<p>Hey, everyone have not reallly been here in awhile due to school, but found it interesting to post abou this book that we are supposed to be reading in my media literature class. Any comments and ideas are welcomed and I am sure there are some of you out there that have read this largely statics based book.</p>
<p>sstewart</p>
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<p>Based on the content of Bauerlein’s web site:</p>
<p>[Dumbest</a> Generation](<a href=“http://www.dumbestgeneration.com%5DDumbest”>http://www.dumbestgeneration.com)</p>
<p>It seems unlikely that the book has anything to do with [url=<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statics]statics[/url”>Statics - Wikipedia]statics[/url</a>].</p>
<p>On a more serious note, the author claims in one of the articles linked from there that young people read for leisure only eight minutes per day on average. But the people reading (and writing) on these and other forums may be reading much more than that.</p>
<p>Sorry I meant statistics…</p>
<p>Some of the dumbest generation think that those of us of the older generation are pretty danged dumb when it comes to techno and internet issues. Can’t say they are wrong either. I have trouble turning our tvs on in the house.</p>
<p>Looking for some of us to help with your work? 
Just kidding, really, as I wish I had the Internet back in the day when I was doing my Lit. reading to have someone to bounce ideas off of. I think it actually could lead to an enriched understanding. Sorry I have not read the book, though, so can’t help.</p>
<p>I don’t know that it’s only the “cyberculture” that is to blame here or wouldn’t the same by true globally? I think there’s been a general weakness in the standards set by many parents and schools in the US and a rush to push every kid into college. This is an interesting article, which may give you a slightly different perspective to discuss in class:</p>
<p>[A</a> Perfect Storm in Undergraduate Education, Part I - Advice - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/article/A-Perfect-Storm-in/126451/]A”>http://chronicle.com/article/A-Perfect-Storm-in/126451/)</p>
<p>Have not read the book but I have trouble reconciling with my own experience. My DDs are both smarter and better read than I was at their ages. We hire young people who are smarter and more savvy than I was as a college grad. YMMV.</p>
<p>I find it hard to guess what my 17 year old son knows and what he’s unfamiliar with. Sometimes he surprises me with detailed knowledge of fairly obscure historical or science facts, and sometimes I just can’t believe he doesn’t know about something. </p>
<p>The things I think he should know about are more likely to be topics from popular culture, 1920’s to 1970’s - things I know that I think everyone should know. (I’m not by any means a popular culture expert.)</p>
<p>Both my kids are very smart & can do things I couldn’t at their ages (or perhaps ever). Heck, when S was in 7th grade, he outscored me on the SAT! </p>
<p>When they come up with these titles, I guess they’re just trying to provoke people & get them to read more & buy the book as well as create buzz. I know that there are a lot of young people who aren’t very good at grammar and spelling due to many years of “inventive spelling” and spellchecker that doesn’t catch words that sound alike but have different meanings. It makes for some confusing reading at times. ;)</p>
<p>Have not read the book, but found much to ponder after reading just its back cover highlights:</p>
<p>“What do they do with all that time and money?
Download, upload, IM, post, chat, network (9 of their top 10 sites are for social networking)”</p>
<p>“…Digital technology has fabulously empowered them, loosened the hold of elders. Yet adolescents use these tools to wrap themselves in a generational cocoon filled with puerile banter and coarse images…”</p>
<p>Now this book has a 2008 copyright date, but I wonder if the events of recent weeks might put a different perspective on the social networking media which the author seems to disdain? What about the influence of those social networks in donations for disaster relief efforts? (How many of those “dumbest” kids texted a dollar or two to the Red Cross after the Haitian earthquake? My youngest daughter forgot the name of one of our U.S. senators, but knows much of the history of Papa Doc and Baby Doc due to her awareness of Haiti after that event.) What changes may happen in the next few years in the use of that media and its effects on culture? </p>
<p>Etc., etc., etc. 
Have fun with your study of the book!</p>
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<p>Social networking just toppled a dictator, with far less bloodshed than would be typical of an armed revolt.</p>
<p>On topic: Bull. I would say that this generation is the least egalitarian, and that it may have some of the least educated people since slaves walked on this soil, but that is a social problem and not a sign that a whole generation is dissipated.</p>
<p>Off topic:</p>
<p>"Social networking just toppled a dictator, with far less bloodshed than would be typical of an armed revolt. "</p>
<p>No, the fact that people went out to the square and demonstrated PEACEFULLY for so long, and then, in the face of extreme opposition, marched PEACEFULLY to the residence of the despot, toppled a dictator. The fact that they had the army on their side because of the unique situation in Egypt helped massively. The Internet may have made communication faster, but peace is not a result of being online. The Taliban are online. Peace is a result of self-restraint, good leadership and courage.</p>
<p>Speaking of, does the author only mean in the United States? Because this may be one of Egypt’s greatest generations in centuries. Bravo to the heros.</p>
<p>Every generation thinks that the one that succeeds it is dumber than it was. If that were true, we’d be walking on our knuckles by now.</p>
<p>bagoshells, every generation does think that the one that succeeds it is dumber than it was. They also think the same of the generation before them.</p>
<p>Looking for some of us to help with your work?
You are in college…hello!!!
Posting here for help sort of reinforces the dumb/lazy stereotype…</p>
<p>I tend to believe that, on average, each generation is exactly as smart as it needs to be in order to handle the particular challenges of its time. Perhaps we are just too old to appreciate the ways in which our children’s intelligence manifests itself.</p>
<p>On a different note, why is the spell checker flagging the word children’s?</p>
<p>Thank you for the link to all those wonderful articles about the trouble with the English curriculum. The main message is that the average teenager spends 8 minutes or less reading literature. Does reading articles count?</p>
<p>Aren’t works asserting “If youth are the future, we’re all doomed!” published every generation?</p>
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<p>I think they got it right with the Boomers though. They’ve messed things up pretty bad…</p>
<p>The generation that figured out the math for Social Security was pretty dumb. I don’t think there were any video games back then - maybe pong 1.0.</p>