Two little factoids came across my lap this week. The first came from Scientific American in which they summarized a recent National Department of Education study. Up until 1993, we gauged our nation's illiteracy rate by simply asking census-takers whether they could read or write. Traditionally, this set our rate at 1%. In the early 1990's, the NDE decided to check a little deeper and actually ask some respondents to demonstrate their reading abilities. The result? 34% of the 27,000 could read at the basic level or lower. What's worse, when they did the study ten years later, the scores were dropping across the board (except for African-Americans). If we were still living in the mechanized society, this would not pose a problem; however, in an information society, where so much is demanded of citizens and employees, this is a huge problem.
The second bit of information came from this week's Time magazine. There, they reviewed another recent study on television watching. The average American household now spends 4.5 hours a day watching TV. 4.5 hours!!! That's longer than some people's work week (31.5 hours a week if you've watched so much TV that you've lost the function for multiplication). That's 19% of their week, nearly one-fifth of their week is being inactive receptors of mostly mindless entertainment.
I wonder, could there be a connection here? This is a personal bandwagon issue for me, but I have to say that TV could undermine this nation unlike anything in history. Could we possibly self-destruct as an empire simply because we don't know how to think or interact anymore? Could TV be our downfall, not communism or terrorism or any of your -ism's? I wonder. I will lead the revolution. Down with the television! Down the new axis of cable, satellite, and aerial! Down with the multi-national entertainment moguls who are trying to rule the world! Vive la revolucion! Vive the book!
5 comments:
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
hi there friends. I'm really into shoes and I had been looking as far as something that meticulous brand. The prices as regards the velcros are all over 320 dollars on every page. But for all I found this location selling them for half price. I exceptionally want these [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]prada sneakers[/url]. I will probably order those. what do you think?
good morning friends. I'm actually into shoes and I have been looking for the sake of that exact make. The prices due to the fact that the shoes are all over 220 bucks on every page. But definitively I bring about this site selling them for half price. I exceptionally love these [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]gucci sneakers[/url]. I will probably buy these. what is your opinion?
hello people. I'm honestly into shoes and I have been looking for the sake of that singular brand. The prices due to the fact that the shoes were approximately 250 pounds on every page. But for all I set this location selling them for half price. I really want those [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]gucci sneakers[/url]. I will probably order them. what do you think?
Making money on the internet is easy in the hush-hush world of [URL=http://www.www.blackhatmoneymaker.com]blackhat twitter[/URL], You are far from alone if you don't know what blackhat is. Blackhat marketing uses not-so-popular or little-understood ways to produce an income online.
Post a Comment