Modern life making humans dumber?

[dave1949]

But if we are not carefull that is exactly what WILL happens us, you can not have all of the diverse cultures living indpendently. They have to assimilate into one society, that is how it worked when everyone came to this country years ago. They came to this country to become Americans! We didn't go there why do we have to go out of our way to change our society to be like where they came from, if they liked it so much GO BACK. I know I sound racist, maybe I am! I believe that this is America, We are Americans and Why are we having to support people that have no intention of becoming Americans, only to live off us.

Sorry just how I feel about this

Randy

Well, I'm not sure why you aimed your comment in my direction, but my very rough understanding of Ancient Greece is that is was comprised of independent powerful city-states that, while not fighting with the Persians or others from the Mesopotamian region, fought among themselves. The Roman Empire eventually displaced the Greeks as the dominant Mediterranean power, and some of the Greek culture was adopted into the Roman culture. Prior to the spread of Christianity, both Greece and Rome were pan-theists, often with different names for similar gods or mythology. Ancient Greece is celebrated for its contribution to learning, theater, architecture, military prowess and a limited concept of democracy.

Being serious, as opposed to my "not so smart after all" comment, I think drawing parallels to the fate of the ancient Greeks, or Romans, and the USA should be done with care. We are a country born of immigrants. Slavery brought non-European cultures to the US. We displaced an existing native society. The Spaniards displaced or greatly weakened the existing cultures of Middle America.

The constant theme of history is that cultures wax and wane, and are overtaken by other cultures. No great power has escaped that fact through history although many have resisted it for some time, even centuries.

You seem to be saying that the only way to preserve the US as a nation and a culture is attempt to put a lot of genies back in the bottle, deny history, and freeze our culture at some condition that you perceive as being better than alternatives. I don't think that is going to happen, and I don't think anybody knows how to make it happen.

Given the globalization of all things from work to war, the rapidity of change will likely accelerate, making it that more difficult to resist. You do not live in the America of your grand parents, and your grand children will not live in yours.

[Egon]

For sure I got a whole lot dumber cause there a whole lot more to know!

[2LaneCruzer]

Well, I'm not sure why you aimed your comment in my direction, but my very rough understanding of Ancient Greece is that is was comprised of independent powerful city-states that, while not fighting with the Persians or others from the Mesopotamian region, fought among themselves. The Roman Empire eventually displaced the Greeks as the dominant Mediterranean power, and some of the Greek culture was adopted into the Roman culture. Prior to the spread of Christianity, both Greece and Rome were pan-theists, often with different names for similar gods or mythology. Ancient Greece is celebrated for its contribution to learning, theater, architecture, military prowess and a limited concept of democracy.

Being serious, as opposed to my "not so smart after all" comment, I think drawing parallels to the fate of the ancient Greeks, or Romans, and the USA should be done with care. We are a country born of immigrants. Slavery brought non-European cultures to the US. We displaced an existing native society. The Spaniards displaced or greatly weakened the existing cultures of Middle America.

The constant theme of history is that cultures wax and wane, and are overtaken by other cultures. No great power has escaped that fact through history although many have resisted it for some time, even centuries.

You seem to be saying that the only way to preserve the US as a nation and a culture is attempt to put a lot of genies back in the bottle, deny history, and freeze our culture at some condition that you perceive as being better than alternatives. I don't think that is going to happen, and I don't think anybody knows how to make it happen.Given the globalization of all things from work to war, the rapidity of change will likely accelerate, making it that more difficult to resist. You do not live in the America of your grand parents, and your grand children will not live in yours.

That may be what he was saying, but I have a bit of a different slant. I think he was alluding to the insanity called "multiculturism" whereby all cultures are encouraged to fluorish independently at the expense of the dominant culture. While it may be true that there are no "degrees" of culture, it is also true that that cultures evolve in the same sense that organisms evolve. Some cultures are definitely primitive in their development and some have developed in a malignant way, such they are floundering in their own poison. It's one thing to encourage immigration, it's another to groom and swoon over "diversity" albeit stilted, stunted and divisive. We should encourage assimilation with the dominant culture; it will accept those aspects that are worthy and reject those that are regressive and stagnant. Multiculturism is another left wing fraud perpetrated in order to divide the country.

[dave1949]

That may be what he was saying, but I have a bit of a different slant. I think he was alluding to the insanity called "multiculturism" whereby all cultures are encouraged to fluorish independently at the expense of the dominant culture. While it may be true that there are no "degrees" of culture, it is also true that that cultures evolve in the same sense that organisms evolve. Some cultures are definitely primitive in their development and some have developed in a malignant way, such they are floundering in their own poison. It's one thing to encourage immigration, it's another to groom and swoon over "diversity" albeit stilted, stunted and divisive. We should encourage assimilation with the dominant culture; it will accept those aspects that are worthy and reject those that are regressive and stagnant. Multiculturism is another left wing fraud perpetrated in order to divide the country.

Left wing fraud? You don't waste anytime turning a discussion into a political rant, do you? Sorry, I'm not interested in that.

[Larry Caldwell]

Given the globalization of all things from work to war, the rapidity of change will likely accelerate, making it that more difficult to resist. You do not live in the America of your grand parents, and your grand children will not live in yours.

I was born in the middle of the last century, and the America *I* grew up in is long gone. Frankly, good riddance to a lot of it. People who reminisce about the Good Old Days must have defective memories. When my grandfather was born, the Civil War was still going on, and nobody in their right mind would want to go back to that.

[2LaneCruzer]

Left wing fraud? You don't waste anytime turning a discussion into a political rant, do you? Sorry, I'm not interested in that.

The corner was already turned, in case you hadn't noticed.

[dave1949]

I was born in the middle of the last century, and the America *I* grew up in is long gone. Frankly, good riddance to a lot of it. People who reminisce about the Good Old Days must have defective memories. When my grandfather was born, the Civil War was still going on, and nobody in their right mind would want to go back to that.

Geez, when you say it that way, I aged another decade just reading it

Yeah, the Good Old Days were not all good, but they weren't all bad either. It's fine to try to preserve and promote the good, but we don't always agree on the definition of "good", unfortunately.

If I could choose one correctable social ill, it would probably be materialism and the commercialization of everything. I wish stores and businesses, factories and such were not so focused on now, now, now, more, more, more. I wish stores closed on weekends and people spent more time doing family things, hobbies, or just socializing with friends. Being a consumer society means many of us are busy serving consumers, but that doesn't mean it needs to be an around-the-clock endeavor just to get an infinitesimal competitive edge or fear a couple dollars worth of sales may get away.

Is our human spirit enriched because we can order something from Amazon and get it delivered to our door the next day? It's a great logistical feat, but what is it's real value to humanity? And, how many humans were transformed into robots to accomplish this feat? Did all the people involved enjoy a meal with their family? It's not likely, yet we complain that parents aren't parenting.

I think we have put aside some quality of life for the quality and amount of material goods. Or, we falsely equate quality of life with the value of our material goods. The quality of life has declined in some respects IMO, and the quality of material goods aren't much to brag about. So, what did we really gain other than a pile of stuff, most of which we didn't need to begin with?

[RandyBell]

Dave1949; No I was not directing it at you, but the the comment of the Roman society. The point I was trying to make is that just like the Roman Empire we are becoming to splintered to survive as a whole nation Everyone is wanting their own indentity, African American ect.
You don't go to the other countries and find African French, that is just an example, I am not picking on just the black population. What made this country strong was the people that came here, came here to become AMERICIAN'S not to continue the same life they had where they left, if you get what I am trying to say. Now they don't want to be Americans they want their old culture, not to intigrate it into life here.

Randy

[KTurner]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this yet. A long time ago, if you had a habit of doing stupid things, one of the stupid acts would probably kill you. Now, you get a huge dose of modern medical technology and live to sue the company that failed to put the "Danger" sign on the sharp end of the chainsaw.

Keith

[tungularafishcamp]

Somewhere there has to be a balance. I really like being able to experience different cultures in amidst our own, ie visiting chinatown, eating all the great ethnic foods when I do go outside, and celebrating holidays of other cultures that now have been assimulated, ie st paddys day, cinco de mayo. On the other hand the fact that you can hardly get around in some places in America if you dont speak some language other than english irks me. The closest town to me has had whites as the largest minority for 30 some years and it seems it is only just recently now that we are offering multilingual everything including public services that it has become harder to take care of business in english throughout the community. I think, at least in this town standards for citizenship and work visa's have been relaxed to where you dont have to be proficient in one case or have any english skills at all in the other is not serving anyone. It seems we are constantly lowering the bar so we dont exclude anyone and it is backfiring, I think it is time to raise the bar in this country in all kinds of ways and although it might exclude some the whole will benefit and grow stronger.