Comments on: Is the US media making Americans stupid? http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/ International Insights and Analysis Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:04:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: The uneasy relationship between media and religion | The Daily Clarity http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-5049 The uneasy relationship between media and religion | The Daily Clarity Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:03:11 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-5049 [...] US is poorly served in this capacity, as we have reported before, but this is not a problem confined to the Americas, it is a global issue. It is also an [...] [...] US is poorly served in this capacity, as we have reported before, but this is not a problem confined to the Americas, it is a global issue. It is also an [...]

]]> By: Religion and the media - conjoined twins http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-1331 Religion and the media - conjoined twins Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:09:15 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-1331 [...] US is poorly served in this capacity, as we have reported  before, but this is not a problem confined to the Americas, it is a global issue. It is also an [...] [...] US is poorly served in this capacity, as we have reported  before, but this is not a problem confined to the Americas, it is a global issue. It is also an [...]

]]> By: William Hone, Jr http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-803 William Hone, Jr Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:52:41 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-803 The US media is but a part of the larger socio-economic structure of American business. Look, you know it's a culture of greed and corruption when one of the nation's largest book store chains publishes the website Sparknotes which flogs potted study guides. Currently the philosophy section of this website website zeroes in on 5 Dangerous Minds. Here's the scoop on philosopher #1, Socrates the Questioner. "A poor stonemason, Socrates (469–399 bce) spent his free time wandering around Athens asking questions like How do you know whether something is true or false? and Why do you live the kind of life you do? Socrates’ questions inspired others—including a burly young wrestler named Plato—to follow him around and ask him questions. And so philosophy was born...." Any questions? The US media is but a part of the larger socio-economic structure of American business. Look, you know it’s a culture of greed and corruption when one of the nation’s largest book store chains publishes the website Sparknotes which flogs potted study guides.

Currently the philosophy section of this website website zeroes in on 5 Dangerous Minds. Here’s the scoop on philosopher #1, Socrates the Questioner.

“A poor stonemason, Socrates (469–399 bce) spent his free time wandering around Athens asking questions like How do you know whether something is true or false? and Why do you live the kind of life you do? Socrates’ questions inspired others—including a burly young wrestler named Plato—to follow him around and ask him questions. And so philosophy was born….”

Any questions?

]]> By: the nutshell paragraph » Blog Archive » Your newborn child, by Gucci http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-784 the nutshell paragraph » Blog Archive » Your newborn child, by Gucci Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:19:28 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-784 [...] Foggy News America’s list of stupid mistakes has grown frighteningly long. Why? Americans aren’t dumber than people anywhere else. So to what do we owe this collective dumbness? For answers, tune in to the news… [...] [...] Foggy News America’s list of stupid mistakes has grown frighteningly long. Why? Americans aren’t dumber than people anywhere else. So to what do we owe this collective dumbness? For answers, tune in to the news… [...]

]]> By: stuart http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-778 stuart Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:38:13 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-778 <em>"Actually, the word “media” is the plural form of “medium”. The correct title of your article should be “Are the US media making Americans stupid?” — an American"</em> Maybe, maybe not The distinction between mass and count nouns is based on the nature of objects--- For instance, any part of a pile of sand is still sand, but the parts of a dog are not a dog. Mass nouns do not always refer to substances. "Furniture" is a mass noun because whenever you have furniture, any part of that furniture is still furniture. The same goes for "Information" and other abstract masses. Most people use "media" as a mass noun, meaning that any part of the media is still media. Its usage is like that of the word "press," referring to the somewhat abstract body of journalists. It has nothing to do with conglomeration or anything like that. Mass nouns are grammatically singular, but semantically they are neither singular nor plural. Grammatical number is not equivalent to inherent number, as evidenced by the grammatically correct though stylistically unacceptable "singular 'they'." Those who say "the media are" view the media as a kind of count noun. However, they are confusing the count word "medium" and its plural "media", which refers to modes of communication, with the mass noun "media" which refers to the press. “Actually, the word “media” is the plural form of “medium”. The correct title of your article should be “Are the US media making Americans stupid?” — an American”

Maybe, maybe not

The distinction between mass and count nouns is based on the nature of objects— For instance, any part of a pile of sand is still sand, but the parts of a dog are not a dog.

Mass nouns do not always refer to substances. “Furniture” is a mass noun because whenever you have furniture, any part of that furniture is still furniture. The same goes for “Information” and other abstract masses.

Most people use “media” as a mass noun, meaning that any part of the media is still media. Its usage is like that of the word “press,” referring to the somewhat abstract body of journalists. It has nothing to do with conglomeration or anything like that.

Mass nouns are grammatically singular, but semantically they are neither singular nor plural. Grammatical number is not equivalent to inherent number, as evidenced by the grammatically correct though stylistically unacceptable “singular ‘they’.”

Those who say “the media are” view the media as a kind of count noun. However, they are confusing the count word “medium” and its plural “media”, which refers to modes of communication, with the mass noun “media” which refers to the press.

]]> By: Adult programmes on TV http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-465 Adult programmes on TV Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:53:47 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-465 Well yes and no. Yes, because US TV is mindless and not at all thought provoking. Yes because it's lowest common demominator...no, because it's not *making* you watch it at all. Stop watching, turn it off dammit. That's all, rant over. Well yes and no. Yes, because US TV is mindless and not at all thought provoking. Yes because it’s lowest common demominator…no, because it’s not *making* you watch it at all. Stop watching, turn it off dammit.

That’s all, rant over.

]]> By: hk http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-462 hk Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:54:50 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-462 When I've watched US news channels, I'm always struck by the sheer amount of information on screen. There'll be the talking head, then at least one ticker down the bottom - sometimes two, and I've actually seen three! It's incomprehensible. I wonder what superhuman visual processing supercomputer these shows are aimed at? I found them so distracting as to be unwatchable. How can anyone possibly pay close attention to anything at all while their brain is blasted by this firehose of useless data? It's amazing anyone in the US watches the news at all. * I don't have much experience with US news beyond "airport/hotel channel"... maybe it's just them. When I’ve watched US news channels, I’m always struck by the sheer amount of information on screen. There’ll be the talking head, then at least one ticker down the bottom – sometimes two, and I’ve actually seen three! It’s incomprehensible. I wonder what superhuman visual processing supercomputer these shows are aimed at? I found them so distracting as to be unwatchable.

How can anyone possibly pay close attention to anything at all while their brain is blasted by this firehose of useless data? It’s amazing anyone in the US watches the news at all.

* I don’t have much experience with US news beyond “airport/hotel channel”… maybe it’s just them.

]]> By: Jeanne http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-454 Jeanne Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:19:37 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-454 Actually, the word "media" is the plural form of "medium". The correct title of your article should be "Are the US media making Americans stupid?" -- an American Actually, the word “media” is the plural form of “medium”. The correct title of your article should be “Are the US media making Americans stupid?” — an American

]]> By: James http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-451 James Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:41:40 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-451 While I am a fan some degree of both Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin, I have never mistaken either of them for a news source. But the reference is valid in that commentary and reporting is commonly confused primarily because the media chooses to blend them. A casual review of the history of the media reveals that this is not a recent development. The supposed "Adherence to a fundamentalist religious agenda" is nothing new either. I have seen nothing to suggest that "fundamentalist" thought has any more influence now than at any other point in our history. If anything, it's influence has declined. What has increased is the confusion of fundamentalism with mainstream Christianity. "Fundamentalist" has become a pejorative term commonly used to in an attempt to silence Christians. Are you now or have you ever been a fundamentalist? You are spot on concerning education quality. It is the rule that high school grads are generally cultural illiterates. Some minimal awareness of history, math, science and literature was expected of high school grads just a few decades ago. Now it is common to encounter young adults who cannot even make change. It is easy to assert that this is the result of "underfunding". But a review of spending levels per student, state to state does not support funding levels as being a probable causal variable. The problem must lie elsewhere. -my 2.435 cents worth. While I am a fan some degree of both Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin, I have never mistaken either of them for a news source. But the reference is valid in that commentary and reporting is commonly confused primarily because the media chooses to blend them. A casual review of the history of the media reveals that this is not a recent development.
The supposed “Adherence to a fundamentalist religious agenda” is nothing new either. I have seen nothing to suggest that “fundamentalist” thought has any more influence now than at any other point in our history. If anything, it’s influence has declined. What has increased is the confusion of fundamentalism with mainstream Christianity.
“Fundamentalist” has become a pejorative term commonly used to in an attempt to silence Christians. Are you now or have you ever been a fundamentalist?
You are spot on concerning education quality. It is the rule that high school grads are generally cultural illiterates. Some minimal awareness of history, math, science and literature was expected of high school grads just a few decades ago. Now it is common to encounter young adults who cannot even make change. It is easy to assert that this is the result of “underfunding”. But a review of spending levels per student, state to state does not support funding levels as being a probable causal variable. The problem must lie elsewhere.
-my 2.435 cents worth.

]]> By: doug http://mydailyclarity.com/2009/01/is-the-us-media-making-americans-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-450 doug Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:55:46 +0000 http://mydailyclarity.com/?p=1885#comment-450 "There is no state run, advertisement free network such as the BBC in Britain [in the US]" ... uhhh, PBS? “There is no state run, advertisement free network such as the BBC in Britain [in the US]”

…

uhhh, PBS?

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