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Meanwhile, he crucifies me for watching a VERY COMPLEX AND WELL WRITTEN "Batman: The Animated Series" just because it's a cartoon. (Don't believe me that it's a pretty deep show? Do some research.)
LMAO, no wonder why you can't sleep, your too busy watching cartoons 
Do you recreate scenes with your little dolls too? Ammo you answered this question in a way which I expected, you have given us all proof that yes America is getting dumber. College kids watching cartoons. Please don't respond with the it's complex and well written nonsense, it's still a cartoon intended for littler kids then yourself. Cartoons.
If the majority of college kids are like you (which I pray they are not) this country is going down the crapper faster then I thought, Cartoons.
The sad thing is you follow this guy around on multiple threads bashing him for no reason. So he watches cartoons. So he has trouble sleeping. What the hell is it your concern? You're obviously just an angry old man who hates his own apathetic and disappointing life, you don't have to take it out on younger people who have the opportunity to enjoy their time. You had the same chance. Get over yourself, you're no better then he is. Worse, actually, because you want to be a tough guy online.
Get_Rowdy
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Meanwhile, he crucifies me for watching a VERY COMPLEX AND WELL WRITTEN "Batman: The Animated Series" just because it's a cartoon. (Don't believe me that it's a pretty deep show? Do some research.)
LMAO, no wonder why you can't sleep, your too busy watching cartoons
Do you recreate scenes with your little dolls too? Ammo you answered this question in a way which I expected, you have given us all proof that yes America is getting dumber. College kids watching cartoons. Please don't respond with the it's complex and well written nonsense, it's still a cartoon intended for littler kids then yourself. Cartoons.
If the majority of college kids are like you (which I pray they are not) this country is going down the crapper faster then I thought, Cartoons.
Kiss my butt. I watch cartoons on Adult Swim every night. 
I read your later posts and I agree with you. My 12 year old doesn't watch any cartoons. He is either watching sports or the Discovery Channel. When I try to check his homework I see how much farther advanced e is then I was at his age. As a sixth grader he is doing algerba and some pretty indepth stuff in science and social studies.
On the flip side is he hardly reads books. We have taken away his Play Station until he reads a book every month.  I know not all kids hate reading as much as him but the numbers seem to be much higher then they were in the past. He isn't made to read books like I was in school.
DC made an excellent point about what reading does for people. It makes you think and use your imagination in a way you don't do in other areas of study. Too many kids spend too much time playing video games and watching garbage TV. I think that counteracts the positive of the advancements hey are making in the classrooms
#gmstrong
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I still feel that the underlying biggest problem we have in this country, with respect to education, is far too many parents who are either too busy to too unconcerned to stay on top of what their kids are doing in school. Blame it on divorce, blame it on single parent households, blame it on government reliance, blame it on general apathy, blame it on whatever you want... but the fact is when the parents don't care enough to find the time and put forth the effort, the kids suffer. Which is my single biggest reason to support homeschooling, if a parent is willing to take on that level of effort for their kids, then darn it, they deserve every ounce of support I can give them.
I know a few kids that were home schooled. And the parents had no interaction with it. It was an internet based curriculum that the kid just looked up what they were expected to know and learned it, and a couple cases barely learned it.
Not all home schooling is truly, parent - child interaction.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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Refer to my other comment that no system is going to be perfect. I don't doubt that there are some homeschooling horror stories out there....
yebat' Putin
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Lastly, I see nothing wrong with being an elitist. There is nothing wrong with expecting more of people and holding people to a higher standard. I'm actually amused at times that people consider it a bad thing, especially when it comes to politics. I don't care if I can sit down and talk to my President/Congressman/Mayor/etc., I want the smartest guy possible to be making those decisions. "Folksy" has no appeal to me...
I know some really really smart people. but I wouldn't want them making decision that affect my life. Ask them about astrophysics and they can spout off for 2 hours. Put them on a street and tell them to get to the other side without using a crosswalk, and they stand there dumbfounded.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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Dawg Talker
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Too many kids spend too much time playing video games and watching garbage TV. I think that counteracts the positive of the advancements hey are making in the classrooms
I dont necessarily think it counteracts anything, it just doesn't add anything useful. Video games, and to an extent forum talking  , are something to do when you have a few minutes to kill. They're not something to do when there's work to be done.
There are no sacred cows.
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Too many kids spend too much time playing video games and watching garbage TV. I think that counteracts the positive of the advancements hey are making in the classrooms
I dont necessarily think it counteracts anything, it just doesn't add anything useful. Video games, and to an extent forum talking , are something to do when you have a few minutes to kill. They're not something to do when there's work to be done.
I wouldn't say videogames are a mind-numbing medium either. They have their own ways of developing motor skills and the brain (try solving a puzzle in Zelda...not exactly easy).
Button masher games don't work with your mind, however.
Rollercoaster Tycoon may very well be one of the most educational games you can find, as it teaches you investment and finance.
Every form of media can be as mind-numbing or mind-expanding as you want it to be...there is no "better" media.
Books were once frowned upon in older cultures, and I know I've read some trash books in my day...
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Legend
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and I know I've read some trash books in my day...
Ya right, you were only looking at the pictures 
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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Legend
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Rollercoaster Tycoon may very well be one of the most educational games you can find, as it teaches you investment and finance.
LMAO!!!
I really believe nothing else needs to be said.
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Rollercoaster Tycoon may very well be one of the most educational games you can find, as it teaches you investment and finance.
LMAO!!!
I really believe nothing else needs to be said.
You laugh, but have you played it?
You have to balance the books, know what to spend on advertising, what to borrow from the bank (with interest), how much to spend on improvements and maintenance.
Don't be fooled just because it's called "Rollercoaster Tycoon."
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I know it's becoming increasingly bad that teenagers and others did not like to read. Personally, I just think it's all about the right book, if you find it, you'll keep reading because you want to know what happens.
The problem is that when you read books for school they're usually boring or mundane to no end. For example, books like Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, or The Crucible; who decides these are so called classics? I've talked to many people and most agree those books are very boring and not such a joy to read. The only books that I loved that I had to read for school were 1984 and A Brave New World, all the others were pretty bad.
I think besides reading so-called classics, people in school should pick a book they would like to read. I used to HATE to read and then I got into Stephen King during middle school and everything changed from there.
If the material is boring, you will hate it, but if it's enjoyable you'll find it to be a delight.
Find what you love and let it kill you.
-Charles Bukowski
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Legend
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LMAO!!!
I really believe nothing else needs to be said.
Well it's a lot more educational than watching Jerry Springer or reading a trashy Danielle Steele novel.
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It's also more educational than playing with silly string, what's the point? 
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All Pro
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That leads us to the third and final factor behind the new American dumbness: not lack of knowledge per se but arrogance about that lack of knowledge.
Enter George Bush. This is exactly why our we're going down the tubes. Stupidity votes in stupidity backed by arrogance.
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Books were once frowned upon in older cultures,
When exactly was that? 
yebat' Putin
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I don't know ... people always come down hard on video games, and I've found some of them a lot more educational and mind stimulating than a lot of the alternatives. My wife criticizes me because I like to play video games in my downtime ... but then she spends her downtime watching reality TV shows or reading about celebrity gossip. 
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Legend
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That leads us to the third and final factor behind the new American dumbness: not lack of knowledge per se but arrogance about that lack of knowledge.
Enter George Bush. This is exactly why our we're going down the tubes. Stupidity votes in stupidity backed by arrogance.
Soooo, the more intelligent people would have voted for Al Gore or John Kerry?
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Legend
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That leads us to the third and final factor behind the new American dumbness: not lack of knowledge per se but arrogance about that lack of knowledge.
Enter George Bush. This is exactly why our we're going down the tubes. Stupidity votes in stupidity backed by arrogance.
Soooo, the more intelligent people would have voted for Al Gore or John Kerry?
... and he's the one condemning people for being "arrogant"?
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video games, reality tv, comic books.. none of them are inherently evil if done in moderation. I do know that most people can sit and read for an hour or so... but kids can get lost in a video game and you won't see them all day.
It's a bigger issue than one is good and one is bad... you have to have priorities, the work gets done first... then you have to make smart choices within the media, then you have to know when to turn it off....
yebat' Putin
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you have to know when to turn it off
DCDAWGFAN
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Legend
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I don't know ... people always come down hard on video games, and I've found some of them a lot more educational and mind stimulating than a lot of the alternatives.
My wife criticizes me because I like to play video games in my downtime ... but then she spends her downtime watching reality TV shows or reading about celebrity gossip.
I have no problem with children playing video games if done in moderation. The problem is way too many kids spend more time on video games then reading or playing. I think that's where the problem is.
I think we all need downtime from what we deal with everyday. If people want to watch TV shows with no value or play video games I'm all for it. We all need a break from reality once in a while.
#gmstrong
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DCDAWGFAN
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Legend
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Rollercoaster Tycoon may very well be one of the most educational games you can find, as it teaches you investment and finance.
LMAO!!!
I really believe nothing else needs to be said.
I don't know about RTC, but I will say, that my stepson had a real problem with math, and particular money. You could give him a choice between 2 $1 bills or 12 quarters, and he would usually take the dollar bills, not realizing it was less. He just didn't learn math well.
I got him into play Everquest, within a couple months he was becoming proficient as the games currency rates and exchanges. I eventually used that to help him learn real life currency. As a bonus, thanks to the whole numbers based game, sword damages, delay times, etc. He realized how important math was to everyday things and took a larger initiative to learn it.
Alot more than he ever learned playing GTA on playstation.
So there are some benefits to video games, but they must be moderated and controlled for younger players. And they need to be taught that games are a privilege and a spare time activity, not right.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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If you go into a high school these days, you will find people who are flat out crazy with video games. I remember hearing one day that people would actually take a day off of school to wait outside and get a game that just came out.
I love video games, very fun and usually stimulate my mind *tetris is the best of all time* but when you get totally caught up in them to where they run your life, yes you will become much more dumb.
I just go back to what my government teacher always taught me and that was PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. It's not society, their parents, their teachers, their friends or anything else that make people in this country dumb, it's people themselves. Unfortunately, it's much more easy to blame society than it is to blame the person or take the blame for yourself. Pick up a book and read it, because lord knows when you get into College, you'll be doing that A TON!
you had a good run Hank.
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Legend
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It definitely depends on the games too ... like you are saying, there isn't a whole lot of education to be gained from playing hours of Grand Theft Auto. I think that goes for books as well. Everyone acts as if reading is vastly superior to video games ... but is reading some fiction book for 8 hours that much better for you than say, playing 8 hours of Sim City ... where you can create, and use your imagination ... but also spend a great deal of time thinking about cause and effect relationships and a number of other things? I play a lot of video games, but they tend to all be the strategy variety, where a lot of thinking is required, and not so much button crunching. As a kid I really hated reading fiction novels, but loved reading things like encyclopedias ... because it was actual knowledge about real things. Same goes with television. About the only shows I watch are Jeopardy and Mythbusters. (And anything sports related) Selection is key, as well as moderation ... and also diversity. And diveristy is probably akin to moderation. If you stop doing one thing, you'll likely move onto something else.
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I just go back to what my government teacher always taught me and that was PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. It's not society, their parents, their teachers, their friends or anything else that make people in this country dumb, it's people themselves.
In general I agree with that.. but when you're dealing with kids who start these habits at the age of 4 or 5, some adult has to intervene. You can't really blame a 4 or 5 year old kid, or even a 9 or 10 year old kid for not knowing what is best for him/her in the long run.
yebat' Putin
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I just go back to what my government teacher always taught me and that was PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. It's not society, their parents, their teachers, their friends or anything else that make people in this country dumb, it's people themselves.
In general I agree with that.. but when you're dealing with kids who start these habits at the age of 4 or 5, some adult has to intervene. You can't really blame a 4 or 5 year old kid, or even a 9 or 10 year old kid for not knowing what is best for him/her in the long run.
Oh I agree, at a young age, if a parent doesn't teach them what is right, then the kid may have problems.
But i'd assume that by the time they reach high school, they would understand that their job is a student and to learn. They should realize that those old habits cannot run their lives anymore and it's not okay to blow off school for video games or whatever else. However, some of them can't wait till the next GTA is out and just sit and think about that forever, not even bothering with school.
Young children may have a pass, but by the time you are at least 16, you should have a lot of personal responsibilty
you had a good run Hank.
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But i'd assume that by the time they reach high school, they would understand that their job is a student and to learn. They should realize that those old habits cannot run their lives anymore
Again, I agree with most. I'm not saying you are advocating this, but you can't let them get into those bad habits and then expect them to just magically snap out of it and come to a realization one day that they need to change. You need to work and talk and preach moderation and priorities from day one. Likewise, I'm not sure I agree with the "No video games" and "No television" principal either because those kids know from their friends that they are missing out on that part of life and I would think that once they are a little older and out of mom and dads sight, that they might not be able to control it.
yebat' Putin
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Just a general reply here.
I love to read. I read 4 books last week. I'm not going to try to say that teenagers aren't dumber than they used to be. They are. You know its bad when I get made fun of for reading. I consider it a lot more productive than playing Gears of War or Halo. And as someone else pointed out recently, maybe he just likes to read. I don't remember who said it but I would much rather read a GREAT book than watch a GREAT movie. I can think of very few books where the movie based on them was better than the original novel.
I know from experience that a main reason that kids don't like to read is because of the school system. I used to absolutely hate reading. Then I got a good teacher who actually chose good books for us to read. I had just figured that all books were horrible like the ones we had been reading. I'm sure thats what other kids my age think. If the schools want kids to read maybe they should choose books that kids actually LIKE instead of all these boring, deep, moralistic books that they give us.
And no one can tell me that video games can't be educational. Playing NCAA taught me all types of stuff about sports medicine when that was my major. That game is the reason I sometimes think that I want that to be my major. Video games can be a fun way to learn. But no one can tell me that Halo is somehow educational.
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I can think of very few books where the movie based on them was better than the original novel.
The Natural is one.
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I couldn't tell you; I've never read the book. I'm not saying that their aren't a few cases, but they are rare.
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I can think of very few books where the movie based on them was better than the original novel.
The Natural is one.
How about the new movie coming out21? the book has got to be better?
Or the Shinning
Donny Brasco
I agree most book's are better , but not all.
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jc... So this article is saying that when I goto the store, if the person behind the counter doesn't type in the amount of cash I give them, I probably will not get the correct change in return?
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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And no one can tell me that video games can't be educational. Playing NCAA taught me all types of stuff about sports medicine when that was my major.
Which NCAA game are you talking about and what all did it teach you about sports medicine ?
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My guess would be he's talking about '07 or '08. In Campus Star mode you have to pick a major and take tests based on certain subjects ... one being sports medicine. I wouldn't say it's THAT educational, since there is only maybe 30 total questions/answers to learn.
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I honestly believe that America is getting smarter based primarily on access to information. It's not debateable that young Americans read far more than previous generations. The medium, internet vs print, is not important.
You could also look at the syllabus in elementary school and high school. Subjects taught are much more difficult than in the past and the testing of aptitude among kids has risen, not fallen.
A good book, ironically, to read about the fallacy of your author's stance is by Gregg Easterbrook called the Progress Paradox. Its premise is that a pessimistic world view has permeated the culture through media while almost all measures of society has improved. The environment is cleaner, crime is on a major decline, and diseases are being wiped out as life span increases.
It's a good read and it'll reset your thinking about society.
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Whoo is youz too tell me and miniz that wwe is all gettin stupidid.
No, I hate to agree with this but we are getting dumber as a country. I find myself having to "dumb it down" with people I talk to simply because they don't understand some of the words I use or some of things I try to talk about. I remember in college when I had to proofread some students papers and having to stop because it read like something a 10 year old wrote. I don't mean grammar errors, I don't mean typos, I mean spelling mistakes like the sentence I wrote above.
I sit and listen to some discussions on the bus sometimes . It's hard to listen. It's hard to listen to people talk and for a lack of a better term, people using nothing but repeated profanity simply because they couldn't/wouldn't attempt to think something through. One guy sat and dropped the F bomb about 3 times in a 90 second span and the most intellegent thing I heard him say was "Later" when he hung up.
I can sit and talk with people about Youtube and Myspace all day but mention Wikipedia and you can imagine how many blank looks I get.
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I don't follow him around he walks around with a target attached to him all the time, so It's easy to make him a target since he needs the attention since he makes comments to get them. Watching Batman at his age would have gotten my ass kicked in my day, but in todays society it is acceptable, and I do not respect that.
Pdawg, I commend your 12 year old, he/she is obviously more mature at this stage in life then Ammo, and am sure your kid will be more valuable to society since it seems your kid wants to grow up and not regress as Ammo has stated he has. Again Ammo comparing life to a video game, WTF is that junk?
Get Rowdy, not sure who you are but don't worry about what I do, worry about yourself, since it seems you think Ammo's behavior is acceptable, well let me tell you something friend, in the real world this kid couldn't make it and quite frankly I feel bad for his parents for shelling out the coin to send him to college when he's wasting their money. He needs a lesson in life, and life isn't comic books, cartoons, video games and acting like the fool. He needs to mature and I would bet if his mom or dad read some of the stuff he has posted they would be embarassed, I would if he was my kid. It's not my fault he's afraid to grow up, that's on him. As for you trying to stick up for him doesn't say much about your character, but then again you are probably the same way.
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You mean the sun doesn't revolve around the earth? 
#gmstrong
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Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Is America getting dumber?
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