nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
grantcart Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Aug-19-10 12:00 PM
Response to Original message
45. Is this a trick question?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Sun May 05th 2024, 10:03 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC