GenX, I attended a small (graduating class 105), exclusive neighborhood, rich kids’ college prep public high school. Many of my classmates went on to the Ivy Leagues. I spent my senior year in France, ‘90-‘91, at a typical high school, 1,000 kids/ grade, in the middle of Blue Collar, Nowhere Special, France.
I couldn’t keep up, not with the lowest math standards for the language majors (who took 3 foreign languages, + French & all the regular humanities), and I couldn’t keep up in my one single foreign language (Spanish) with the math & science majors, either 😡 What a blow to my pride! I had scored well on the ACT & SAT, and I had been taking advanced math at the local community college, but I wasn’t even a C student at a blue collar, nothing special French high school 😡 … Meanwhile, my German friend was excelling there at the French high school, in the French language, as a math & science major 😂 And he still had enough free time from his studying to hang out with me, the goof-off 😂
… In 2022-23, I took my middle three kids back home to America (from here in Japan) to buff up their English skills. The 6th grader ended up on the honor roll right away 😂, and he & his Korean friend got bumped up into advanced math 😂.
In Japan, my 4th grader had been at the bottom of her class in Math, but in America she immediately was at the top 😂 Wow, how her self-confidence shot up 😂 And idk if it’s related to self-esteem, or just coincidental, but nowadays she’s doing well enough in Math here in Japan.
Anyway, I do have a point to make. On average, Americans did better on the covid IQ test than the French & the Japanese did 🤔🤔🤔
That’s my point; school isn’t everything to the formation of moral character & critical thinking skills 🤔🤔🤔
And Americans are voting better (Trump) than the Europeans & Japanese, that’s for sure 🤔🤔🤔
Language is a powerful force. It is the only way we currently have to transfer thoughts from one person to another. Our educational system has failed to teach adequate language skills. We could argue all day over the reasons but would still be faced with the same problem. The original butt of the fine people at MIrriam-Webster lacked the skills to express their thoughts. Whether they lacked the vocabulary, were so bent on trying to make their point sound pseudo-technical, or were just stupid is an open question.
Language is being used to obfuscate rather than illuminate. It is used to try to make stupid ideas seem profound. It is used to show submission and affiliation.
There has been a concerted effort to change the meanings of words, change which words can be used, and prevent challenges to the approved narrative. Especially those ideas that cannot withstand critical analysis and logic on their own merits.
"Tolerance will reach such a level, that Intelligent people will be banned from thinking, so as not to offend the Imbeciles!" - Fyodor M Dostoevsky.
For other generational observations & wisdom, maybe refer to Mr G. Carlin.
Wellness & Unity - John D.
GenX, I attended a small (graduating class 105), exclusive neighborhood, rich kids’ college prep public high school. Many of my classmates went on to the Ivy Leagues. I spent my senior year in France, ‘90-‘91, at a typical high school, 1,000 kids/ grade, in the middle of Blue Collar, Nowhere Special, France.
I couldn’t keep up, not with the lowest math standards for the language majors (who took 3 foreign languages, + French & all the regular humanities), and I couldn’t keep up in my one single foreign language (Spanish) with the math & science majors, either 😡 What a blow to my pride! I had scored well on the ACT & SAT, and I had been taking advanced math at the local community college, but I wasn’t even a C student at a blue collar, nothing special French high school 😡 … Meanwhile, my German friend was excelling there at the French high school, in the French language, as a math & science major 😂 And he still had enough free time from his studying to hang out with me, the goof-off 😂
… In 2022-23, I took my middle three kids back home to America (from here in Japan) to buff up their English skills. The 6th grader ended up on the honor roll right away 😂, and he & his Korean friend got bumped up into advanced math 😂.
In Japan, my 4th grader had been at the bottom of her class in Math, but in America she immediately was at the top 😂 Wow, how her self-confidence shot up 😂 And idk if it’s related to self-esteem, or just coincidental, but nowadays she’s doing well enough in Math here in Japan.
Anyway, I do have a point to make. On average, Americans did better on the covid IQ test than the French & the Japanese did 🤔🤔🤔
That’s my point; school isn’t everything to the formation of moral character & critical thinking skills 🤔🤔🤔
And Americans are voting better (Trump) than the Europeans & Japanese, that’s for sure 🤔🤔🤔
Thank the Lord someone finally spoke up about this nonsense!
Likely related to this, education standards have fallen.
https://x.com/iwanttheproof/status/1943300719798317115?s=46
💯 and im glad I'm not the only one saying it!
Language is a powerful force. It is the only way we currently have to transfer thoughts from one person to another. Our educational system has failed to teach adequate language skills. We could argue all day over the reasons but would still be faced with the same problem. The original butt of the fine people at MIrriam-Webster lacked the skills to express their thoughts. Whether they lacked the vocabulary, were so bent on trying to make their point sound pseudo-technical, or were just stupid is an open question.
Language is being used to obfuscate rather than illuminate. It is used to try to make stupid ideas seem profound. It is used to show submission and affiliation.
There has been a concerted effort to change the meanings of words, change which words can be used, and prevent challenges to the approved narrative. Especially those ideas that cannot withstand critical analysis and logic on their own merits.
Hear , hear, this made me laugh, at the absurdity, yet it raises serious cultural issues .
Destroying the culture , either by design or default is a symptom of collapsing systems.
Caroline Myss says there are two main archetypes that have dominated our culture since the 1970’s.
That of Entitlement and Victimhood, such an interesting combination and so relevant to this discussion.
Excellent rant! It needs to be spread far and wide!