Unbelievable.

[beastieangel01]

So I just started classes for this quarter yesterday, Sculpture for Animation 1-5 & World Civ 6-10.

Anyhow, in my World Civ class, I could not believe how much people did not know ...ANYTHING!

These are some of the questions and things said/believed:

-"what is Watergate?"
-"what is Capitalism?"
-A girl thought Africa was IN South America.
-Several people did not understand how maps worked. I.E. They couldn't understand why Australia was on the right side of a flat map, vs closer to us. A few did not know where the Indian Ocean was, nor where the Caribbean was.
-Some of the largest problems they thought facing the world today was bombing.
-Many didn't even hear about Live8... and I had to ask the professor to explain G8 since I figured if they didn't hear about Live8, they may not know what the G8 was/is.

The youngest person in the class is 18. The oldest, I think anywhere around 24/25. I think the ones that did not know these things were around 19-21.

My jaw was on the floor. And I commend the professor for being SO patient with these people and explaining to them the details of each topic.

[Freebasser]

I never knew remedial gym class could be so much fun.

[Beth]

freebasser, we don't call it remedial, since that may stigmatize the student and not encourage participation and learning. we call it re-introduction to gym.

[Qdrop]

Anyhow, in my World Civ class, I could not believe how much people did not know ...ANYTHING!

These are some of the questions and things said/believed:

-"what is Watergate?"
-"what is Capitalism?"
-A girl thought Africa was IN South America.
-Several people did not understand how maps worked. I.E. They couldn't understand why Australia was on the right side of a flat map, vs closer to us. A few did not know where the Indian Ocean was, nor where the Caribbean was.
-Some of the largest problems they thought facing the world today was bombing.
-Many didn't even hear about Live8... and I had to ask the professor to explain G8 since I figured if they didn't hear about Live8, they may not know what the G8 was/is.

The youngest person in the class is 18. The oldest, I think anywhere around 24/25. I think the ones that did not know these things were around 19-21.

My jaw was on the floor. And I commend the professor for being SO patient with these people and explaining to them the details of each topic.

that is truly depressing.
god help those people if i was in that class....
i would verbally abuse them into shame until the professor asked my leave...

so who do you think is to blame for this...in society?
parents? school systems? our culture at large and it's lack of priority for historical knowledge, science,....hell, intelligence in general....

[Nuzzolese]

Hey now, "What is Capitalism" is a legitimate question I think. Lots of people think they know what it is but it can get confusing.

[Beth]

i hate to admit this, but i don't know what live8 or g8 is. i suppose i could have googled it, but oh well. i've gotten this far without it, i don't need to know now.

[jabumbo]

i hate to admit this, but i don't know what live8 or g8 is. i suppose i could have googled it, but oh well. i've gotten this far without it, i don't need to know now.

its a healthy drink that is made from the juices of 8 different vegetables. duh.

[Nuzzolese]

Wait, G8? I don't know what G8 is but I've heard of Live8.

[King of Rock II]

live 8 were the concerts held to help raise awareness for the poverty in africa.

g8 is the meeting held by the leaders of the 7 richest countries and russia.

[Nuzzolese]

live 8 were the concerts held to help raise awareness


They need to work harder, it would seem.

[Qdrop]

They need to work harder, it would seem.

that was funny.

[beastieangel01]

that is truly depressing.
god help those people if i was in that class....
i would verbally abuse them into shame until the professor asked my leave...

so who do you think is to blame for this...in society?
parents? school systems? our culture at large and it's lack of priority for historical knowledge, science,....hell, intelligence in general....

My boyfriend said he would verbally abuse them as well, heh. I was trying to bite my tongue the entire time just because I knew the professor would handle it in a much calmer manner than I would.

I don't know who really is to blame. Perhaps a mix of all the above. I know that my parents are very involved in voting and current events. They never really encouraged me to vote, but they would always tell me what's going on when I was younger. I ended up registering to vote the second I turned 18. So I do think parents are a factor.

Society is so involved in caring about celebs, material things, tabloids, etc. That is another issue. Lack of priority for knowledge is a huge problem.

School systems...HOW DID ANY OF THESE PEOPLE GET PAST MIDDLE SCHOOL?! Or prior, or High School. In order to go to my college, you have to have a HS Diploma or a GED. I don't know how any of them were allowed either.

I don't even know how so many people are able to get by day to day without knowing these things. I mean, obviously they do, but I almost want to say that it shouldn't be possible to go on day to day without knowing some of these things. Ya know?

I mean, AGH ! My head just wants to explode.

[ScarySquirrel]

HOW DID ANY OF THESE PEOPLE GET PASSED MIDDLE SCHOOL?!
You mean "past", right?

[beastieangel01]

Yes.

Oh the irony :p


*fixed.

[Laver1969]

Yes.

Oh the irony :p


*fixed.

Uh...you spelled San Diego wrong in your location. :p

[King of Rock II]

They need to work harder, it would seem.

can someone explain this to me, i've tried my best to understand what it means :confused: did i say something wrong or something?

[Laver1969]

can someone explain this to me, i've tried my best to understand what it means :confused: did i say something wrong or something?

The point of the concert was to raise awareness....and the fact is that many folks didn't even know the concerts were happening and what they were proves that they should have done a better job.

[King of Rock II]

ahhhhhhhh thanks (y)

[beastieangel01]

Uh...you spelled San Diego wrong in your location. :p

Oh darn it (!) :p

[Laver1969]

so who do you think is to blame for this...in society?
parents? school systems? our culture at large and it's lack of priority for historical knowledge, science,....hell, intelligence in general....

As a parent, I believe education starts at home. Parents have the responsibility for setting the tone for the education. They are ultimately responsible.

I have two kids that aren't in kindergarten yet. We read to them, answer their questions, look at a kid's dictionary, kid's encyclopedias and maps....really feed their curious minds. They ask a lot of questions.

Second, you look at the school system. We're fortunate enough to live in a good school district. As far as culture, tv, videogames...all in moderation. But we try to put an educational spin as much as possible.

I'm sure it will get tougher to maintain the "control" over their education. Hopefully we're instilling the right values early.

[Nuzzolese]

I had a World History course somewhat like this, but not as bad. No one would really say anything. It was usually me and some other girl. Kind of annoying. What was worse was when we discussed the chapter we had recently read and it appeared as if no one read anything! Somewhat tough class, but was quite easy for me.

I usually assume people are just being shy or are self conscious and afraid of being wrong or sounding stupid, even when they wouldn't.

[beastieangel01]

I usually assume people are just being shy or are self conscious and afraid of being wrong or sounding stupid, even when they wouldn't.

Same. I was like that for most of my high school career and some college.

What I CAN say for the people that didn't know these things: at least they asked. I'd rather them ask and find out vs not asking at all and never knowing these things.

I was just shocked at the things they did not know.

[marsdaddy]

My boyfriend said he would verbally abuse them as well, heh. I was trying to bite my tongue the entire time just because I knew the professor would handle it in a much calmer manner than I would.Yeah, cuz verbal abuse is always the best way to get your point across.

Not only would the professor handle it in a much calmer manner, that's his or her job. I don't understand people's need to tell other people what they think they need to know. Trust me, if I wanted to know about something I would. And you said these people are 18 - 25 = young.

I do think it's SAD that people don't know -- or don't want to know -- more about the world, current events, etc. But, that's the way it is. I bet it has something to do with consumerism, the breakdown the of nuclear family, poverty, inefficient bureacracy, and maybe even orchestrated middle class apathy for the past 25+ years. But those topics belong in Gen Pol, I think.

As Beth said, she's gotten this far without knowing about G8. If and when she decides to educate herself is her perogative. I respect her, and most other people, as free thinking. If I feel the need to share my ideas with them on a subject, the conversation will probably be more mutually satisfying if I start with that respect.

[beastieangel01]

see the post I made right before yours, mister. Also, I'm not advocating verbal abuse. I just said that was a reaction of my bf. Although he tends to overexaggerate and in reality, he too would leave it to the professor.

[marsdaddy]

see the post I made right before yours, mister. Also, I'm not advocating verbal abuse. I just said that was a reaction of my bf. Although he tends to overexaggerate and in reality, he too would leave it to the professor.Yeah, I figured. Your bf's bark is worse than his bite. Like some others in these parts, I bet.

[beastieangel01]

this is true.

[Qdrop]

Yeah, cuz verbal abuse is always the best way to get your point across. shame is one of the best motivators.

I don't understand people's need to tell other people what they think they need to know. this coming from you?
the only thing worse is ME saying that...

and maybe even orchestrated middle class apathy for the past 25+ years. word. coupled with poor guidance from parents.
apathy and selfishness all around.

[wavin_goodbye]

As a parent, I believe education starts at home. Parents have the responsibility for setting the tone for the education. They are ultimately responsible.

I have two kids that aren't in kindergarten yet. We read to them, answer their questions, look at a kid's dictionary, kid's encyclopedias and maps....really feed their curious minds. They ask a lot of questions.

Second, you look at the school system. We're fortunate enough to live in a good school district. As far as culture, tv, videogames...all in moderation. But we try to put an educational spin as much as possible.

I'm sure it will get tougher to maintain the "control" over their education. Hopefully we're instilling the right values early.

go layvah, i know that the way my parents encouraged education really helped me excel, as long as you do it properly.

nice to see someone who knows what they're doing :)

[Nuzzolese]

I thought so too, but for the most part...they didn't know the material.

I always felt like I didn't really grasp anything until after the semester was over. I usually didn't feel a satisfying grip on the material until after the class, after the tests, after the final exam. I suppose that's the point, to learn it by the end, but it still felt frustrating as if I had missed the chance to prove my competence and now it was all going to atrophy and slip away from me as I replaced it with whatever class came next.

[beastieangel01]

a great thing about my world civ class: NO multiple choice tests.

We have to write papers. A lot. In class essays and just assigned essays we have to turn in every week. He said knowing facts and everything is great and all, but he wants to make sure we know how to expand on the facts. How to talk about them, give our own input, THINK.

I find that to be better than just about every history class I've ever taken. With the exception of my US History class in High School. Being able to talk to someone who was directly involved with a critical event in history is top-notch.

[Nuzzolese]

Maybe this is just the way I remember it, but it seemed to me that throughout my public school elementary and secondary education, our coverage of history was a bit unbalanced.

For US History it seemed like we would focus SO much on the revolutionary war and the civil war, oh god the civil war, weeks and weeks of videos and books and movies and actors doing dramatic readings of letters and that incessant piper piping and march drumming! But then we'd have one day on the war of 1812 and the Mexican war.

For world history I don't remember much about learning about WW1, but WW2 was a big deal.

And then concerning the Korean war we did nothing, but Vietnam had at least 2 weeks devoted to it.

Does anyone else remember it this way too?