Amusing ourselves to death

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

No amount of education will ever prevent the people from being stupid.

The best attitude towards the grievances of the modern world is to shut up, stop worrying and get yourself bread and circuses to death. Enjoy, because the kind of period where every jimmy can have his fridge full does not last much, I would say an optimistic prediction for ours is two centuries before an imminent environmental collapse, bankruptucy or if the overwhelming idiocy of the masses finally leads us to a grievous situation.

[Ariovistus Maximus]

No amount of education will ever prevent the people from being stupid.

The best attitude towards the grievances of the modern world is to shut up, stop worrying and get yourself bread and circuses to death. Enjoy, because the kind of period where every jimmy can have his fridge full does not last much, I would say an optimistic prediction for ours is two centuries before an imminent environmental collapse, bankruptucy or if the overwhelming idiocy of the masses finally leads us to a grievous situation.

The essence of what I'm trying to point out here.

It's VERY obvious in our education system.

We could have the best materials and teachers in the WORLD, but it won't matter a jot if the students don't want to learn.

Best case they'll memorize the bare info to get through class. Summer vacation > out it goes to the mental landfill.

[Sheogorath]

The problem is our leaders.

Leaders are supposed to, you know, LEAD. But, here in the US at least, virtually every politician is focused on getting reelected rather than actually doing anything. The people who motivate the masses, who can get people to not be apathetic, don't care. They, as has been mentioned, have full fridges and, therefore, every interest in maintaining the status quo, and a stupid population.

The institutionalized bribery (AKA: Lobbying, special interest groups, etc. (I do realize that not ALL lobbying groups use bribery, some simply give information, which is fine and good.)) which plagues the US government is, in my opinion, the cause.
The grease on the wheels has congealed to the point where the machinery has effectively been jammed and only a serious jolt ever causes any movement.
The problem is, the gears in the machine are the ones who have the power. They certainly aren't going to vote for less grease if they can help it.

My main hope for Obama was his inexperience. Everybody said this was a negative point, but I held out some hope that 'inexperience' meant 'less corrupt'. Sadly, day by day, he seems intent on dashing that hope.

Short of outright revolution, the only way to solve the problems of the government would be sweeping reforms which, I think, Obama could pull off. He has the support of the people, for now at least, but the question is, of course, whether he is a Democrat, or an American. Can he act for the good of the state and the people first, or is he just another Politician?

[Ariovistus Maximus]

The problem is our leaders.

Leaders are supposed to, you know, LEAD. But, here in the US at least, virtually every politician is focused on getting reelected rather than actually doing anything. The people who motivate the masses, who can get people to not be apathetic, don't care. They, as has been mentioned, have full fridges and, therefore, every interest in maintaining the status quo, and a stupid population.

PRECISELY!

You know, if George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the other Founding Fathers had been more interested in their pocketbooks than in the good of their fellow men, the US would have collapsed before it started.

We don't seem to have many Washingtons or Adams' in today's politics.

[a completely inoffensive name]

If you believe that saying that the life span of a democracy is about 200 years, then we (The US) are in the death stage right now.

[miotas]

Where did you pull 200 from? The USA has been a democracy for over 230 years, and Britain has been democractic for over 300 years.

[Prodigal]

@OP d00d your first quote was Winston Churchill, and having met some of the apathetic electorate, he has a point.

[Sheogorath]

Where did you pull 200 from? The USA has been a democracy for over 230 years, and Britain has been democractic for over 300 years.

Clearly the system we need to go with is a republic. Venice lasted over 1,000 years.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Where did you pull 200 from? The USA has been a democracy for over 230 years, and Britain has been democractic for over 300 years.

It is just a saying I heard. Depends if you think that the US are no longer Democratic due to our government officials no longer doing what the people need but what can get them re-elected. If you think in that sense, then neither can be considered truly Democratic except maybe symbolically. I honestly don't agree with the statement, but I see it thrown around a lot.