15.12.08

The Dumbest Generation? I beg to differ...

A while ago, I was perusing Barnes&Noble and came across a book entitled: "The Dumbest Generation." Intrigued, and possibly annoyed, I opened it, sat down and read the first chapter. I honestly felt like my grandma was scolding me or something, but I was laughing inside. The first chapter brought arguments to the table such as 'look at Jay Leno's popular Jay Walking.' What a ridiculous notion! Our generation being labeled stupid because of Jay Walking?? Seriously!?
Anyways, a few days ago, I noticed kottke.org had this, and I wanted to share it with everyone now that I've had time to read it:

Millions more people are going to museums, literary festivals and operas; millions more watch demanding television programmes or download serious-minded podcasts. Not all these activities count as mind-stretching, of course. Some are downright fluffy. But, says Donna Renney, the chief executive of the Cheltenham Festivals, audiences increasingly want "the buzz you get from working that little bit harder". This is a dramatic yet often unrecognised development. "When people talk and write about culture," says Ira Glass, the creator of the riveting public-radio show "This American Life", "it's apocalyptic. We tell ourselves that everything is in bad shape. But the opposite is true. There's an abundance of really interesting things going on all around us."
Full read.

[kottke.org]

3 comments:

  1. If our generation is so unintelligent, than why does any adult over the age of forty use a bat to illustrate their frustration with the computer whenever we aren't around to trouble shoot??? Ha! Take that older people, you are techno illiterate and wouldn't survive a day without us!!!

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  2. The dumbest generation? Only when it comes to movies. Let's look at some of these #1 at the box office winners:

    Beverly Hill Chihuahua
    Twilight
    Bangkok Dangerous
    10,000 B.C.
    Saw II, III, IV
    Halloween (Remake) - 2 weekends in a row
    Evan Almighty
    Fantastic Four 2
    Ghost Rider - 2 weekends in a row
    Monster-In-Law
    RV
    The Pink Panther (Remake)
    Big Momma's House 2
    The Pacifier

    Yep. Modern moviegoers will watch anything as long as it's new. Even shiny objects!

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  3. oh, come on, stan,
    studios purposely release these AWFUL films on weekends when no other good films are at the box office. modern moviegoers are stupid, i agree, but number ones at the box office aren't the penultimate indicator of that...

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