After reading Boston.com's "8 reasons why this is the dumbest generation," I saw that the article had facts about our generation that are unfortunately true. I do strongly disagree though that we are the dumbest generation. I just think that we do not take advantage of all the technology and opportunities for us to excel and learn.
For example, the internet is a great resource for us to obtain knowledge, and it is much more efficient than spending hours browsing through books at a library. Besides making it easier to learn for school, the internet gives us access to thousands of sites that talk about current issues and other topics for independent learning. This is why I was very surprised and angry to hear that a quarter of high school graduates do not know who Dick Cheney is. This is why I was very surprised and angry to hear that only half of high school graduates know who our allies in WWII were. Instead taking full advantage of the internet to learn, we waste way too much time playing video games and going on facebook.
We are certainly not the dumbest generation. Increased competitiveness for college spots and higher IQ scores are proof of that. But with the resources available to us now a days, we should be so much smarter about the issues of the past and the present. Just like our technology is exponentially getting better, we too should be growing exponentially smarter.
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2 comments:
Unfortunately, I have to disagree.
To say that our generation should be getting more intelligent is unfair. Yes, we have access to far greater technology and resources than were ever available before. However, we are still only human. We are limited by our brain capacity and interest in whatever it is we study. Just because information is more readily available does not mean we should be able to absorb it all.
For example, when the students were unable to identify Dick Cheney, I would consider that much more acceptable today than 50 years ago. Our generation knows that almost any information is merely a google search away. Therefore, it would be a pointless waste of time to memorize every little detail about the world around us. (Obviously, this is an exaggeration. It is sad that some people don't know who their own Vice President is, but the point remains valid).
Stefan, I agree with what you had to say in your post. I believe that many of the points that were stated in the article are true but to generalize our whole entire generation as dumb is wrong. In many aspects, teen abuse the use of internet and technology but I think that if we use it utilize it correctly, it can be a great and efficient tool for learning.
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