Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

curious7 — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:45:15 GMT

This is one I could not pass up. How right you are, we as Americans read very little, and shun those who appear to be more informed. What a mess. This foolishness not only extends to our health, but most people do not know who their elected representatives are, but at the same time they can tell you if Brad Pitt wears tighty whiteys or boxers, or where he buys them. As for health Genesis 1:29, gives us our diet from the Creator.

I have in the past been berated by critics, who feel we were meat eaters from the begining. Remember before Adam, and Eve, disobeyed God, nothing on this earth died. So from where came the animals we are said to have ingested. Furthermore God's people never in ingested flesh until after the Great Flood. Compare life span, preflood, and post flood.

So as God himself said in Malachi 3:6 He does not change. In essence what was good for Adam, and Eve is good for man today, when it comes to our diet.

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

kindelan — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:20:36 GMT

If 80% of people don't read books, that must mean 60,000,000 do. That's pretty good, but what is it they read, that's the question? Doctors are 'dumb' about nutrition, but that's changing, too. Harvard Medical School, HMS, is including nutritional subjects, but if they teach the science and not the right choices, as the PhD's who did MyPyramid failed to do, we'll remain in dietary hell. One can go to the company who did the food pyramid and have a good laugh or be discouraged. They're good with describing chemistry, but what how does one engage a teen or busy harried mother with chemical analysis? Most of the MyPyramid designers have PhD's, and they've failed terribly. What's amazing about nutritional truths is how obvious they are, but truth/facts don't matter, what matters is, what the food industry advertises to most folks. Not a mention of organic, recommendations go to canola oil, soy, safflower, peanut, corn and olive, lots of nuts and legumes, smaller amounts of fish and chicken, milk, if you want to call pasteurized milk milk, and eggs get even less recommendations, and meat, butter, and cream are on the same level as white rice, white bread, sugar, soda, and potatoes. Weird, but they believe what they hype, but they are a separate company, they aren't part of the USDA. They even have a marketing manager. Mercy. Perhaps there's danger in industrial meat, milk, eggs, butter, and so forth, but they're big on inorganic grains and they don't know what phytic acid does or why sprout wheat from organically grown grains. It's a mess. Let's design a health building Pyramid, but call it the Real Food Pyramid. It's time to sue frauds, phony's ignoramuses, and food cos and destroy their hold on our families. I'm ready, let's start the real revolution and not be discouraged, instead, be inspired & take our world back.

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

bassmanpete — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:56:32 GMT

"You're just another brick in the wall." Pink Floyd said this 30 years ago about the education system. All it's designed to do is churn out office & factory fodder, not teach pupils/students to think.

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

Dr. D — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:47:12 GMT

Why should the average American be any better?
1) The government educates him;
2) The government steals money from the 1/4-1/3 of us who are productive and: a) gives part of that to the others and:
b) pays these same people and worse to breed.

When you feed and pay rats to breed, you get more rats- lots and lots of rats.

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

tanara — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:23:30 GMT

With this situation in mind - dumb and dumber - why not reinstate the option to "email a friend" to your articles. If it is alreay there, it's hiding.

Mimi in VA

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

Bill Smith — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:44:56 GMT

Abuse, harass, humiliate, deceive, threaten, impersonate, intimidate or engage in any other abusive behaviors with those who comment on Mercola.com.

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

Islander — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:33:36 GMT

President Eisenhower was shocked to learn that 50% of Americans were of below average intelligence.

Right. Think about it. Got it?

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

Miss Melissa — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:52:37 GMT

There's a wonderful children's book by Chris Van-Allsburg called "The Wretched Stone". For any of you with children or grandchildren, they will enjoy this mystery adventure (it's about a ship of sailors who find a "glowing rock" on an island and bring it aboard...)

http://www.amazon.com/Wretched-Stone-Chris-Van-Allsburg/dp/customer-reviews/0395533074

re: Dumb and Dumber Has Become American Norm

auntbea — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:16:07 GMT

In my sons families (the usual support - Dad, Mom & Kids) they keep up with the news as they can through various means (TV, newspapers, articles, internet) and see that their kids to do. In my daughter's family (widowed & kids) its a bit harder. 8-10 hours on a line working with axles in a HOT factory 5-6 days a week can zap one's energy ... not too mention the added burden of taking care of two teens, maintaining a home, in other words - doing the work of two parents. She doesn't have time to read let alone get the usual things done. She is not alone. Many parents are working two jobs to make ends meet are stretched to the limits physically, mentally and financially. Things like library time, bookstore money, a restful relaxing evening with a good book are luxuries they have put to the side in order to get down all that needs to be done. They are more engrossed in the day-to-day existence of work, kids school & homework, housework, shopping, laundry, meals ... and many do not have family backup systems to aid them. When they do have spare time their minds are full of frivolous thoughts like how to make ends meet, will I have a job next week, and how do I put 12 more hours of quality time into a 24-hour day. I'm sure that many of them would like to have a leisurly evening or two a week to spend on bettering their minds! Not everyone absent from the bookstore rolls is absent for laziness of the mind!!!

re: Dumb and Dumberer Has Become American Norm

vdbwong — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 09:41:44 GMT

I do not believe you can draw a direct link between knowledge and only books. I listen to National Public Radio whenever possible and PBS TV for most of the scientific, governmental and political news and programs. I also watch the NGC and all the Discovery Channels, especially on the HD channels. I regularly surf the CNN and MSNBC channels, occasionally even watch Fox as much as I can stand. I try to watch each of the major network news for the 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm newscasts. I receive and review all Washington Post news articles. The programs about the latest scientific and astronomy discoveries are amazing. The latest translations of the newly discovered bliblical texts are truly revelatory. I really enjoy the many traveloques to all the exotic places. My favorites are the documentaries about wildlife and the natural environment. I rarely watch movies, situation comedies and the current reality programs. I find real life news and historical reviews so interesting, I do not need make-believe, escapist entertainment. I will match anyone on basic knowledge about the real and important things about the world.

But I rarely read books. There is nothing wrong with books but I really doubt if they can keep up with the fast pace of evolving current events. I also do not believe everyone needs all the details that a book contains to be aware of and appreciate a situation. Besides, keeping up with current events, surfing the internet and living an active outdoor life does not leave me enough time to read many books.

re: Dumb and Dumberer Has Become American Norm

HealingMindN — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:31:47 GMT

When the TV industry makes the complete switch to digital in a few years, I believe this will open the market to web videos. I'm pretty sure that Google will enter YouTube into that market.

Perhaps, those people who prefer their "education" from TV will also open themselves to alternate education such as from Dr. M's videos - which would be considered mainstream since they're on "TV."

re: Dumb and Dumberer Has Become American Norm

kmvos — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 06:55:55 GMT

DUMBING OF AMERICA this is my take on the situation. If the majority of the public is uneducated they cannot take make an educated decision when voting. Look at past history, in midevil times the church keep the poplulation uneducated so they could control......Look at our times...the pharmicual companies alone want the people uneducated..therefore the may phase is "My Doctor Said"....that is major dollars in their pockets...... Working directly with the public, I see so much and I just marvel at how dumb so many people are. There are the ones that really go out to get an education and work to make their mark. They are able to discuss situations with you. Then there is the other side, which seems to be growing in numbers, they drop out of school, but still expect life to give them all.

re: Dumb and Dumberer Has Become American Norm

berniki — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:33:06 GMT

Reading......is fundamental. many americans will only read what they absolutely have to. it never occurs to them that reading is pleasurable. i get so tired of hearing.....but i don't like to read. why not?? why aren't we teaching the children that reading is FUN??
i recently received Dr Mercola's book "sweet deception" from one of my book clubs. i read it in one day, couldn't put it down. and i found out about this website in that book. i have great respect for Dr Mercola for telling it like it is......artificial sweeteners are poison. finally.....a Dr i can have some faith in. three cheers for Dr M..................

re: Dumb and Dumberer Has Become American Norm

JeanS — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:24:06 GMT

This is interesting, especially when you consider the elementary school curriculum's focus ad nauseum on teaching reading. Our elementary school posted a "Day in the Life" video for entering Kindergarten kids to see what to expect. The boring monotonous day went like this: Practice letters, then spelling, then reading, then phonics, then practice letters again, then phonics again, then practice reading again, then finish up the day with more letters, and let's not forget numbers. At no time did the teacher read these poor kids an interesting story. Nowhere on the teacher's posted list of recommendations for parents to teach reading at home appeared the sensible recommendation: READ STORIES TO YOUR CHILDREN! No wonder the kids and, later, adults don't want to read. School takes all the fun out of it!!!!! Let's focus on the MAGIC of reading people, not the MECHANICS!!! This curriculum certainly is a no "child" left behind strategy -- It leaves ALL children behind!!

re: Dumb and Dumberer Has Become American Norm

MarthaB — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:50:28 GMT

I am all for encouraging reading.

Reading enables us to gather information from a multitude of sources that are useful (if not necessary) in helping us communicate intelligently and rationally about issues that impact all of us. It is paramount to a democracy that its citizens are well-informed.

Reading also provides us with a background of knowledge necessary for comprehending future knowledge. For instance, if I were to use a phrase from Shakespeare to emphasize a point and cut out extraneous writing, the reader would have to understand the context of the phrase to get the full gist of what I meant.

If you'd like to read more, these ideas come from E.D. Hirsch's Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know.