Elsa Barthel Mr. Campbell AP Language and Composition 3 March 2024 Synthesis Term Paper What if someone told you that they think your children- born, unborn, doesn’t matter- are 100% stupid because they’re part of a ‘dumb generation’? Such a remark is so sweeping and inconsiderate that it almost seems untrue. Nonetheless, Mark Bauerlin made such a statement; he claims that those under thirty are “the dumbest generation” because of their lack of ‘in-the-know-ness’. However, Bauerlin fails to recognize that today’s youth are more capable than past generations, and they’re using the multitudes of resources at their hands to develop new forms of intelligence at rates never before seen. Mark Bauerlin claims knowledge and intellectual habits have …show more content…
He backs this with a 2007 Pew research survey on ‘What Americans Know’: “56 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds possessed low knowledge levels, while only 22 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds did” (167). Bauerlin’s evidence is overly numeric to the point of confusion, a tactic known as the Snow Job fallacy, where the author attempts to confuse their audience into belief. Bauerlin uses numerical evidence to overwhelm his audience into agreeing with him. Once they take a closer look, they’ll see his statistics are lacking: the idea that youth possess ‘low knowledge levels’ is not a substantive statement because the audience doesn’t know what constitutes ‘low knowledge’. Therefore, his evidence is insufficient to label a whole generation as dumb. Unlike Bauerlin’s definition of intelligence, Begley’s definition leaves room for an evolved and deep insight into intellect. Begley describes intelligence as ‘the ability to think critically and logically, to analyze an argument, to learn and remember’ and qualifies this statement with the fact that since the 1930s, IQ scores have been rising on average …show more content…
Only through video games can one rerun the same situation and figure out the intimate details of the program progress. Tech has allowed for the evolution of skills that were not available to previous generations. These ideas were not seen in the world before the development of this kind of tech, meaning young people are developing problem-solving skills at faster rates than their grandparents were able to. Although technology has provided opportunities for new ways of learning, researchers still maintain concerns about general intelligence. R. Smith Simpson of the U.S. government’s Foreign Service Journal found “abysmal ignorance of so elementary a subject as the geography of the United States” among U.S. youth (Simpson, 1962). However valid Simpson’s concerns may be, the study he conducted was done 62 years ago. Those who accuse today’s youth of being ‘the dumbest generation’ were once condemned for the same issue. However, these accusations in today’s generation are sorely lacking in understanding the multitude of ways in which youth may consume and express information in ways that previous generations could
The author claims that the working of a human brain is deeply affected by the technological advances of the current age. Closely administered behavior of Digital Natives reveals that they have sharper cognitive skills as compared to the Digital Immigrants of the previous generation. She begins by quoting Palfrey and Gasser as her counter-argument, who acknowledge the difference between the current and previous generations, thus: “These kids are different. They study, work, write and interact with each other in ways that are very different from the ways that you di...
In “Hidden Intellectualism,” Gerald Graff pens an impressive argument wrought from personal experience, wisdom and heart. In his essay, Graff argues that street smarts have intellectual potential. A simple gem of wisdom, yet one that remains hidden beneath a sea of academic tradition. However, Graff navigates the reader through this ponderous sea with near perfection.
“The Dumbest Generation” is a title no group of people want to behold. Nonetheless, people under age thirty have been given this belittling title. To those who go off questions about obsolete general knowledge rather than the ability to take in and evaluate knowledge, this title may seem quite fitting. However, Millennials aren’t quite as dull as they’ve been perceived to be. The ability of Millennials to absorb information, rather than know general facts, and their use of contemporary technology as reading and writing resources has proven that they are quite an innovative and bright generation.
In “Cultural Illiteracy,” a preface to the novel The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein critically evaluates how technological distractions affect the younger generation. Bauerlein states that “digital diversions” are cutting the younger generation off from culturally enhancing mediums and is in turn making the younger generation less intelligent. Though Bauerlein is correct about the increase of peer pressure due to technology, he is mistaken about how technology is making the younger generation unintelligent.
Has the modernization of the twentieth century made us smarter or has it hindered our brains to think in 140 characters or less? In the article, “Brain Candy”, Steven Johnson argues that the “steady upward trajectory” in global I.Q scores is due to what we thought was making us dumber: popular culture. However, this romantic critic is too rooted in his technology- age ideology. While Johnson claims that everything bad is good for us, family themed-programing is being replaced by fabricated reality television shows and channels specialized in selling, video games are hindering our reading and writing skills, and books are becoming things of the past. Johnson insists that popular culture is making us smarter, but is stupid the new smart?
It is often believed that children are better off spending more time reading books and less time zoning out in front of their video games. People claim that video games sanction and promote aggression and violent responses to conflict; and that most games are an immense waste of time. Steven Johnson, the author of “Why Games Are Good for You,” appreciates the virtues of reading books, but argues that playing video games may not be a complete waste of time. His purpose for writing this essay is to explain the impact of cybertechnology on human perception and communication, in which he defends the value of computer games. In his essay, Johnson fluctuates between the pros and cons of reading versus gaming to appeal to skeptics who believe video
Graff begins by talking about the educational system, and why it flawed in many ways, but in particular, one: Todays schools overlook the intellectual potential of street smart students, and how shaping lessons to work more readily with how people actually learn, we could develop into something capable of competing with the world. In schools, students are forced to recite and remember dull and subject heavy works in order to prepare them for the future, and for higher education. “We associate the educated life, the life of the mind, too narrowly and exclusively with subjects and texts that we consider inherently weighty and academic. We assume that it’s possible to wax intellectual about Plato, Shakespeare, the French Revolution, and nuclear fission, but not about cars, dating, fashion, sports, TV, or video games.” (Graff, 198-199) In everyday life, students are able to learn and teach themselves something new everyday. It is those students, the “young person who is impressively “street smart” but does poorly in school” (Graff, 198), that we are sweeping away from education and forcing to seek life in places that are generally less successful than those who attend a college or university.
Ever since I became literate, literacy relied on as an important life skill to the point where I would challenge other kids to see who appeared smarter. But I've grown up to learn that obsessing over intelligence has not and will not make me any smarter. This relates similarly to one scholar, Cathleen Schine, who claims she is an illiterate to the world due to her poor choices of obsessing how smart she is, but she learned to control and outgrow the phase while she had the chance to in her article “I was A Teenage Illiterate”. Cathleen would carry intelligent and authentic books, but she only understood 10% of a classic novel and ended up developing into the 90% as she grew up (“I was a Teenage Illiterate”). This goes with the fact that as
Anti-Intellectusim: Why We Hate the Smart Kids, author Grant Penrod argues that intellectual kids are not respected in today’s society. Although he makes a valid argument with some good points, he bases his statements off of his high school experiences. In reality, the world is much different after high school. His idea of intellectual kids not being praised in society is false. This idea can be compared to the false idea that upper social classes are treated worse than middle and lower classes. Kids with high intellectual abilities are valued and can be compared to the upper social class with its access to many privileges.
Have you ever wondered if our generation is the dumbest? Well, there’s some evidence to prove so. Generation ‘Y’ is considered to be the dumbest generation of all. This is based on numerous experiments, polls, surveys, etc. While everything else in this world is rising, intellect of each generation is falling. With the ignorance of facts, by choice, and lack of some education, Generation ‘Y’ is considered to be the dumbest generation.
Dr. Bauerlein’s general argument during his speech is about how the younger generation have forgotten the classics and have been so absorbed into digital technology that it hinders them in their lives. He makes the age old saying “we didn’t have these when I was a kid” come to life. He talks about how young adults now do not appreciate literature the same way that he did when he was younger. He also explains that the digital age is messing up the intellect of the younger generation, making them dumber. I agree to an extent with his argument but mostly I do not agree.
Journal Entry 1 Over the course of this previous week, reflecting back on what I learned about jobs, intelligence, value, and mindsets, I believe the most important and interesting was about fixed and growth mindsets. After learning about true and successful intelligence, and what it really means to be smart, I've re-evaluated my previous learning and educational experiences and thought about what it really means to be intelligent. Thanks to the lectures given in class, they have really opened my eyes to the unknown about what school really does to young minds, and what we go through. One particular topic I remember was when my professor said how the education system is really setting us for the worst and how we're all “screwed”
Children today are not born with an umbilical cord, but a computer cord. Kids aren’t the way they use to be. How many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying this? Theories today believe that children form these generations are actually different, meaning their brains are different from when we were children. What can we do about it, or should we do anything at all? This paper will examine children today and the difference between the generations. Secondly, due to the difference in generations, the importance of maintaining social interaction, critical thinking and problem solving skills, which, are just as important as technical fluencies for the 21st century. In order to maintain the “humanity” skills, I will discuss the importance of Daily Physical Activity (DPA). Furthermore, the paper will also examine the importance of building a bridge between the digital divide. It is necessary to examine the educational system and the digital divide. Children are engulfed in a digital world and have different experiences and environment. How do we build a bridge between the technical fluencies and the humanity skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century?
Using technology for entertainment is an individualized activity, meaning that a child will not interact with his or her peers. It also creates story lines for kids to follow and reenact later, meaning that children exercise less cognitive and creative processing (Bickham, Lee & Vanderwater). Instead of thinking actively – which Clements claims is the key to making technology beneficial for youths, much of the entertainment that children absorb requires minimal and passive thinking
American educational philosopher John Dewey once said, “ Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” Education is the foundation of a permanent lifestyle. Parents should desire for their children to have educational stability to build upon. Any concerned parent should want nothing but the best for their child as they are well aware of the new forms of child entertainment. Since the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, children in the United States have become subject to a new type of entertainment: video gaming (Nickson, 2010). Video games have become a big part of the average American household. Parents have begun to wonder how video games are affecting their children’s lifestyles.