Came across this video today (http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=32094), and the guy makes some pretty damn good points.

So, Escapists and web-savvy netizens, are we really that dumb?

Well...Hmmm...

You know, I watched that video, and I can't help but think the man has a point. (Even if I am under 30!) I have plenty of friends of all ages. And you know what? The younger my friends are, the more I have to explain the things I'm talking about to them. And we're talking about things that they probably SHOULD know.

Example: I was having a friendly argument (and yes, those DO exist) with a friend of my who's 22 years of age. In the middle of my argument, I take off my shoe and start pounding it on the table (for emphasis). After I finish speaking, I say, "Sorry, dude, I just couldn't resist going all Khrushchev there for a minute." Then he says, "Who?" And my eyes pop right out of their sockets. "You know, Nikita Khrushchev? De-Stalinization? Cuban Missile Crisis?"

And he says, "Cuba has missiles?"

Now, this young man is not unintelligent by any means. But the fact that he doesn't know things he really SHOULD have learned by now...I just don't know. I blame the education system, myself. And our instant-gratification culture.

Yes, we can be that dumb.

He does make a good point that with the easy access of the internet we just stick with our own interests, but that's our adolescent stage. Most people when theyr hit their 20s mature and actually try to get out there and improve. Or maybe I'm being to optimistic.

Is this suppose to be a revelation? I am very much aware of my generation's idiocy. What's-his-face isn't making any points I'm not already aware of. In my own school I'm considered 'That Smart Kid' - most likely because I have a vocabulary that consists of more than 7 words.

Me: "Not in particular."
Random Kid: "Why do you always use big words?"

hmmmm.A few good points. Also (im talking about Australia here) you notice that no one goes out and protests as much any more ,particuly young people, as oppossed to about 30 years ago. maybe we just dont care anymore or mabye we are too stupid to notice political things *sigh*

I didnt know who Nikita Khrushchev is either. Or about any missle crisis. oh well. I'm gonna go watch some Zero Punctuation and entertain my stupid internet genereation mind.

He pisses me off.

HeartagramMan:
hmmmm.A few good points. Also (im talking about Australia here) you notice that no one goes out and protests as much any more ,particuly young people, as oppossed to about 30 years ago. maybe we just dont care anymore or mabye we are too stupid to notice political things *sigh*

I didnt know who Nikita Khrushchev is either. Or about any missle crisis. oh well. I'm gonna go watch some Zero Punctuation and entertain my stupid internet genereation mind.

Yeah, but you're Australian. You can be excused. If you're curious, either wiki or watch the movie Thirteen Days.

Yassen:
Or maybe I'm being too optimistic.

You are.
At least, in my opinion.

You know what, I'm gonna say that in a roundabout way, us gamers have an advantage against this problem.

Let me try to explain. Some of the more immersing games are filled to the brim with references to real life culture, from science and history to religion. Right? I mean, personally, I've been compelled to look up something I saw in a video game on more than one occasion. Sometimes I'd learn that a seemingly made up name or term was already established in English vocabulary, sometimes I'd find a reference to a piece of already written literature, or even learn a scientific process I wasn't familiar with before. Hell, Psychochef's example regarding Khrushchev had me thinking of Snake Eater.

Maybe I'm going too far into the "games are art" mentality, but I think there's some merit to it. I'm not so foolish as to say that video games can replace education, obviously, but I think that the really good ones can encourage a youngster to learn a little bit more than he/she'd originally care about.

Anyway, I think the point Mister Bauerlein drove best was that these days, teenagers can hide in their teen "bubble" more easily than ever, thanks to their savvy gadgets and online communities. It just gets harder and harder to "grow up." And that's really the heart of the problem, isn't it?

I have my friends to thank for bursting my "teen bubble", it wasn't a very nice place to be at my age(16, but I'm 19 now)and I think too many teens nowadays do hide behind the "wonders" of technology and all it can do for us, but what did those before us do before they had the technology we do now? They had to find a different way to learn, our generation is privileged but we don't use the resources that have been given to us. I'm with Eiseman on this though, whenever I've been playing a game and I come across something I didn't know I will actually pause my game and go and look it up, adding a few facts to your knowledge database need not take forever and I feel all the more informed for then knowing that piece of information.
But likewise I don't just get my info from games, part of being in my "teen bubble" when I was in it was that I was very withdrawn and would read loads because that was the only thing I was good at, I wasn't a very sociable person. Now it's the opposite, I'm very sociable but don't read as much but I need not read so much because I've covered alot of subjects and learned alot when I was in my recluse stage of teenagehood and I'm thankful I learnt so much, partly due to my parents always pushing me too. Now when people don't know things that they should I just shake my head, and I suppose in some way I pity them that they can't take it upon themselves to further themselves as an intelligent and informative person, it makes me sad that this generation will take over when the likes of my parents and others are gone.

he's just a paranoid technophobe

curlycrouton:
he's just a paranoid technophobe

Sure he is. He still has a point. Kids these days are pretty thick, and his reasoning is valid, even if his usage of the phrase "complete individual" is somewhat arrogant.

And he says, "Cuba has missiles?"

This made me laugh. Really loud. Even now I can't help but giggle. I mean, yeah, it's kind of worrying, but man, that was funny.

In the 'rant' whatever you call that he says that most students want their teachers to be overpowering and telling teenagers exactly what to do... to which I call bullshit. No teenager wants to be lectured to.

In addition one point that physically made me laugh was that he said that if teenagers don't read certain books then they cannot be considered citizens and truly an individual. So we are each individuals if we read and watch the exact same things?

I've read some of the 'classic' books and watched some of the 'classic' films that have been toted as revolutionary et al but found them irrelevant and to coin a phrase *boring*. Whilst certain books were relevant during the Romanticism period they are not nowadays, perhaps those that understand the period can appreciate them but if you give a Romanticism book to a teenager, or for that matter anyone who doesn't understand the period, then they will not *get it*.

My final point, I find it quite offensive that he stereotypes the US into two categories; Dumb being below 30 and Smart being above 30. I have met many US people under 30 who can be considered smart, whilst they do not know the specifics of the War of the Roses I do not hold that against them and if they're willing I tell them. Likewise I have met many, many over 30's who I've wanted to strangle for making ridiculous statements, not because I feel that they should know it but because they are so set in their ways and because I am younger they refuse to listen.

I like this guy, alot. Great literature mature with age, great art becomes more relevant as time goes by. People who dissmiss stuff just become it's old are twats.

I didn't even watch the video to observe his facial expressions the first time around and just listened to the sound; pompous twat.

That's all I have to say.

'we'?, this video and its statistics are applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt. It annoys me that he thinks that because students (i will not use the term teenagers as it is an idiotic term), do not adhere to the same basic principals and are not introduced to the same things he was, that we are lesser people. To which I disagree, the media, mediums and quantities of information have changed and the new age simply have different ways to the way things used to be. Who is this guy, he wrote a book, so what I can write a book it doesent make me an expert.

I didn't watch the entire video/rant because I have very little time, but the last point I would like to raise is that he said the average study time for all students has gone down and is only 1 hour. To which I say why would year/grades 1-9 spend more than an hour studying? His facts and points are distorted exaggerated. What you/people must remember is he's trying to sell a book and he is therefore a biased and impartial reference.

stinkychops:
'we'?, this video and its statistics are applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt. It annoys me that he thinks that because students (i will not use the term teenagers as it is an idiotic term), do not adhere to the same basic principals and are not introduced to the same things he was, that we are lesser people. To which I disagree, the media, mediums and quantities of information have changed and the new age simply have different ways to the way things used to be. Who is this guy, he wrote a book, so what I can write a book it doesent make me an expert.

I didn't watch the entire video/rant because I have very little time, but the last point I would like to raise is that he said the average study time for all students has gone down and is only 1 hour. To which I say why would year/grades 1-9 spend more than an hour studying? His facts and points are distorted exaggerated. What you/people must remember is he's trying to sell a book and he is therefore a biased and impartial reference.

Yes, because there are no stupid Australians or stupid English people.

Sydney.

Sustenance:

Yes, because there are no stupid Australians or stupid English people.

Sydney.

Why bring English people into it?
I never said there were no stupid Australians, if you read my comment you would see that I was merely saying that his 'facts' and 'statistics' do not relate to my country and therefore 'we' was a relatively aragont thing to write.
Maybe before qouting someone you should read/comprehend what they are saying....

"'we'?, this video and its statistics are boldybold applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt.boldybold"

I comprehended what you wrote just fine; "... applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt." is kind of hard to dance around that little gem with words.

Sustenance:
"'we'?, this video and its statistics are boldybold applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt.boldybold"

I comprehended what you wrote just fine; "... applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt." is kind of hard to dance around that little gem with words.

Well then I have failed to comprehend what you are saying, perhaps it doesent make sense? If you agree with me that the statistics do not relate to australians, why did you make your sarcastic comment about what I said. In my opinion you are simply looking for a fight and arguing even when your argument doesent make sense. If you would like to explain what you meant or express your views on this topic I have nothing against you, however from what you have said and what you have posted in other threads you come across as a cynical troll.

The dude's a total dick, but he has some relevant points. This generation does miss out on a lot of things, but at the same time HE has missed out on a lot of things. I mean, just because HE did something as a young person doesn't mean that is the only right way to live. he needs to understand that culture is a broad term describing a gambit of things, not just the things he knows about.

...arrogant ass hat.

stinkychops:

Sustenance:
"'we'?, this video and its statistics are boldybold applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt.boldybold"

I comprehended what you wrote just fine; "... applicable only to Americans, therefore I am exempt." is kind of hard to dance around that little gem with words.

Well then I have failed to comprehend what you are saying, perhaps it doesent make sense? If you agree with me that the statistics do not relate to australians, why did you make your sarcastic comment about what I said. In my opinion you are simply looking for a fight and arguing even when your argument doesent make sense. If you would like to explain what you meant or express your views on this topic I have nothing against you, however from what you have said and what you have posted in other threads you come across as a cynical troll.

I'm going to be the bigger man here and step away.

Also, Cynic rules.

Sustenance:

I'm going to be the bigger man here and step away.

Also, Cynic rules.

Fair enough, I suppose you are less of a troll then I perceived, still I would have liked to have known what you meant by your prior post.

[quote In my own school I'm considered 'That Smart Kid' - most likely because I have a vocabulary that consists of more than 7 words.

Me: "Not in particular."
Random Kid: "Why do you always use big words?"[/quote]

I get that all the time, i don't think I'm using big words but onetime even a teacher stopped me and asked me what i just said.

The presumption he makes is that people were smarter or better informed before the internet. Teens are, by default, narcissistic. It's a part of the development process. We all get absorbed into our own world and our friends as we develop our personal identities. Once that becomes more firmly established, you start to branch out and explore other things. I don't expect them to use the internet's vast database anymore than I expected them to go to the library to look something up back in the day. How does being politically informed help you when you're 14?

I never really followed Baby Boomers who go on about this kind of nonsense. When I talk to people about the student protests or the riots back when they were kids, the vast majority of them weren't politically aware. It was just a big party to them. They were just as dumb as the rest of us back then. People, as they get older and politics actually affect their income & taxes, start paying attention. They start learning big words because they need them to get jobs and compete.

Just another old fart whining about kids today because he wishes he was young himself.

L.B. Jeffries:
The presumption he makes is that people were smarter or better informed before the internet. Teens are, by default, narcissistic. It's a part of the development process. We all get absorbed into our own world and our friends as we develop our personal identities. Once that becomes more firmly established, you start to branch out and explore other things. I don't expect them to use the internet's vast database anymore than I expected them to go to the library to look something up back in the day. How does being politically informed help you when you're 14?

I never really followed Baby Boomers who go on about this kind of nonsense. When I talk to people about the student protests or the riots back when they were kids, the vast majority of them weren't politically aware. It was just a big party to them. They were just as dumb as the rest of us back then. And like me, as they get older and politics actually affect my income & taxes, they start paying attention. They start learning big words because they need them to get jobs and compete.

Just another old fart whining about kids today because he wishes he was young himself.

This guy knows what he is talking about. I love myself, minus my teefs; which I'm getting fixed.

Yay parents and cheap orthodontic care.

Isn't the age we live in now going to be a historical time period? Instead of ranting about how all teenagers don't like old classics and politics, why doesn't he learn more about what he means to be young today properly instead of making guesses based on statistics on what websites most teenagers go on?

OK, I'm over 30 so you can trust me.

Thought I would add my 2 cents to this post.

This guy is a bit of a pessimist but he brings up some very good points. I can only speak for America, so I have no idea what the teen generation is like in other countries. I do think the teen generation is a little to in love with their technology and the millions of ways to keep up with their friends. I think it would be more socially helpful if one could spend more time actually interacting with people face to face instead of Facebook and MySpace. When I was in High School I was part of many clubs (way back in the day before this crazy internet thingy). And maybe that is the case with many of you on this site, but I think a large portion is too addicted to pop culture and technology. They care more about what is happening with Britney than learning something new and useful.

I'm going to impart the knowledge of my age on you younglings. You teen years will be a crazy time and I hate to say it, but the friends you have now will be gone very soon. You will all move on with your life and that is what you should be preparing for. This is not to say that you shouldn't enjoy your teen years, hell it is the last time you will be able to really live without responsibility. But guess what, the responsibility hammer is coming fast! If you want to actually make something of yourself, be a contribution to society, have a good job, earn good money, have a good meaningful relationship, you can start preparing now. Take advantage of you parent's wisdom. Learn to cook. Learn to use power tools. Learn to do the laundry. Learn to iron your clothes. (My 28 year old wife didn't know how to iron until I showed her). My god people, you should know these things before you are 18.

About the historical references he mentioned, I agree 100% with him. I remember when I went to go see that shittacular movie "Titanic" with a girlfriend and a 17 year old niece. When the movie was over, I asked the niece, "What did you think?" she replied "I did think it would be so sad, and I had no idea the boat was going to sink, that sucked." No joke. Also, I was in line at a Best Buy (buying a new game I'm sure) and there were two young girls in line behind me. One had recently seen the remake of King Kong and was describing the movie to her friend. It was obvious that neither of them had any clue that this was a remake and has been done a number of times before. I will now use my wife as an example. I will first note that my wife is brilliant. She has book smarts out the wazoo, but there are many culture references that fall short on her. When she was packing up all her stuff to come live with me she found an old book entitled something like "Things all teenagers should know" and it had many historical facts and stories in it (Greek mythology and shorts on American history). It was actually a really good book. She didn't know half the things in it. I knew about 90%. We had very similar educations, so I can't blame the school systems. I think the difference was my father. He read all the time and we would have long discussions about historical events and the things he has read. So what I am saying is, parents should take a more active role in their children's education (in America at least).

All this rant to make a simple point... enjoy your teen years, but when you hit your college years, get ready to be serious. If you want to get a good job, you had better start preparing. I have interviewed tons of newly graduated people and most of them have no idea what to do in an interview, how to act, or what questions to ask. I will forget your good grades if you don't know how to act mature. I buckled down and studied my ass off in college, and did a cooperative education program to get experience before I graduated. As a result, I have an amazing job that I love that pays really good. So now that I am out of college and making my own money, I can afford whatever toys I like and still have plenty to save. Your Facebook/Myspace crap will not impress an employer, and since you need money to live, you will need a job. And once you have that job, you won't need to study anymore, your evenings are your own... to play COD4, have sex with your significant other, hang out with friends (the life long kind now).

Sorry for the rant. I'm not trying to talk down to anybody, I just would like to share some things that I can look back on now and say "I wish someone had told me that when I was 18".

L.B. Jeffries:
The presumption he makes is that people were smarter or better informed before the internet. Teens are, by default, narcissistic. It's a part of the development process. We all get absorbed into our own world and our friends as we develop our personal identities. Once that becomes more firmly established, you start to branch out and explore other things. I don't expect them to use the internet's vast database anymore than I expected them to go to the library to look something up back in the day. How does being politically informed help you when you're 14?

I must not have gotten this memo. I didn't know there was an age at which people were supposed to become narcissistic and an age at which people will begin to branch out and have political opinions. Aside from the fact that such standards are culturally biased and relative, I've gotten into a bit of trouble questioning my friends and acquaintances in school about their blanket acceptance of the notion that being a teenager has some prescribed definition written down somewhere. They didn't buy the notion that you can't be too young to think rationally.

Speaking personally, holding political opinions when you're fourteen helps a bit when you engage in political conversations at that age. Yes, it happens.

I never really followed Baby Boomers who go on about this kind of nonsense. When I talk to people about the student protests or the riots back when they were kids, the vast majority of them weren't politically aware. It was just a big party to them. They were just as dumb as the rest of us back then. People, as they get older and politics actually affect their income & taxes, start paying attention. They start learning big words because they need them to get jobs and compete.

Just another old fart whining about kids today because he wishes he was young himself.

You are correct that most people start caring about things as they begin to affect whatever it is that they want. Most people do a great deal of things, the point of the clip seemed to be that most of what most people do is fairly retarded. This becomes more the case when people have less to worry about as far as income and needs go. With all the work kids don't have to do these days, it's no wonder they can be so inwardly focused, unconcerned with all the stuff that gets done to provide them with the state of living they take for granted. It's almost as if people would like to argue that you really don't need to learn about politics and civics, things just magically take care of themselves and will continue to do so regardless of what anyone does.

It seems like a naive justification for a naive standpoint. Even if this generation isn't getting dumber, why is it perfectly acceptable that people stay as dumb as they've always been "at that age?" What could that possibly be good for?

Providing a host of unthinking, cheap and reliable labour who refrain from questioning the authority of the.... well, authority. Which is an important manifesto for goverment- too many intellectuals is almost as dangerous as too few.

Why all the long discussions and paragraphs in this thread? I don't have the time or the inclination to read them, I'm too busy socialising with other people my age...

Yes, this generation is that dumb.

Castrate the Heathen:
Is this suppose to be a revelation? I am very much aware of my generation's idiocy. What's-his-face isn't making any points I'm not already aware of. In my own school I'm considered 'That Smart Kid' - most likely because I have a vocabulary that consists of more than 7 words.

Me: "Not in particular."
Random Kid: "Why do you always use big words?"

I know exactly what your going through.

Your responsible for yourself and what you do and what you learn.

Most of the things he said were pop culture at the time and can be irrerelevent nowadays as things today will be when we're this guys age.

Nytehauq:

You are correct that most people start caring about things as they begin to affect whatever it is that they want. Most people do a great deal of things, the point of the clip seemed to be that most of what most people do is fairly retarded. This becomes more the case when people have less to worry about as far as income and needs go. With all the work kids don't have to do these days, it's no wonder they can be so inwardly focused, unconcerned with all the stuff that gets done to provide them with the state of living they take for granted. It's almost as if people would like to argue that you really don't need to learn about politics and civics, things just magically take care of themselves and will continue to do so regardless of what anyone does.

It seems like a naive justification for a naive standpoint. Even if this generation isn't getting dumber, why is it perfectly acceptable that people stay as dumb as they've always been "at that age?" What could that possibly be good for?

No more naive than the older generation complaining that the younger generation is bad because they aren't like them.

My complaint is that he's accusing us, me, whatever, of being the dumbest generation. I just think it's the same as it ever was. All of the good points he makes are points you could make about Americans in general, at any time in general. Some people take the time to educate themselves, some people like to stay informed, and the vast majority like to just talk to their friends and study the things they care about. At what point was it ever any different?

We're having this debate on a website totally dedicated to video games, after all.

first u got to accept that there is stupid people everywere... and i mean really stupid like the dude who wrote the book and second besides of the stupidity they are ignorants ...

you have to stop and think about it, because not everybody is the same i dont have a facebook ... but i like to read stuff in the internet... im not lazy...

really dont know how to put it... because this guy just generalize a whole generation... here not everybody is dumb not everybody likes the same games or music or are from the same country... to talk about a dumb generation ... at least i think that you have to the generation ends to fully analize it (like the generation x, or so)

maybe someone understand my point