With the increase in anti-intellectualism, belief in things like creationism and the popularity of ultra-stupid reality shows, the dumbing of America continues unabated. The less you know the more malleable we become to those who want to control us. This helps explain how [UD's obligatory anti-Bush comment] Bush became President.
Reservations of an Airline Agent
I work in a central reservation office of an airline. After more than 130,000 conversations — all ending with “Have a nice day and thanks for calling” — I think it’s fair to say that I’m a survivor.
I’ve made it through all the calls from adults who didn’t know the difference between a.m. and p.m., from mothers of military recruits who didn’t trust their little soldiers to get it right, from the woman who called to get advice on how to handle her teenage daughter, from the man who wanted to ride inside the kennel with his dog so he wouldn’t have to pay for a seat, from the woman who wanted to know why she had to change clothes on our flight between Chicago and Washington (she was told she’d have to make a change between the two cities) and from the man who asked if I’d like to discuss the existential humanism that emanates from the soul of Habeeb.
In five years, I’ve received more than a boot camp education regarding the astonishing lack of awareness of our American citizenry. This lack of awareness encompasses every region of the country, economic status, ethnic background, and level of education. My battles have included everything from a man not knowing how to spell the name of the town he was from, to another not recognizing the name as “Iowa” as being a state, to another who thought he had to apply for a foreign passport to fly to West Virginia. They are the enemy and they are everywhere.
In the history of the world there has never been as much communication and new things to learn as today. Yet, after I asked a woman from New York what city she wanted to go to in Arizona, she asked, “Oh… is it a big place?”
To be fair, if they didn’t know the difference between AM and PM they were probably just European (where for the most part they use a 24 hour clock like sensible people) not idiots.
No I didn’t miss the point of the article I realize people are stupid, its just kind of funny because maybe this guy isn’t really quite as smart as he gives himself credit for.
Creationism and ID are not synonymous. Get over it! Many SMART people have a problem with the idea of something coming from nothing. IDers are NOT young earth creationists. Stop painting them with the same brush. YECs have attempted to use ID to leverage their tripe into schools… thus Dover. Are we not above smear tactics here? Oh, wait. Forgot where I was.
I mean this doesn’t only apply to airline registration, but to all kind of customer service, and even more to technical service side of things.
I’m now in my 30th month of call center technical support, and I think I’ve seen quite a lot. I will not say everything because there’s always some idiot who will astonish you!
#40 – Thanks man…
#36 – Of course genetics don’t work that way… But stupid does… Generally, if dumb people begat metric tons of babies, and raise them in Dumbland, the majority of them will be dumb.
I escaped Dumbland… but looking back I can see so many of my fallen comrades who were left behind.
Stupid Sam, Dumb Debbie, Idiotic Ike, and Fucktard Frannie were all friends of mine… and every day I think of them sitting on their makeshift porch of Wal Mart freight skids behind the trailer, drinking Mad Dog, bitching about how the goddamn Dem’crats are trying to steal their guns… and I shed a tear for their dumb asses.
the funny thing about the the so-called “intellectual elite” is that they can only be considered elite because the number of people willing to put in the hard word to acquire a good education are dwindling.
it’s much easier to just listen to a pastor assure you that there’s only one book you need to read, and that you don’t really even need to read it, just listen to the pastor.
…you are getting sleepy…
the funny thing about the the so-called “intellectual elite” is that they can only be considered elite because the number of americans willing to put in the hard word to acquire a good education are dwindling.
it’s much easier to just listen to a pastor assure you that there’s only one book you need to read, and that you don’t really even need to read it, just listen to the pastor.
…you are getting sleepy…
This was said over a decade ago in The Bell Curve, but the authors were bashed because of a chapter on race and IQ.
#42 – Yes they are, and to deny that is a lie. It’s a bold faced cowardly lie.
ID is creationism and its a an intelectually dishonest attempt by the Christian Right to force open the back door of the school and begin sneaking in religious dogma.
ID / creationism is a prong in a coordinated plan to drive America toward theocracy.
Period.
End of story.
Actually, OFTLO, that’s not quite correct.
All creationists are IDs, yes – but not all IDs are *necessarily* creationists. (I suppose I actually could see an argument where creationism isn’t the result of ID… perhaps UD? Flying spaghetti monsters? Still, it’s a stretch.) You could conceive of an intelligent design through evolution. (After all, isn’t that basically what programming is?)
Statistically speaking, though, you’re probably right. I’m just sayin’.
ID/Creationists are the servants in the parable of The Talents (Gospel of Luke 19:12-27) that took their intellectual talent and buried it, accepting only scripture and not thinking for themselves.
They also remind me of the Pharisees who think like lawyers instead of understanding the true mysteries of faith.
In every generation, those who claim to be most “orthodox” are the ones who miss the point and the ones who challenge them are persecuted, some even crucified.
#42, rectagon;
“Many SMART people have a problem with the idea of something coming from nothing.
Most SMART people don’t have a problem understanding that evolution doesn’t say something came from nothing.
You’re confusing evolution with how the Big Bang Theory is commonly misconstrued to work.
#51 you’re confusing ID/Creationists with someone who has the brainpower to understand more than one ideology.
Some of my personal favorites that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing:
-Puerto Ricans aren’t illegal?
-We should stop eating tuna cause dolphins are mammals and are smart.
-There’s a state between Texas and Arizona? Isn’t New Mexico in Mexico?
- I.Q. being referred to as a standard unchanging measure of intelligence instead of a numerical quotient based upon a set of data that can and does change.
#51 – “You’re confusing evolution with how the Big Bang Theory is commonly misconstrued to work.”
Yes, it is more complex than that. But in the end it isn’t much difference than the, “the Earth sits on the back of the turtle, NO the turtle isn’t floating, it’s standing on the elephants back” and on and on. Contortionist thinking to the nth degree.
#49 – Statistically speaking, though, you’re probably right. I’m just sayin’.
I cannot deny that you are right… But statistically… politically… I am nothing but right on this issue.
I suppose there is some guy who things aliens started life here as an experiment. Technically, he’s promoting an argument that might be described at “intelligent design”. But he’s not promoting an argument to subvert our public schools to make them into religious indoctrination centers… Like the fundy freak creationists are…
And make no mistake… If, in fact, ID used to mean something else (as un-credible as any ID theory most certainly must be), it has been co-opted by the Religious Right’s Special Loonbat Axillary to mean creationist.
Within the context of this very unfortunate cultural debate we are being forced by these people to endure, ID and creationist are, and always will be from now on, the same thing.
Any of you ID people who have some non-Biblical intelligent design theory you wish to promote, I suggest you think of a new name. Because ID now means God, Jesus, Adam, Eve, some BS about an apple, and 6000 years. Idiots stole your name and they ain’t givin’ it back.
This is a worldwide phenoimenon. Not US exclusive, although disturbing to hear/see it happening there.
Mama always said:
Stupid is as Stupid does…..
If Morons end up running the earth, it’s because the “smart” people weren’t smart.
#57 the sons of the smart guys of old became useless spoiled brats. That’s what happened to smart people
Good archival material for snopes
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