# American Destupization 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 16, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943 "2012-03-16T07:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/1 "2012-03-16T07:49:38Z")
Remember the Top Secret American Destupization Project? > **[Top Secret American Destupization Project](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=529002)** > > Hypothetical: You’re called in to a secret meeting at the White House. An unmarked black sedan shows up at your home, drives you to the east wing. You enter, pass some security gates, and then are taken into an elevator where you descend twenty-four... > [@](#): > > "Basic knowledge of the world around us is becoming a commodity. Half the country can’t find Iraq on a map, and the same number think Africa is a country, and think India is a continent. > > "What’s worse is that people seem proud of this. Somehow it’s become ‘American’ to be an uneducated dummy who’d rather watch a monster truck rally than learn the name of their congressional representatives. This is a dangerous situation, and needs to be remedied… > > “That’s why you’re here. I’ve been told you’re the smartest, most inventive group of people that our researchers could find. All of you now have been drafted into the American Destupidization Project.” > > The president then explains that everybody assembled is expected to come up with ideas for how to fix the stupid problem in America. Because the growth of stupidity represents not only a national security threat, but a threat to the survival of the human race, no legal or constitutional limitations should be considered in ideas for destupidization. Short of killing every last human and starting over, anything is up for consideration. Well, it’s been a while, so let’s see what we’ve learned. Stupidity seems to have continued merrily along. Have there been any successful blows for brain? And what should we try in the future? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/2 "2012-03-16T08:33:05Z")
It’'s gotten worse. We can’t even spell [del]destupiz[/del] … [del]detuspid[/del] … _education_ anymore ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/3 "2012-03-16T10:40:03Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It’'s gotten worse. We can’t even spell [del]destupiz[/del] … [del]detuspid[/del] … _education_ anymore MA. EduMAcation. Dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/4 "2012-03-16T11:47:29Z")
So, we’re agreed, Destupizification will occur through a program of edumacationalificatizationism? ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/5 "2012-03-16T12:44:27Z")
Sticking to words I can spell and people should be able to understand, I think SD has been a failure. Ignorance has grown in its time. Facts and logic continue to lose importance. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/6 "2012-03-16T14:13:32Z")
> [@thelabdude](#): > > Sticking to words I can spell and people should be able to understand, I think SD has been a failure. Ignorance has grown in its time. Facts and logic continue to lose importance. Perhaps we need to resort to . . . harsher methods. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/7 "2012-03-16T14:20:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Perhaps we need to resort to . . . harsher methods. This post + username combo is a bit…disturbing. (Or possibly I’ve been playing way too much Black Ops. ) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/8 "2012-03-16T14:22:45Z")
Oh, I dunno. I’m not sure whether we’ve actually taught them anything as such, but perhaps the popularity of such TV shows as “The Big Bang Theory” indicates a growing appreciation for intellect. It seems to me that The “Geek = Cool” quotient of our society is rising. Of course, they still think that being an intellectual requires being socially and culturally inept. But at least they aren’t standing around the street corners openly reminiscing about the halcyon high school days of wedgies and pantsing, like they used to. It is suddenly uncool to be one of those who picked on the smart kids. Baby steps. Baby steps toward the tipping point. . . ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/9 "2012-03-16T15:09:23Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Oh, I dunno. I’m not sure whether we’ve actually taught them anything as such, but perhaps the popularity of such TV shows as “The Big Bang Theory” indicates a growing appreciation for intellect. It seems to me that The “Geek = Cool” quotient of our society is rising. I’d buy that argument if BBT itself contained any actual intelligence. It celebrates knowledge, sure, but not actual thought. That’s pretty much why I don’t see the celebration of geekdom as a positive sign. In popular parlance “geek” == “knowing weird shit.” When I see a similar celebration of critical thinking I’ll begin to have more hope. . ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/10 "2012-03-16T15:17:01Z")
> [@andros](#): > > I’d buy that argument if BBT itself contained any actual intelligence. It celebrates knowledge, sure, but not actual thought. > > That’s pretty much why I don’t see the celebration of geekdom as a positive sign. In popular parlance “geek” == “knowing weird shit.” When I see a similar celebration of critical thinking I’ll begin to have more hope. > . Is this a prelude to your opus “A Critique of Pure Geek.” ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/11 "2012-03-16T15:52:41Z")
> [@andros](#): > > When I see a similar celebration of critical thinking I’ll begin to have more hope. How’s [this](http://www.reasonrally.org/)? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/12 "2012-03-16T16:09:25Z")
I’m not sure about the premise of the project, and I don’t think you can do a good job of educating people if your initial premise is “everybody’s an idiot and proud of it.” I also think it should be pointed out - again - that ignorance and stupidity are not the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/13 "2012-03-16T16:46:34Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > How’s [this](http://www.reasonrally.org/)? That photograph of Eddie Izzard is freaking me right the heck out. That just ain’t right. [http://roflrazzi.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/2b61ac26-961d-4a2d-8158-bd9dec2bb82f.jpg](http://roflrazzi.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/2b61ac26-961d-4a2d-8158-bd9dec2bb82f.jpg) That’s better. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/14 "2012-03-16T16:47:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I also think it should be pointed out - again - that ignorance and stupidity are not the same thing. Would you say that people who believe that they are the same are ignorant or stupid? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/15 "2012-03-16T16:49:47Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Would you say that people who believe that they are the same are ignorant or stupid? I would say they are wrong, or that they are ignorant of the actual meanings of those words. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/16 "2012-03-16T19:26:43Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I would say they are wrong, or that they are ignorant of the actual meanings of those words. Or too stupid to learn, or understand, the difference? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/17 "2012-03-16T21:35:16Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > How’s [this](http://www.reasonrally.org/)? Talk to me when 16 million people watch it every week. ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/18 "2012-03-16T21:46:03Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who thought India was a continent. Perhaps that’s our first issue right there…faulty assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![Semjaazah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Semjaazah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Semjaazah)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/19 "2012-03-16T21:47:11Z")
Has anyone considered that a large proportion, indeed perhaps a majority, of the world’s population are simply stupid in comparison to a small but sizeable population of more intelligent people? I mean, could it not just be unreasonable to expect people to be more intelligent than they are? There is a stereotype of American stupidity, but I live in the U.K, and practically everyone I ever hear speaking in public, be it on public transport or queuing in shops or even sitting in university, seems to be saying something inane, or seems to misunderstand the premise of something (especially in an academic sense) and seems to value irrelevant things like what they saw on TV last night, or what is in fashion, or the latest sports scores ad nauseum. Is it really fair to blame people for being unintelligent and vacuous? Surely not everyone has a brain for academic or detailed issues, even if they seem to us like basic geography or ‘common knowledge’. I realise I’m asking about two different qualities (being vacuous and being concerned with trivialities instead of ‘important’ issues), but they tend to go hand-in-hand. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943/20 "2012-03-16T23:59:21Z")
> [@andros](#): > > When I see a similar celebration of critical thinking I’ll begin to have more hope. > . I see the loss of critical thinking as a major problem. People are quick to buy anything that fits their world view without fact checking. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-destupization-2012/615943.md?page=2)