The case for increasing education funding in America

Not a single question was answered correctly, but each was answered by a different person. I wondered if the people who gave a wrong answer to the question they received might have known answers to some of the other questions. Given how far off base most of the answers were, it's doubtful.

This clip is very disturbing since most of the questions dealt with items that were well covered in the news during the adult lifetime of the respondents or easy to figure out, such as, "Where is the Berlin wall?"

I know what you mean. Sometimes, for others cases, we have to go no further than walking the halls of Gather...LOL!

Looks like he found the gather membership, Tom.

Oh My that is really sad. No wonder the world thinks we are all stupid. In their defense though, it is harder to think clearly when you are caught off guard lke that.

I'm sure they only keep the stupid answers. Kind of like watching the Late Show when they would go into the streets and ask questions. There is no news is correct answers!

Leave em alone. They are busy watching "American Idol."

I just cross-posted this to facebook, Tom. Hope you don't mind, but many of the writers and editors I'm connected with there will cry when they see this.

the largest incorrect assumption here is that throwing MORE money into the same system that GOT these people this way would have any effect...

Now, let us send Jay Leno to the streets of London.

All I can say is.... Wow!!

I suppose it would be scary to know how many of these people are voters.

Thanks for sharing this.

[deep sigh] But any one of those people interviewed could tell you about products advertised on TV or what the latest pop stars are up to.

" products advertised on TV or what the latest pop stars are up to"

well, yeah; that's what we are rewarded for knowing. One of the greatest problems with [public as it is done here] education is not lack of funding, or even lack of teachers, but a general anti-intellectual attitude that makes it more rewarding to spend one's brain on popular trivia.

Tammy N. is probably on track, but even so, how can so many people be so messed up?

"I wonder how many people he did interview compared to those shown in the video. I mean the report might be slanted."

For those who are unaware, this is from an Australian comedy television show. The slogan for the fictional news channel, CNNN (The Chaser NoN-stop News Network) was "We report, you believe." It included segments like The Firth Factor, which was a parody of The O'Reilly Factor, with Firth doing things like gagging his "guests" and screaming in their faces.

The "report" is most definitely slanted. And funny. And yes, they find stupid people on the streets of Australian cities, too.

Those are hilarious, but for the record, they do these in every country with a radio or TV station (usually using the local population, not tourists), and the results are always the same, because the editors of course pick the answers with the most entertainment value. The only thing we can conclude from these is that some people are very, very stupid--but I think we already knew that.

I thought of Uruguay too, and next of Uganda. This is an interesting phenomenon from a cognitive point of view. "Uruguay" and "Uganda" are typical country names--unique geographical names--while "[the] United States" isn't.

I do, of course, support increasing funding for education. (They feds could start by fully funding their own mandates.) But not because Americans are stupider than "the rest of the world", but because a properly funded public education system is essential if we are to have a functioning democracy. (Which a "Republic" is, unless it's a dictatorship--before someone slams that rather smelly red herring on the table.)

ANYONE who passes the test to become a citizen of the United States is FAR more knowledgeable about America than 95% of the "born here" Americans are. I would also point out that in a poll done last year, less than 25% of American voters can name the three branches of our Federal Government. Less than 10% are able to FIND Iraq on a world map.

Stupider? In Los Angeles over 50% of students do NOT graduate from High School. Nationally, less than 34% of College students actually graduate!

These answers are just as bad as when Jay Leno goes on the streets of LA. I agree with Spartan.

Stanley, You can always open a Philosophy Shop at the Mall! ;-)

Glad to know this came from a comedy show - even if it involved real people and their real answers. I'm sure Jay Leno would get the same results - in fact he usually does.

The education system needs a complete revamp that is for sure. An attitude re-adjustment and an acknowledgement in dollars for those teachers and students who do well.
Plus a way to reach those kids growin up in tough circumstances. In a way, it is like we have created a subclass of people who know little and could care less.

34% is all who graduate from college? Hard to believe.

Pres. Obama pointed out that US students were falling behind other countries in science and math at the Swine Flu press conference. From physorg.com:

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Obama laid out a deck of initiatives in a speech at the National Academy of Sciences, where he vowed to implement what he described as the largest-ever US investment in scientific research and a dramatic reversal of the ideology-driven policies of his predecessor George W. Bush.

The clarion call for the country to regain its position as the world leader in scientific research and innovation came as the Obama administration faced its first major global health crisis with a deadly swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the United States that threatens to burst into a pandemic.

"At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science, that support for research is somehow a luxury at moments defined by necessities," Obama told hundreds of scientists, researchers and educators.

"I fundamentally disagree. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment and our quality of life than it has ever been."

Citing a plunge in federal funding of physical sciences over the past 25 years, Obama warned that US achievement, particularly science and math study, dramatically lagged in the late 20th century -- and threatened to fall even further behind other rapidly advancing nations.

"I believe it is not in our American character to follow, but to lead. And it is time for us to lead once again," he said.

http://www.physorg.com/news160054534.html

thanks for sharing

That's an interesting video. I'm sure out of all those questions asked, most of the people there got some of them right, however it only showed the incorrect answers. You have to keep that in mind when you watch it.

Increasing funding to our education system WILL NOT HELP. Throwing money at a problem is not the solution, just like giving a spoiled child more toys so he will stop begging for more is not the solution.

Whats broken is the entire system. I would probably title this video, the case for getting rid of our current educational system. Through the years we have been told to increase funding and all will be well. Unfortunately, in general, our public schools are getting worse, not better. And we now live in an era of extreme government deficits. We cant afford to sell our nation away- even for 'better education' (read more expensive education). At some point it will collapse. The President has no intention of turning it around, apparently he thinks deficits greater than $500 Billion is required for the next 10 whole years.

We have let the government train our minds over the past century. Its no wonder that Americans are loosing a taste for liberty and looking to the government to solve all our problems. With each generation, they brainwash us more and more. I'm not saying that all the people in the system, especially the teachers and other staff of the schools, have some 'secret agenda' but the leadership behind the system, whoever it is, does. You can't deny it- today's public education is more concerned about controlling your thought and lifestyle than giving you a good education. What a way to take away our liberties- they go to the youngest in our population before they know any better.

The solution is for parents to take back their rightful responsibility in educating their children. Whether this means putting them in a private school of their choice- or even better teaching them at home (homeschooling).