I just read a really good commentary section on Slashdot. It was filled with things that are wrong with the US right now. The immediately relevant topic was education and the environment of hostility towards intellect. There were comparisons to the Japanese competition scare of the 80's and 90's that prompted a comparison of populations. W and past and current foreign policy made an appearance as well. There were a lot of comments that were spot on.
But the one that concerned me the most was our culture of ignorance. That we have things like W as president and Christian fundamentalists pushing creationism into schools isn't the source of our problems (although they are huge sources of contemporary problems). No, it's that Americans don't like smart people. And that Americans prize athleticism above academics (oh the hypocrisy that we are a nation of lardasses). I think this produces idiotic things like conservatives vs liberals (in other words, people who can't think and rely on labels) and politicians latching onto easily grasped issues like video game nudity.
It would serve us right if China overcame the US, but in the end I don't think it'll happen. If anything, the US will defeat itself.
3 comments:
I agree that our nation is in a bad place right now. The biggest problem is our governmental leadership and its backers. The current government in this country seems to believe that it is right no matter what the facts show. I hate the fact that we have the arrogance to push our beliefs (or the beliefs of some of us) and way of life on anyone that doesnt line up with us. I honestly think it stems from all of the holier than thou voters that elected our mostly white male christian government in order to push their monochromatic view. Until our country learns the concept of tolerance and humanity, it will continue projecting itself as a second-rate country trying to play the first-rate nations. Am I too cynical and/or dramatic? :O)
Haha, I wouldn't say too cynical or dramatic... But I didn't expect you to say that. One thing I will say for Bush is that he seems to put an effort into racially diversifying his cabinet and probably the government. Personally, I believe in having a meritocracy, so having a racially diverse cabinet doesn't mean crap if they're all still rabidly loyal yes-men (and women).
I really didn't think it was the "holier than thou" voters that put him there. I thought they certainly helped, but I previously had the view that "there can't be that many of them, right?" But the facts seem to be pointing the other way. There's nothing wrong with being religious, but as you say, it's about tolerance and humanity.
Wanna come to Taiwan?
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