Wednesday, October 29, 2008

George Monbiot: How These Gibbering Numbskulls Came to Dominate Washington

"How was it allowed to happen? How did politics in the US come to be dominated by people who make a virtue out of ignorance? Was it charity that has permitted mankind's closest living relative to spend two terms as president? How did Sarah Palin, Dan Quayle and other such gibbering numbskulls get to where they are? How could Republican rallies in 2008 be drowned out by screaming ignoramuses insisting that Barack Obama was a Muslim and a terrorist?

Like most people on my side of the Atlantic, I have for many years been mystified by American politics. The US has the world's best universities and attracts the world's finest minds. It dominates discoveries in science and medicine. Its wealth and power depend on the application of knowledge. Yet, uniquely among the developed nations (with the possible exception of Australia), learning is a grave political disadvantage."
Read the rest of this excellent article here here.

5 comments:

Dade Cariaga said...

Excellent article! My friend Dave Hauth and I had a conversation a while back along similar lines. Dave said, "In America, it seems like people say 'Hey! There's a smart person! Let's go make fun of him!'"

Religious fundamentalism really is the opiate of the masses. (And we all know who said that!)

Heather Ann said...

Sad, sad, sad truth you put your finger on Ridwan.

Ridwan said...

Dade and Heather Ann thank you kindly for your comments.

I really do hope that there is a way to break the stranglehold of infotainment that is fed to the masses ... a vibrant democracy needs critically aware citizens.

But then I am preaching to the choir hey :0)

Peace to you both,
Ridwan

Professor Zero said...

Great article... and I don't know what to do about it. Honestly.

Ridwan said...

Thanks kindly for your comment PZ.

At times in my classroom I felt I was making a small contribution.

Then the next term began and new waves ... I absolutely hear you.

Peace,
Ridwan