Are people today far less educated than say 60 years ago?

Question

I am 27 and have a college degree but everyone I encounter in Las Vegas is exceedingly closed-minded, ignorant, and extremely left-wing liberal.

For some reason Liberals tend to stay away from statistics and documented evidence and rather decide to take any side of an issue that goes against tradition. Though they like to say that anyone that thinks for him or herself is "closed minded" we are always ready to listen to them but they refuse to listen to us. Therefore, they are by definition the ones that are "closed minded."

Are people less educated these days, or do they choose not to apply their knowledge, or are schools teaching that it is better to choose the opposite side of tradition than to search for fact?

Answer 1

- Las Vegas is a service-industry town and as such has many people who are not highly educated working in low to medium-skilled jobs.  I know very few left-wing people there, where my sister lives.  

- If you know statistics, you should know that "everyone I encouter is..." is not an accurate statement.  There is no way you can know what everyone is, and statistically there are more centrist and center-right people in Las Vegas than left-wing (unless you work with all union members).  

- I'm not sure what you are referencing regarding liberals.  ALL sides in politics have people who are entrenched in their own beliefs and do not consider other people's ideas.  There are close-minded people everywhere.  "Tradition" means different things to different people, as well.  To me, caring for the underpriviledged and providing opportunities in a fiscally prudent manner is the hallmark of the original concept of liberal.  

- Sixty years ago a lot of returning veterans went to college, and this was the first generation in America where people started going in high numbers.  VA education benefits allowed this expansion in education.  Today's children may not all be as educated, but they need to know a lot more information than have previous generations.  The world is a different place, and technology has changed many things.  

- Sixty years ago, there were still Jim Crow laws in the South, and schools were just beginning to desegregate, often at the point of a National Guard gun.  Many blacks could not get an education, and liberals are the ones who provided programs so that blacks and others could finally get an education.  

BTW, I have three college degrees, have traveled the world, lived in another country, and am considered very moderate (center-left).  

Answer 2

Less educated NO less ediquetted yes people just do not have a grasp on do unto others they dont stop to think anymore cause some machine will give em an answer.

Zanger and evens song in the year 2525 comes to mind like me and oldie but agoodie

Answer 3

obviously with an increase in the population over 60 years (over 100,000 million people), yes, people as a majority, are less educated. I think the real problems lie in the decrease of social values such as respect, being polite, and being a gentleman or a lady. Unfortunately, this isn't going to change. Babies having babies, etc...... so I agree with you, as society waters down, so do it's core values. And no, I'm not a bible belt republican, it is what it is.  

Answer 4

very much so because a lot more new things are popping up in the world that weren't even thought of sixty years ago like smart cars and walking on the moon

Answer 5

no they just are more opinionated

Answer 6

Most people don't want to think anymore. It's easier to let some left-winger come along and tell you what to think than to ponder it out for yourself.

Answer 7

There's no doubt mosr universities are liberal, but I disagree with your statement about people being less educated today than they were 60 years ago.  The average IQ of humans has been increasing every year.  Meaning your smarter than your parents, your kids will be smarter than you.  And as far as your other claims, it's difficult to give an explenation without you giving me some more info.  If your frustrated with people your age, just understand that people get more conservative with age.    

Answer 8

yes.we have very fast information without books and books are the essence of culture.

Answer 9

I'm a liberal and take issue with everything you say. Liberals pride themselves on being open-minded. Thinking for yourself is what we want people to do; this is not being closed minded, it is being free.

As for statistics, Mark Twain said "There are statistics, lies, and d**n lies." The same is true today.Statistics can be very easily manipulated,

even if the original supporting evidence is accurate. People must read the fine print in order to be truly informed.

As for being against documented evidence, whatever do you mean? I read a great deal of history and keep up to date on science news.

It's conservatives who refuse to look at the truth. When the Pentagon Papers were released, this was direct proof that the Johnson Administration had orchestrated a false attack by Vietnamese against American naval vessels. The conservative response was to be outraged that this evidence had been released, and then to ignore it so they could re-elect the evil Nixon.

As for ignorance, I think it is conservatives who are deliberately ignorant. They have a dogma they must follow, and anyone who questions it must be a communist or a traitor.

The problem with conservatives, Dr. Seuss would have said, is that their hearts are two sizes too small.

Conservatives have obstructed every effort ever made in this country to make life better for people. They resisted eliminating prison for debtors, they resisted more humane treatment for mental patients, they resisted prison reform, they resisted Abolition, they continue to resist equal rights for women, they fought tooth and nail to obstruct the Civil Rights Act, they continue to obstruct protection for the environment, and they hate international law.

Conservatives are disgusting.

Answer 10

I cannot disagree with you more!!! How are the liberals more close minded than conservatives who are stuck in their ways and traditional beliefs??? Schools teach their students to be independent thinkers and not gullible.  How can society come up with innovative concepts if all we do is listen to old people.  Older people may have wise thoughts sometimes when it comes to life and morals...but they are not always right.  BTW...statistics are never fact or accurate...they are approximations.  Its a fact that humans are from the same genealogical lineage as chimpanzees...see how many old people you can get to believe that.