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From: kolb@handel.colostate.edu. (Denny Kolb)
Newsgroups: sci.math,sci.physics,comp.edu
Subject: Re: Are Americans Intellectually Inferior?
Message-ID: <997@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU>
Date: 16 Jan 89 19:43:08 GMT
References: <14.UUL1.3#913@acw.UUCP>
Sender: news@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU
Reply-To: kolb@handel.colostate.edu..UUCP (Denny Kolb)
Organization: Colorado State University, Ft. Collins CO 80523
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In article <14.UUL1.3#913@acw.UUCP> scott@acw.UUCP (Scott Guthery) writes:
>Bret Jolly wonders if Americans are intellectually inferior.  The
>answer is a resounding "Really!" ... translation: Yes.  This
>is first and foremost a result of being subjected to a public
>education system that is run solely for the benefit of the unions
			      ^^^^^^
    I don't think that it is quite this extreeme; sure, there is a
  tendency towards the protection of ones job, but you make it
  sound as if there had been a concious decision made to "SCREW THE
  KIDS, let's just keep our jobs secure."

>that control it.  American children are hounded by mindless educrats
>pushing "self-esteem" and "skills acquisition" and precious little
>else from the time they're 4 until they're 24.  It takes its toll
>as any trip to the local Taco Bell will clearly demonstrate.
>
>But this is just nuture.  It is additionally interesting to wonder
>if non-Indian Americans come up short in the nature department too. 
>Were there any filters in place that might have sent a disproportionate
>number of dullards to the New World?  If I had to bet ... I mean if
>I *HAD* to bet ... I'd bet there were.  
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    You would lose.  Think about it, it takes quite a lot to be willing
    to give up everything one has, and immigrate to another country where
    there is *NO* guarantee that the situation will be any better than
    the one that you just left.  For a nation with a "disproportionate
    number of dullards", we seem to have done rather well.

    Also, your little comment about going to Taco Bell tells me that
    you like so many other "self professed intellectuals"*  make the
    mistake of equating IGNORANCE with STUPIDITY.  They are not the
    same at all.  Ignorance can be cured, Stupidity cannot.
	      
    *  -  Any truly intelligent person, should have enough confidence
      in his- or her-self, to not require the continual denigration of
      those whose abilities are preceived to be less than ones own.

>Australia, on the other hand,
>got more than its share of smart ones.

   How do you infer this?  If I remember my history correctly, the
   original settlers of Aussieland were deported criminals from
   England.  Do you mean to imply that the average convicted
   criminal has a higher I.Q. than the average voluntary immigrant?
   (No slams intended against any Aussie's reading this :-) )

>
>							Cheers, Scott
>
Regards,
Denny