Why is everyone so ignorant?

[doubletruncation]

While I haven't dealt with kids in a while, I'm not convinced that young people are any dumber today about math/science than they used to be. While if you're a student in elementary school/high school it's probably easy to feel like no one else is interested in math/science if you are interested in it. But was it really true back in the 50s/60s that elementary kids were especially interested in math/science, or were such kids considered nerds back then just as much as they are today? In some ways being nerdy seems to be cooler today than it used to be, there are whole tv stations and stores like discover channel and tlc that are targeted at kids that like math/science/engineering. I think in college is probably when people start realizing how many other people there are that like math/science/engineering. The undergrads I've worked with tend to be very intelligent, the new grad students also are expected to know a lot more and have more research experience than they ever have, and they are often very smart and talented people. Sure most people in society aren't interested in math/science/engineering, but I don't think that's really new. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[qso1]

I would agree that kids today are not dumber or even dumb. The problem is that without an emphasis on teaching math and science, they won't really know it as well as kids who were taught. Example, if astronomy is not taught to at least Jr high kids, they will be among those who assume stars are not other suns, but small points of light because they will get that info from someone who won't know themselves.<br /><br />I didn't take a formal course in astronomy until 1975...my first year of Jr College. Astronomy may have been an elective in HS but I do not recall it. But I was already interested enough to learn something about it starting at age 10. There will be kids out there today who will do the same regardless of what it is not being taught once they realize they are not getting it at school.<br /><br />As for nerdiness being more popular, I'd say thats more along the lines of computer and electronic gadget stuff rather than purely space stuff and you are right, lack of interest in math or science is nothing new. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[rickstine]

I don't belive that any kid is stupid,it's what they do with their life that makes them stupid.I know all classrooms have a clown or two.When you approach them outside of class they are smater then they act in class.First impression due make a impact.Kids out of collage with a bachloor's degree is a dime dozen,since more and more people are going to collage.Unlike the 50's,60's and 70's.Getting people intrested in science is not hard if a school spends time doing so.When I'm a senior next year,my school has decided to cut the chemistry lab part of chemistry to save money. Thank you education department.