I don't think this defense of a tyrant would be happening if America was not so dumbed down.

[milestogo]

People have not been trained in any kind of critical thinking.

People do not have a good grasp of American history.

People do not understand what it means to take citizenship seriously.

People are brainwashed by hate radio and fake news. They are easily lied to and manipulated for political purposes.

And not just some people... the majority of people in this country suffer from the inability to think.

[redstatebluegirl]

1. I totally agree, this country has a large percentage of mental midgets running around and voting.

[PJMcK]

2. You've got it

I’d add that the lame civics education most public schools provide is designed to keep our young people ignorant.

[Brawndo]

3. This is by design

You're right, this wouldn't be happening if our democracy was comprised of responsible citizens who understood that our system only works with an informed electorate. The calculated de-funding of public education and the removal of Civics from the curriculum have had their intended effects.

[dem4decades]

4. The idiots are in charge and making the educated pay for being smart.

[Newest Reality]

5. That was concise and correct...

In my opinion, that is a substantial part of our problem and especially so in a culture that is only becoming more complex and technical.

We tend to teach for the test and show children what to think and know, but how to think is both crucial and relevant to a society that is based on information and data. We may call this information or data-driven, but the problem is that it should be a knowledge-based society if we are to cope with and survive what is ahead. An education that lacks the how of thinking is either a means to mold an conform students or prepare them to be controlled and influenced easily. In that case, they are being short changed rather than properly taught.

Rote learning is only useful to a point, it is content-oriented. Critical thinking is process-oriented and allows for more creative and productive use of the intellect. I mean, this is the 21st-century. Look at our technology and consider the full-blown bloom we are about to participate in. It seems that critical thinking will be a critical matter and just as important to survival and thriving as food and shelter.

If there is some sort of fear or concern about that in our education systems regarding how they can manage students who think critically using reason and logic in an almost athletic fashion, then that needs to be addressed as to the purpose of it and for whose benefit.

[BigmanPigman]

6. I was a teacher and I agree and disagree.

I taught my students Critical Thinking as well as Civics, Geography, History, etc but when their home environment is filling them with other info it is an uphill battle. They really do whatever their parents do/think in the end (at least for the majority).

[Marthe48]

7. I have friends

who are aware of events, but don't care. They go shopping, go to events, take day trips, watch a lot of network or syndicated tv, but not trash like fox. They don't get involved, don't seem to want to. One that I talk to often has mentioned that she and her husband hate trump, but they aren't on fire.

And then, I have friends who have multiple anti-trump, anti-republican bumper stickers, get into political arguments with strangers and make me wish I did more.

[defacto7]

8. I absolutely agree. n/t

[Peregrine Took]

9. But when did it all begin to be dumbed down?

When did the creeping anti government, anti education, and anti intellectualism begin?

I recall George Wallace used to rail against "pointy headed" intellectuals in the early '60's - then resentment about bussing desegregation, civil rights legislation, affirmative action and a nascent hatred of the word "liberal" stirred the waters of discontent against the educated, enlightened folks.

[milestogo]

10. Somewhere between 1980 and 2000.

[AJT]

11. The people I know who support him watch only faux news.

Remember, from the beginning faux told their viewers that they were the only outlet telling the truth, and the others were the liberal media. They can now lie with impunity, and do, and their viewers will believe them. The reason that Republicans lie on camera is to create sound bites for faux.

[kairos12]

12. Useful idiots they all are. Trumpists give cultists a bad name.

[appalachiablue]

13. Nixon famously railed against intellectuals & liberals, the far right has

targeted education for 40+ years. It's why the Kochs, Waltons and others established think tanks to counter higher education in colleges and destruct public education and "government schools" in favor of privatized schools that are unaccountable to the public.