Why are Americans so stupid.....? Seriously.

[Fonz]

I tend not to watch TV - movies yes, but not so much TV. I'd rather program or read. I'm with Frackal on this, I look around and I see these people and I find it amusing.

Think of it in terms of all the animals in the world. The whole basis of life on Earth is the struggle for survival. Lions only eat what they can run down and catch in the hunt. Humans in well developed nations don't need to do that, they have supermarkets - they trade denominations of a monetary system in order to get the food. It has been shown that apes will build tools to improve their ability to get more food (not power tools obviously, but employing sticks and such to increase the rate at which they can get food). Humans break into different groups and one of those groups will then get that food using elaborate tools, which they purchase with the money. That thought process evetually leads to disease - if an elephant is born with a malform leg, or if its brain is essetially dumber than the rest of its herd, or if its body uses too much water too quickly - then it will die. Either directly from the problem at hand, or it will be too slow when times of necessity arise and it will get caught and eaten. Humans have invented medicine - so diseases and genetic mistakes are remaining and then working their way back into the gene pool.

All of that combined leads to a consumer based society where people no longer have a threat against them, and instead have idle time where they need to pass it. It leads to depression, boredom, and missplaced aggression.

Watching people worrying about clothes, make up, and implants has to be as amusing to other cultures as it is for us to look at African tribes where they use rings to extend their necks or plates to expand their lips.

blah blah blah - I'm rambling.

anyway - Frackal - you are just describing the condition that is cultural evolution - the less work that needs to be done, the more idle time there is and there will be ways to fill it and a market exists where it consists solely of devices to occupy that time. is it good or bad? depends on how you look at it - but considering it has been in place for some time and it is the atmosphere that we live in - instead of fighting it, perhaps it would be better to look at the people around you, that walk about oblivious to the way they don't see the world and think to yourself how you can exploit them. I'm not saying kidnap them and use them as slave labor - not that kind of exploitation - but in the way that they are essentionally malleable minds walking around connected to money - and money is what society dictates that we need to move higher in the eyes of others... so mold them into something that gets you the money. find something that the mindless masses want, and the more universal it is, the more money you will make.

and my comment above about genetic mistakes getting propigated back into the gene pool is likely going to get misconstrued, but I assure you that I had no intention of proposing some Hitler-esque ideas.

So true.....

I'd be highly surprised if the average american reads more
than 1 book a year.

Thats BOOK not MAGAZINE........

Fonz

 

[big4life]

Everyone likes to view themselves as rebels. However, if they were to take a long, honest look at themselves they would see far more simularities, than differences.

We can find fault in those that we see in front of us, yet the person that we can't find fault in, is the one person we can't see.

 

[Doktor Bollix]

Anybody who thinks that life in America is easy needs to get out more! Life in America is hard!

We work way harder, don't live as long, have the shittest vacation times of anybody in Western countries.

It's just cultural that's all. We have no respect for knowledge you can't make a buck out of.

 

[Bullit]

I'm not saying kidnap them and use them as slave labor - not that kind of exploitation - but in the way that they are essentionally malleable minds walking around connected to money - and money is what society dictates that we need to move higher in the eyes of others... so mold them into something that gets you the money. find something that the mindless masses want, and the more universal it is, the more money you will make.

and my comment above about genetic mistakes getting propigated back into the gene pool is likely going to get misconstrued, but I assure you that I had no intention of proposing some Hitler-esque ideas.

Generally, primates form groups, and have 'cultures' of sorts. Higher primates take care of their sick too, its not just humans. Although they may not be the most 'fit' the unhealthy can still add value to a group (be it human or chimp). The correlation seems to be that the smarter the animal, the more it cares for the weaker members in its group.

I guess it makes sense on a board like this, but everything seems to come down to fat vs fit. If you are fat then you are a 'mindless drone', and if you are fit then you are a top human specimen both physically and intellectualy. However this board is exaclty like the "money is what society dictates that we need to move higher in the eyes of others" scenario you describe, however instead of money, its muscle. Is a muscle focus any better than a money focus?

 

[circusgirl]

It's really as if most everyone is under the influence of a light narcotic, and that narcotic is our culture; food, TV, lifestyle.

Familiar with "television, drug of a nation" by Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprasy? I recommend it.

 

[Bullit]

Everyone likes to view themselves as rebels. However, if they were to take a long, honest look at themselves they would see far more simularities, than differences.

We can find fault in those that we see in front of us, yet the person that we can't find fault in, is the one person we can't see.

exactly

 

[Code]

Generally, primates form groups, and have 'cultures' of sorts. Higher primates take care of their sick too, its not just humans. Although they may not be the most 'fit' the unhealthy can still add value to a group (be it human or chimp). The correlation seems to be that the smarter the animal, the more it cares for the weaker members in its group.

I guess it makes sense on a board like this, but everything seems to come down to fat vs fit. If you are fat then you are a 'mindless drone', and if you are fit then you are a top human specimen both physically and intellectualy. However this board is exaclty like the "money is what society dictates that we need to move higher in the eyes of others" scenario you describe, however instead of money, its muscle. Is a muscle focus any better than a money focus?

Being fat means being weak minded, unmotivated, undisciplined and often times reckless with your own health.

A mindless drone? Probably not.

Does this mean everyone should be sexy and muscular? No. But everyone should maintain their body weight within a healthy standard.

 

[HappyScrappy]

Is a muscle focus any better than a money focus?

as with anything, I would assume it is probably all relative.

for George Spellwin, he makes money off of the muscle being the focus, so he would say both are important.
someone that can live off the land and doesn't need the money will need the muscles to survive.
thinking of the muscles is healthier in the long run probably - but taking it to the extreme that many on this board do perhaps then negates that.

all in all, I'd say I'd rather have lots of money than be stupid.

 

[Frackal]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why are Americans so stupid.....? Seriously.

You implied it, and you know it.

I agree religion is no longer the opiate of the masses, TV is. However, I fail to see how you are not as much a part of the "MTV pop culture" as much as some fat kid.

I could be wrong, cuz I dont memorize all your posts... but dont you wear 'cool' clothes, want a 'coo'l Vin Diesel/fast n' furious car, want some hot blonde with fake titties, want a million bux? The only dif between you and the fatty is your diet.

Bullit, it's not so much being a product of pop culture, the point I am trying to make here is that these things, excessive junkfood, excessive television, general laziness of mind and body, people today are as if they are constantly under the influence of a sedative, an opiate is a good description for it.....

Now to address your points briefly before I leave, I wear what I wish to wear, right now I am wearing adidas training pants, a sleevless t-shirt I bought at target, and boxer shorts. I drive a nissan altima that I like....of course I would take a nice car (for free) like the ones in F&TF, but I would sell it soon after. I do not watch any television at all and have not for almost 3 years, of course occasionally I have watched it in this period but not even once a week. I will elaborate further later on tonight.

 

[Prometheus]

If you think Americans are stupid here - you should spend some time outside the US. After being out for a while you can spot Americans a mile away: generally arrogant, incredibly ignorant, demanding, antagonistic, and annoying. It really is embarassing.