Dumbing Down Society

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Dumbing Down Society Are you ‘Dumbed Down’? Is ‘Dumbing Down’ a trend that will continue to increase and eventually lead to the weakening of the United States as a world power? In Grant Penrod’s article “Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids”, Penrod proclaims that anti-intellectualism exists and explains factors that contribute to the dumbing down trend. Penrod explains that social stereotypes, public examples, and obsession with wealth are contributing factors of the anti-intellectualism trend. Penrod further explains that the most troublesome concern is the effects that excluding intellects has on them. It is clear that society shuns intellectual individuals causing anguish within their lives creating a dumbing down culture, and this has devastating effects in the future progress; however, I believe the current youth value education and see it as an outline for their future. This trend will always be occurring and the factors contributing to this are unlimited and will never cease to stop growing. Stereotypes are general beliefs about a group of people. Stereotypes lead to social stigmas of “in groups” and “out groups”. This social stigma is very influential and holds a strong place among youth. Stereotyping leads to prejudice that results in personal and social damage. Penrod states that, “The idea of the ‘geek’ or ‘nerd’ of the class is a familiar one to most students, and it is not a pleasant one”. When one hears the reference of geek or nerd it is usually part of a joke or cruel comment. Penrod further explains, “… ‘nerds’ are excluded from social activity because of their label, and that label in turn intensifies through the resulting lack of social contact. The cycle seems unbreakable.” As it is human nature, to avoid the personal and social damage caused by being an intellectual, smaller numbers of people now value higher order

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