Are Americans Dumb?

I just read an editorial by Susan Jacoby, that suggests that intellectualism in America is on the decline and has been for several decades. She posits an argument that our desire for instant gratification in all its' forms has infiltrated learning and knowledge. She believes that far too many Americans embrace the belief that some quick and cursory analysis of a present day issue can provide a clear solution. She laments the fact that without benefit of a broad education to determine root causes, combined with the lack of knowledge concerning historical precedents, America will develop ill-conceived ideas and solutions. Is she right? Are we dumb? Can our possible dumbness lead to our demise as a powerful nation?

Sometimes I believe we are, at other times, I am amazed at what America as a nation can do. Collectively, I believe we are a nation which is astute and perceptive. Individually, I'm not so certain. What this means is that intellectual and reasoned thinking is still able to sway the general population, but perhaps that collective wisdom will fail our nation as the number of individuals who have a limited knowledge of culture, politics, science, history, literature, math and other critical subjects continues to decline in favor of the "digital sound bite" that appeals to emotional factors instead of facts and reason.

Anti-intellectualism abounds throughout our nation in many forms. As a former teacher, I will forever remember the long forgotten student who when asked to name the capitol of a state replied, "I don't know why I have to do this, my mother doesn't know where hardly any states are and she gets along just fine." I replied that it might be important to know if someone invited her to visit them in Montana in December, that she might want to know whether to pack a bathing suit or ski-jacket, she provided a nonsensical response. Admittedly, this is anecdotal episode, but I saw that same reasoning applied by students in many academic and intellectual endeavors.

As a high school teacher, I attended a local community college and enrolled in two courses that were required to maintain my teaching certificate. As a 50 something at the time, I was surrounded by a group of 20 somethings all engaged in the pursuit of knowledge. I was appalled at the absence of intellectual rigor and the shallowness of the teaching and testing. Many of these students will graduate with a college degree and believe they have visited the font of knowledge and yet they will actually know little. Their confidence will be heightened by their degree, but their knowledge and capacity to apply reason will be lacking.

Jacoby cites three factors that have contributed to America's intellectual woes. The decline of the book, erosion of general knowledge and arrogance about the lack of general knowledge do not bode well for our future. Perhaps Jacoby hit a note with me because those very same issues are what I observed. I hope she is wrong and my observations were inaccurate. What say you?