The Problem with Dumbing People Down

     Education is always important. It is the social and mental "tip of the spear" leading the people's charge into the future of the nation. The quality of an education system can make or break a nation's ability to progress or even survive over time.

     Unfortunately, much of our education system across the nation is underfunded, poorly managed, and dumbed down, especially in low income and marginalized communities with high minority populations. 

Since there is such a focus on oppression in America in today's social and political dialogue (and rightly so, because there is a lot of it in a lot of places here) one of the primary factors of society that keeps minority groups under the yoke of poverty and trapped in disadvantaged socioeconomic positions is poor education systems and the systematic dumbing down of those communities, whether intentional or not. 

      Dumbing down a population and turning the population into something akin to sheep or cattle may have some power and control advantages for an authority or powers-that-be in the short and moderate term, but in the long term it sabotages the future of a nation and even the world. 

     A nation where the majority of people are poorly educated and have low degrees of mental liberty and creativity is a recipe for degradation and potential social and political crises as time goes on. 

      People can't make appropriate decisions and respond reasonably and accurately if they haven't been adequately educated on critical thought, reason, and analytical thinking to the best of the ability of that individual.

Responding to things like Covid-19 or other crises requires a level of coherency and cooperation that comes with a majority of the population being appropriately educated, which America seems to be struggling with. 

Poor education leads to poor responses to crises and adversity.

     Another problem is the erosion of public trust in the government and sectors of society like healthcare or law enforcement. When these institutions abuse their power, public trust is compromised and people lose willingness to cooperate or place their faith in them. Loss of public trust effects all types of people of all education levels.

    Poor quality education is a telltale symptom of social and political decay and is a sign of oppression that is both a matter-of-fact as well as state-sanctioned. Dumbing people down may make people easier to herd and manage in some ways, but in other ways it increases crime and violence in impoverished communities. 

This might be another one of those quasi-intentional consequences of dumbed down education, as violent, crime-ridden neighborhoods and cities end up pretty much oppressing themselves. Another tragic product of the long-term consequences of historical prejudice and racism that has become hardwired into some of those communities.

     Now I am an optimist in a respect when it comes to education. The fields of knowledge and the types of education are as diverse as existence is. In a truly free and dynamic economy, usefulness and productive activities that reap financial gain for an individual can be found in a diverse array of fields and interests for all levels of intelligence and skill. You can find use for anyone in a society that is actually free. 

First off, I don't think anybody is truly "stupid." Stupid is just a generalizing label. An insult so overused it's lost its meaning.

I think 95% of humanity is capable of moderate levels to more advanced levels of thinking. I just think many people get "dumbed down" and mentally oppressed more often than we would like to admit here.

Anybody can be good at something. Anybody can develop a skill, which means anybody can have utility, which means everybody has economic value aside from their intrinsic value as a sentient conscious organism.

      I believe their are far more advantages socially, economically, culturally, and politically over the long term for any nation when you "smarten up" the people, so to speak, rather than dumb them down. A society where the majority of people of all races and religions and groups are good thinkers, hard workers, responsible citizens, caring neighbors, and useful and skilled in a multitude of ways is a society with almost limitless potential. It is far more advanced than a nation of sheep and cattle. Far more advanced than a nation dumbed down.