Ignorance, apathy, and irresponsibility

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:00 am

Ignorance, apathy, and irresponsibility

I claim that the citizens of the US (and probably most other Western style democracies) cannot continue with the level of apathy, ignorance, and irresponsibility that has been the condition with past generations. Technology and population conditions demand that the citizens of democracies must become more intellectually sophisticated if we hope for the species to survive beyond the next 200 years.

I think that a cursory examination of the twentieth century and our present conflict with what are labeled as terrorists dictate that we can no longer afford the luxury of the apathetic slumber that is characteristic of todayâ€™s citizens.

I also think that we can no longer afford to indulge in the very long incubation period that our species provides to the young. It is not unusual for youth today to remain less than responsible adults well beyond their twentieth year.

The inertia of the present customs and culture make it almost impossible for these changes to take place from the top down. I think that if drastic change is to take place it rests upon the new generations to force that change.

Young people can do this by quickly becoming more self-reliant, courageous, and enlightened citizens. They can do this through the development of a hobby that I call self-actualizing self-learning. They can do this by quickly becoming more intellectually sophisticated. All of this requires a larger dose of curiosity and caring.

Kindle · Post by **Kindle** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 6:18 am

How do you think a more self-reliant, courageous, and enlightened citizen will change our world?

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:08 am

coberst;1157423 wrote: Young people can do this by quickly becoming more self-reliant, courageous, and enlightened citizens. They can do this through the development of a hobby that I call self-actualizing self-learning. They can do this by quickly becoming more intellectually sophisticated. All of this requires a larger dose of curiosity and caring.

May I ?

All of this requires PARENTING !

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:25 am

Maybe the situation our society finds itself in is because of our apathy towards our government and politicians. They seem to think that they are our rulers rather than our servants. That is our irresponsibility for allowing them to indulge their greed for money and power.

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:01 pm

In general, I support the general notions behind this thread.

Well said Coberst and particularly well said Snowfire.

Furthermore, I would say that the problem has gone further than the national level and that it has become an international problem.

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:48 am

Kindle;1157442 wrote: How do you think a more self-reliant, courageous, and enlightened citizen will change our world?

In a democracy public policy is accepted or vetoed by the citizens. If the citizens have little understanding of our problems they cannot make good decisions. Our citizens do not have the intellectual sophistication now to comprehend what is going on. If they ever do become sophisticated enough they might prevent our self destruction.

Copied from Sunday morning Washington Post

A younger generation, meanwhile, has little understanding or appreciation of the relationship between a free press and a free society. Pew found that just 27 percent of Americans born since 1977 read a newspaper the previous day.

But what to do about it? How does the newspaper industry survive in a climate in which the public doesn't know what it doesn't know? Or what it needs?

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:50 am

Nomad;1157626 wrote: May I ?

All of this requires PARENTING !

You have good reason to feel left down by your parents and grandparents but you are foolish to just suck your thumb and give up.

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:52 am

Snowfire;1157636 wrote: Maybe the situation our society finds itself in is because of our apathy towards our government and politicians. They seem to think that they are our rulers rather than our servants. That is our irresponsibility for allowing them to indulge their greed for money and power.

It is easy to blame our politicians but in a democracy it is the citizens where the buck stops. We have met the enemy and s/he is us.

Kindle · Post by **Kindle** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 4:02 am

coberst;1158060 wrote: In a democracy public policy is accepted or vetoed by the citizens. If the citizens have little understanding of our problems they cannot make good decisions. Our citizens do not have the intellectual sophistication now to comprehend what is going on. If they ever do become sophisticated enough they might prevent our self destruction.

Copied from Sunday morning Washington Post

A younger generation, meanwhile, has little understanding or appreciation of the relationship between a free press and a free society. Pew found that just 27 percent of Americans born since 1977 read a newspaper the previous day.

But what to do about it? How does the newspaper industry survive in a climate in which the public doesn't know what it doesn't know? Or what it needs?

People today are bombarded with explanation after explanation of what everything that is said and done actually means. They call it spin. Are you saying that intellectual sophistication is discerning the truth within this?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 4:48 am

coberst;1158060 wrote: A younger generation, meanwhile, has little understanding or appreciation of the relationship between a free press and a free society. Pew found that just 27 percent of Americans born since 1977 read a newspaper the previous day.

But what to do about it? How does the newspaper industry survive in a climate in which the public doesn't know what it doesn't know? Or what it needs?Don't confuse the message with the medium. Today's major news outlets are profit-minded corporations, not the watchdogs of freedom they used to be. Those watchdogs are on the internet today.

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:53 am

Kindle;1158075 wrote: People today are bombarded with explanation after explanation of what everything that is said and done actually means. They call it spin. Are you saying that intellectual sophistication is discerning the truth within this?

Well said. Great qustion.

William Graham Sumner, a distinguished anthropologist states the ideal:

â€œThe critical habit of thought, if usual in a society, will pervade its entire mores, because it is a way of taking up the problems of life.â€

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.

--Voltaire (1694-1778)

Ideology is our great enemy and it is strong and all encompassing. Social theory becomes ideology when citizens have no CT (Critical Thinking) skills and knowledge. Our (American) educational system teaches us what to think and not how to think.

CT is the first step toward gaining a reasonable degree of intellectual sophistication. Since our schools seldom teach it all responsible adults must learn it on their own initiative.

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:56 am

Accountable;1158081 wrote: Don't confuse the message with the medium. Today's major news outlets are profit-minded corporations, not the watchdogs of freedom they used to be. Those watchdogs are on the internet today.

I have never found such watchdogs as you speak of on the Internet. Please give me an example of such watchdogs.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:58 am

coberst;1158092 wrote: I have never found such watchdogs as you speak of on the Internet. Please give me an example of such watchdogs.
Any watchdog one might bring up will likely be called too far right or left by more partisan readers. I have to, as you recommend, use CT filters with everything I read. I'm willing to accept that I miss a lot of truth, and may be swayed by inaccurate or misleading arguments. My point is that the responsibility is mine. Relying on print media to deliver the unfiltered, balanced "truth" is not advisable, as it once was.

http://www.factcheck.org/

http://ibdeditorials.com/default.aspx

PolitiFact | Sorting out the truth in politics

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Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:41 am

Snowfire;1157636 wrote: Maybe the situation our society finds itself in is because of our apathy towards our government and politicians. They seem to think that they are our rulers rather than our servants. That is our irresponsibility for allowing them to indulge their greed for money and power. Where on earth do you get such a notion? The morale decline of Britain is down to no others than the Bleeding Heart Liberals who push through The Human Rights Laws. These have destroyed the education system, Immigration, Police and most other issue's. Then you have the likes of the Odious Cherie Blair, a lawyer who specialises in winning cases where some poor soul has had his human rights breached. The Politicians are stifiled by these laws and most often, it's not a case of what they want to do but a case of not being legally able to do it.

I suggest you get a little more sef esteem if you really believe that the government look upon it's people as 'servants'.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 12:21 pm

oscar;1158120 wrote: Where on earth do you get such a notion? The morale decline of Britain is down to no others than the Bleeding Heart Liberals who push through The Human Rights Laws. These have destroyed the education system, Immigration, Police and most other issue's. Then you have the likes of the Odious Cherie Blair, a lawyer who specialises in winning cases where some poor soul has had his human rights breached. The Politicians are stifiled by these laws and most often, it's not a case of what they want to do but a case of not being legally able to do it.

I suggest you get a little more sef esteem if you really believe that the government look upon it's people as 'servants'.

My self esteem is intact thank you.

There you go again making assumptions. My point was, if we as a people dont get of our arse and vote, we get the government we deserve. I detest the misuse of the Human Rights Law as much as the rest but I'm adressing the OP's subject of apathy and irresponsibility.

This and other governments have run rough shod over the people and we aint done owt about it. What was the turn out at the last election and the one before that and the one before that. The French at least get pissed off enough to run out onto the streets. We sit in front of the TV and wag our finger....apathy