Too Much Science

A large minority of Americans are indeed imbeciles — but the same could be said for just about any country. Most people are not terribly intelligent.

At the same time, "belief" in evolution is not an infallible sign of intelligence either. Plenty of first-rate scientists (not the "creationists") do not buy into macro-evolution. See for example, Wolfgang Smith's Cosmos and Transcendence. Smith is the author of The Quantum Enigma, and is responsible for the mathematical solutions behind the space re-entry problem. Hardly a lightweight.

I don't agree that the creationists are busy with NASCAR and Walmart. There was a story in a nearby newspaper about the locals trying to move creationist texts into the 'science' classification of Dewey at the public library. Some board members lost their positions and one benighted jasper wanted some book burned. This is not to mention moving materials on personal decisions and info about sexual development (texts on being gay) from the subject readers area — young adults — into adults only classification.

There is an active assault by Christian supremacists (Jeremy Scahill's term) to enforce their will on such communities.

These types are being fought by some. But the fact that such advocates of book burning in 2009 even exist has to be acknowledged full on.

story reference from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin:

http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090825/FON0101/90824178

While it may very well be true that the proportion of imbeciles is the same throughout the world, there seem to be very few if any countries in the world where stupidity is revered to the extent that it is in the U S of A.

Why this is so is something of a mystery...

Re: "...there seem to be very few if any countries in the world where stupidity is revered to the extent that it is in the U S of A."

You got that right, my friend. Mencken is still very relevant.

I was rather hoping that someone could shed light on the reasons why stupidity is so valued there. No takers?

[Rots of Ruck! ☺ g.]

Well, nowhere is the "democracy" and therefore egalitarianism, so prevalent. This leads to a cult of mediocrity. Also, the US is the land of commerce, above all. This, as one French writer put it, "spells intellectual night." Anti-intellectualism and intellectual laziness and slovenliness is rampant here; as is the media- favored "soundbite" presentation and solution, a prolongation on the "made easy," "made simple," "for idiots," sort of simplifications Americans love. Finally, we are largely ruled by mythical narratives which dispense with thinking. We are nation of slogans and bromides. The more media-driven we become, the stupider we become; but in all fairness, it is a global, not an American phenomenon (see Jerry Mander's excellent work on this, as well as Ivan Illich's). It all points towards stupidity on the one hand, and a kind of chaotic "tower of babel" confusion which is often actually celebrated — as if intelligence were there to make sure nothing is understood. And the ideal of democracy makes sure that every fool feels his "contribution" is as valid as anyone else's.