Let's apply this methodology to education itself. Here is an essential question we rarely ask about education? Are many Americans actually educable?
What do we mean by "educable?" Special educators have long made a distinction between being “educable” and merely “trainable?” Let's use that distinction. An "educable" person is one who is “capable of being improved in ways that depend on reason and understanding.” A "trainable" person is not capable of that.
Schooling as a Panacea
That’s right! Despite massive and widely publicized evidence to the contrary, the number of Americans who thought that Iraq possessed such weapons actually increased after Operation “Enduring Freedom” was over, despite conclusive evidence to the contrary. As a matter of fact, in February of 2005 only 36% of Americans polled thought Iraq was so armed; but in July of 2006 fully 50% believed they were. Does that sound like a conviction that grew out of reason and understanding?
To be fair, those who changed their mind about those weapons of mass destruction might have done so out of an unconscious desire to rationalize their own original enthusiasm for the war and/or to justify the tremendous costs it generated. In short, what seems to be evidence of public credulity might just be people being human, all to human. But that still leaves us wondering why the species is so very eager to cling to the mindless tribalism, hatred and the organized murder we call warfare? Is that evidence of Homo sapiens' educability?
Campaign Appeals
On a less global scale one can also profitably consider the success of political campaign strategies that are based on the principle that many people are easily fooled. In Pennsylvania, for example Senator Rick Santorum cut down challenger Bob Casey’s very substantial lead by means of a $3.5 million TV ad blitz that repeatedly referred to Casey as “Bobby,” in order to make him seem juvenile and inconsequential. Casey countered with an equally unsophisticated attack ad. The plain truth of the matter is that ads like this work and work well. Does that suggest there is a great deal of deep thought going on out there?
Of course, political propagandists know how to play on emotions such as fear of the unknown, the alien and the complex. Moreover, the simplicity they offer is beguilingly attractive to a public that has to reach conclusions based on imperfect information and deliberate disinformation. Maybe that, rather than widespread intellectual ineffectiveness, is why the general public remains so exploitable and so oblivious to many urgently important issues. Let’s hope so. But, personally, I doubt it.
The Media
Evidence of a widespread lack of educability is not confined to the repetitive insanity of war, assaults on the environment, or crass political chicanery. Consider, the quality of the media. More specifically, let’s consider infomercials or “paid programming.” Multiplied millions of dollars are spent buying TV time to peddle bogus nostrums, physical or spiritual, and many, many more millions in profits are realized in consequence. Psychic hotlines generate fortunes for their bogus operators even though they have nothing but hot air to sell. Omega 3 fish oil is successfully huckstered as a cure for an impossible range of maladies, especially cognitive decline. And tens of thousands of viewers have been convinced that purging their bowels will have the same beneficial effects on their body that emptying a full sweeper bag accomplished for a clogged Electrolux.
Also consider how dozens of film flam televangelists of dubious background and baser motives, repeatedly and successfully con the public by means of such obvious scams as selling them tiny packets of “miracle spring water” that cures all maladies, physical or spiritual. Or “prosperity prayer cloths” that allegedly convey magical money raising powers. “Pastor, right after I got that prayer cloth a thousand dollars mysteriously appeared in my bank account. Praise God!”
To be fair, no one knows for sure how many people are deeply disgusted with this media garbage. But American schooling helps little here. It is woefully inadequate when it comes to the arts and the discernment they can develop. And it shies completely away from anything that might help kids see through bogus divines. As a matter of fact, by the time budget cuts slash “frills” from the curriculum, high stakes testing takes far more than its share off time, and the self-appointed censors finish off anything that might trigger thought, the curriculum is a cultural wasteland par excellence. Perhaps, then, we should beware of blaming the victim. Some Americans are clearly educable. But our schools shy away from trying to develop it. It's politically dangerous.
Schooling as a Panacea
It must be widely believed that the majority of Americans are educable because schooling is commonly regarded as the answer, or at least an answer, for a multitude of problems. For instance: culturally integrating immigrants, increasing national competitiveness, eliminating racial injustice, controlling sexually transmitted diseases and preparing kids for the world of work. But that assumes the recipients are capable and that they want to.
Lack of Education or of Educability?
A great deal of trouble would be avoided if people thought more deeply and effectively about what they are doing and why they are doing it. But that sort of deep reflection is relatively uncommon. Is the failure to do so a consequence of poor schooling? Not very often, I suspect. The actual culprit is a widespread lack of basic capacity and/or inclination. Both insufficiencies are equally damaging. After all, in order for schooling to be a cure, much less a cure-all, the majority of humans must be capable of sufficient reason and understanding to be improved by that means. They also must also be willing.
Suppose this is not the case? Suppose a great many, perhaps a majority, lack one or both of these essentials? That they are uneducable in any deep and abiding sense. Is this overly pessimistic? Perhaps it is. But consider the long-standing popularity of P.T. Barnum’s observation that “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Ponder also the durability of H.L. Mencken’s dictum that “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.” Perhaps these and many similar observations remain current because they are deeply rooted in reality. Remember, 50% of Americans are, by definition, below average in intelligence. And a sizable number of folks have little or no inclination to think deeply and effectively even when they have the ability to. Should you doubt that, just look at human behavior.
This line of reasoning stands in sharp contrast to the optimism commonly associated with schooling. Nevertheless, there is ample evidence to support such a pessimistic view. For instance, fifteen million people were killed and twenty two million wounded in World War I. Yet just nineteen years later homo sapiens (man the "thinker") got himself into WW II — a far worse slaughter.
Lack of Education or of Educability?
A great deal of trouble would be avoided if people thought more deeply and effectively about what they are doing and why they are doing it. But that sort of deep reflection is relatively uncommon. Is the failure to do so a consequence of poor schooling? Not very often, I suspect. The actual culprit is a widespread lack of basic capacity and/or inclination. Both insufficiencies are equally damaging. After all, in order for schooling to be a cure, much less a cure-all, the majority of humans must be capable of sufficient reason and understanding to be improved by that means. They also must also be willing.
Suppose this is not the case? Suppose a great many, perhaps a majority, lack one or both of these essentials? That they are uneducable in any deep and abiding sense. Is this overly pessimistic? Perhaps it is. But consider the long-standing popularity of P.T. Barnum’s observation that “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Ponder also the durability of H.L. Mencken’s dictum that “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.” Perhaps these and many similar observations remain current because they are deeply rooted in reality. Remember, 50% of Americans are, by definition, below average in intelligence. And a sizable number of folks have little or no inclination to think deeply and effectively even when they have the ability to. Should you doubt that, just look at human behavior.
This line of reasoning stands in sharp contrast to the optimism commonly associated with schooling. Nevertheless, there is ample evidence to support such a pessimistic view. For instance, fifteen million people were killed and twenty two million wounded in World War I. Yet just nineteen years later homo sapiens (man the "thinker") got himself into WW II — a far worse slaughter.
This ghastly tribute to human folly cost 60 million lives and loosed hellish suffering on many, many more. Does this sound like the behavior of a species that is educable, i.e. “capable of being improved in ways that depend on reason and understanding?” Even in this thermo-nuclear age we humans continue to divide ourselves into pseudo-species and carefully nurture distrust and hatred toward one another even though mutual annihilation now hovers over us all.
Oblivious to the Truth
Homo Sapiens displays a peculiar reluctance and/or inability, to employ reason and understanding even when the truth is urgent and readily accessible. The Harris Poll reports, for instance, that, despite the fact that absolutely no weapons of mass destruction were ever found in Iraq, the belief that Saddam possessed such weapons actually increased after the war was over and the evidence in.
That’s right! Despite massive and widely publicized evidence to the contrary, the number of Americans who thought that Iraq possessed such weapons actually increased after Operation “Enduring Freedom” was over, despite conclusive evidence to the contrary. As a matter of fact, in February of 2005 only 36% of Americans polled thought Iraq was so armed; but in July of 2006 fully 50% believed they were. Does that sound like a conviction that grew out of reason and understanding?
To be fair, those who changed their mind about those weapons of mass destruction might have done so out of an unconscious desire to rationalize their own original enthusiasm for the war and/or to justify the tremendous costs it generated. In short, what seems to be evidence of public credulity might just be people being human, all to human. But that still leaves us wondering why the species is so very eager to cling to the mindless tribalism, hatred and the organized murder we call warfare? Is that evidence of Homo sapiens' educability?
Campaign Appeals
On a less global scale one can also profitably consider the success of political campaign strategies that are based on the principle that many people are easily fooled. In Pennsylvania, for example Senator Rick Santorum cut down challenger Bob Casey’s very substantial lead by means of a $3.5 million TV ad blitz that repeatedly referred to Casey as “Bobby,” in order to make him seem juvenile and inconsequential. Casey countered with an equally unsophisticated attack ad. The plain truth of the matter is that ads like this work and work well. Does that suggest there is a great deal of deep thought going on out there?
Of course, political propagandists know how to play on emotions such as fear of the unknown, the alien and the complex. Moreover, the simplicity they offer is beguilingly attractive to a public that has to reach conclusions based on imperfect information and deliberate disinformation. Maybe that, rather than widespread intellectual ineffectiveness, is why the general public remains so exploitable and so oblivious to many urgently important issues. Let’s hope so. But, personally, I doubt it.
The Media
Evidence of a widespread lack of educability is not confined to the repetitive insanity of war, assaults on the environment, or crass political chicanery. Consider, the quality of the media. More specifically, let’s consider infomercials or “paid programming.” Multiplied millions of dollars are spent buying TV time to peddle bogus nostrums, physical or spiritual, and many, many more millions in profits are realized in consequence. Psychic hotlines generate fortunes for their bogus operators even though they have nothing but hot air to sell. Omega 3 fish oil is successfully huckstered as a cure for an impossible range of maladies, especially cognitive decline. And tens of thousands of viewers have been convinced that purging their bowels will have the same beneficial effects on their body that emptying a full sweeper bag accomplished for a clogged Electrolux.
Also consider how dozens of film flam televangelists of dubious background and baser motives, repeatedly and successfully con the public by means of such obvious scams as selling them tiny packets of “miracle spring water” that cures all maladies, physical or spiritual. Or “prosperity prayer cloths” that allegedly convey magical money raising powers. “Pastor, right after I got that prayer cloth a thousand dollars mysteriously appeared in my bank account. Praise God!”
The fact is there is a small army of "prosperity pastors” convincing tens of thousands of financially desperate people that giving generously of what little they have — to the pastor, of course— will not only eliminate their financial woes, but prompt a ten-fold return on their “offering.” One oily, but particularly persuasive, televangelists who lives in a multi-million dollar California beach front mansion and flies to world-renown resorts in his private jet, recently wheedled still more millions of dollars out of the faithful so he could buy an even bigger jet! Let’s pump this sacerdotal bunko artist full of truth serum then ask him about the educability of the average American. Can you guess what he would say? "There's one born every minute."
Ponder also the generally appalling quality of media programming in general. TV, for instance, is still the same cultural wilderness it was way back in 1961 when FCC Chairman Newton Minnow invited us to:
“…sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit and-loss sheet or rating book to distract you--and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, violence, audience-participation shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western badmen, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence and cartoons. And, endlessly, commercials--many screaming, cajoling and offending. And most of all, boredom.”
Newton was right on target until he got to that very last sentence. Since TV bored him, he concluded that the broad masses must also be bored. But Minnow failed to consider that these "boring" shows remain on the air by virtue of their ratings. TV content is a function of the public tuning in or tuning out. Hence the generally mindless quality of TV programming is an indirect index of widespread public preference for drivel. Network executives long ago learned that they pan the most gold by designing a preponderance of their shows for people of limited capacity and less sophistication — i.e. the general public.
Radio programming is similar. For instance, what kind of music do the masses tune to? Well here in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, home to almost 6 million people, it sure isn't classical music. Years ago the one commercial station that played it switched to soft rock. Philadelphians can listen to hip-hop, dance, country, soft rock, hard rock, pop/rock, stupidly one-sided right wing “talk” shows and endless gassing about sports, but the likes of Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn are out so far as commercial radio is concerned. Why? Because the broad masses weren’t tuning in. Evidently they prefer drivel like rap, with its melody and harmony free, but basely vulgar, doggerel verse. Even greater desolation exists in the hinterlands where semi-literate pastors read God’s mind for the masses while country music grinds on endlessly in cacophonous concert. That is nearly all there is in the heartland.
Ponder also the generally appalling quality of media programming in general. TV, for instance, is still the same cultural wilderness it was way back in 1961 when FCC Chairman Newton Minnow invited us to:
“…sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit and-loss sheet or rating book to distract you--and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, violence, audience-participation shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western badmen, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence and cartoons. And, endlessly, commercials--many screaming, cajoling and offending. And most of all, boredom.”
Newton was right on target until he got to that very last sentence. Since TV bored him, he concluded that the broad masses must also be bored. But Minnow failed to consider that these "boring" shows remain on the air by virtue of their ratings. TV content is a function of the public tuning in or tuning out. Hence the generally mindless quality of TV programming is an indirect index of widespread public preference for drivel. Network executives long ago learned that they pan the most gold by designing a preponderance of their shows for people of limited capacity and less sophistication — i.e. the general public.
Radio programming is similar. For instance, what kind of music do the masses tune to? Well here in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, home to almost 6 million people, it sure isn't classical music. Years ago the one commercial station that played it switched to soft rock. Philadelphians can listen to hip-hop, dance, country, soft rock, hard rock, pop/rock, stupidly one-sided right wing “talk” shows and endless gassing about sports, but the likes of Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn are out so far as commercial radio is concerned. Why? Because the broad masses weren’t tuning in. Evidently they prefer drivel like rap, with its melody and harmony free, but basely vulgar, doggerel verse. Even greater desolation exists in the hinterlands where semi-literate pastors read God’s mind for the masses while country music grinds on endlessly in cacophonous concert. That is nearly all there is in the heartland.
To be fair, no one knows for sure how many people are deeply disgusted with this media garbage. But American schooling helps little here. It is woefully inadequate when it comes to the arts and the discernment they can develop. And it shies completely away from anything that might help kids see through bogus divines. As a matter of fact, by the time budget cuts slash “frills” from the curriculum, high stakes testing takes far more than its share off time, and the self-appointed censors finish off anything that might trigger thought, the curriculum is a cultural wasteland par excellence. Perhaps, then, we should beware of blaming the victim. Some Americans are clearly educable. But our schools shy away from trying to develop it. It's politically dangerous.
Of course, we also have to consider the quality of social media content. Here are a few examples: A Jewish space laser was employed to set those disastrous California brush fires. Contrails from high flying planes are spraying people with harmful chemicals. Fluoride added to drinking water, toothpaste and mouthwash are attempts to poison our bodily fluids. Ancient aliens influenced the development of contemporary culture. Donald Trump won the 2020 Presidential election. The earth is actually flat. Specific crystals possess magical healing properties, Vaccines cause autism, The moon landing was a hoax. Shape shifting reptilian aliens control the world. The positioning of celestial bodies influences personal traits and life events. Wi-fi signals cause significant health issues. And so it goes, on and on.
Conclusion
I've saved the best for last. What about our destruction of the very environment that sustains us? With happy oblivion we are rapidly destroying the basis of our species very existence. It might well turn out that homo sapiens, “man the thinker,” will ultimately prove too dumb to live.There is no need to extend these considerations. The evidence is plain. There is an abundance evidence of widespread vulnerability, gullibility, wishful thinking and willful ignorance among humanity's broad masses. What shall we make of this? Is it evidence of a deeper, fundamental immunity to everything that depends on reason and understanding? Or is it the consequence of a species in which innate stupidity, wishful thinking and "faith" ultimately triumphs? You decide.
