Reading Stoic_Slaughter's journal

44% of all American adults do not read one book in the course of a year.
--U.S. Department of Education

I'm not surprised.

What's incredibly sad is that in my World History class, my intelligent teacher told us what separated Kerry and Bush in our last election. Bush: 60,608,582 Kerry:57,288,974. My thoughts and my teacher's were, "Wow. That was really close." The rest of the class grinned as though Bush had just won by a landslide. They started talking about it. "Did you see that? Kerry wasn't even a thought." Of course I, being annoyingly outspoken, replied, "You idiots. You're so stupid, all of you. I want you all to die. You don't realize that a few million votes are NOTHING. It was a very close race." My teacher chuckled and told me to go out in the hallway until I calmed down while the rest of the befuddled class sat, looking rather offended. Mind you, this is not a post about politics... rather, a post about ignorance. I am surrounded (and I mean SURROUNDED) by people who are oblivious to life. Maybe it's because I live in the south and I shouldn't judge America as a whole based on my experiences, but the fact that 44 percent of our adults don't read a single book in an entire year is frightening to me. (Statistics aren't always reliable, I know, but I wouldn't doubt that one for a minute.) I just don't understand. I know the rest of the world isn't this way. Why do people allow themselves to be so ignorant? Even worse, those I know are ignorant to the FACT that they're ignorant. I know for a fact that I'm atrociously ignorant. I do accept that, but I try with every day to learn something that I don't know to lessen my ignorance just slightly. Knowledge is power, and the America as I know it is weak.

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.

You know, and this is honest and not meant as a side blow to your fellow countrypeople, it's Americans like you who remind me that not all of the USA is rotten. Hats off to your attitude and courage.

Apart from technichal books, I don't think books are a source of knowledge.
Most books being published now are just a waste of trees, in my opinion.

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough...."

I disagree with your premise. All books are a source of knowledge. If a book is a waste of trees, then the knowledge that comes with it is that the book is a waste of trees. Having not read the book, you wouldn't have known that. Besides, you haven't read all the books that have been written, so you are unqualified to make that assumption.

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.

Of course I can't judge all books, but how less ignorant any person will be after reading Monica Lewinsky's biography (that was the crappiest one that popped in my mind).

I know that there are really great books out there, about lots of topics... It's just my opinion that some books don't carry any 'knowledge' at all -- those are the ones that are a waste of trees.

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough...."

but how less ignorant any person will be after reading Monica Lewinsky's biography

That reminds me of the critic who described the Clinton biography as "eye-crossingly boring." Granted, paper doesn't blush (or paper is patient, as we German-speakers say), and some books should never have been written. But doesn't that apply to every medium - radio and TV shows that should never have been broadcast (grammar?), web sites that should never have been put on the internet, and so on?

Still, there are so many good books out there. Books that entertain you, books that teach you stuff, books that inspire you or make you question things. What kind of books you like depends on you, but I'm absolutely positive that (good) books are an invaluable part of every literate culture.

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

44% of all American adults do not read one book in the course of a year.

That's not true... they all read Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. *snorts disdainfully*

The above really isn't dry humor, but then, even blatant humor seems to be lost on some Americans. As far as the presidential election, if Kerry weren't very 'memorable', as some people claim, then there would have been more than a few million votes' difference... as you so clearly stated to those of us intelligent enough to grasp the mathematical concept. *sighs*

It is truly frightening, the literacy level in this country... I think the average newspaper or periodical is marketed and written to an 11th grade reading level. I read an article the other day about one of the higher-ups in my industry. The reviewer was very, very articulate, and yet she purposefully left in poor grammar, and vague references as 'actual' quotes from this guy. She did not try to paint him in a better light by paraphrasing his words... she let his ignorance speak for itself. And yet, I arrogantly doubt that many readers got the insinuation. I may sound elitist, but the fact remains that I don't have to sound that way... if people would just freakin' read! You can't get good at it, if you don't do it, and it does help communication skills...something that humans really seem to need help with - myself included.

As for someone else's sentiments expressed in this thread,[paraphrase] that books currently being printed today aren't worth the trees it took to make them [/paraphrase]... Ah, be still my beating heart!

Forgive them my sister, they know not what they say! ;}->

I agree wholeheartedly with you, Stoic Slaughter... we are definitely living in the Dark Ages... again...

If mountain goats like living at high elevations, why do none live in high rise apartment buildings?

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Jan 10, 2005.

From what I know in the UK, its not quite as bad, but its still pretty bloody terrible. We are gripped in an epidemic of chavs, who personally I view as scum. (For a brief overview: http://www.chavscum.co.uk)

What really strikes me is not that they're ignorant of books, but that they're *proud* of being ignorant. I find this abhorrent, not least since I've had drummed into me that if you can read, you can do anything. Technical books, stories, encyclopaedias, all of mans knowledge at some point will be availible for you to digest. And it is with this idea in mind that I hungrily devour great swathes of text. I have developed the knack of reading something through and having it disappear into the darkness of my mind almost perfectly remembered.

Well, stuff I'm interested in, anyway.

Suffice it to say, I've read a great deal of material, from engineering texts to a reasonable knowledge of ornamental european glass from Orafors in sweden to Murano in italy.

My pet hate is ignorance, and to a lesser extent I am frustrated admittedly when some people cant keep up with a wickedly sarcastic wit, which kinda follows on from what Rosy said. The few americans, and most of the aforementioned chavs when I refer to something that isnt the celebrity shit of the week, or crappy noise masquerading as music, the general reaction (from chavs, anyway) is: "'ere, yore a fock-an posh boi, innit?!"

There are times when I think Hitler had the right idea.

Sir Deimos, Beater of Ass.

Dude I was sooo with you... up until the last line. You are very wittily sarcastic and funny yourself, but... ummm... political correctness isn't your strong point is it? O_o.

*chuckles nervously*

Still, taking it with a 'grain of salt', and realizing that you didn't likely mean it to be very serious. :)

Yes, I frequently make jokes and comments that people don't get.

How about a little poem:

Going against the grain
salt over my shoulder
for good luck
I have no truck
with you
or the milk you
drink or snort
out your nose...
I know I am not
smelling like a rose,
but I suppose
it could be worse
I mean, check out
this verse?
This poem is crap
and that is that. :)

Who-who. I am a poet, and I didn't know it. ;P

If mountain goats like living at high elevations, why do none live in high rise apartment buildings?

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Jan 10, 2005.

Heh. Very artistic.

Well, I would be softer, but if you read the Chavscum website, you'd begin to get an idea exactly why i hate them so much. they're basically an entire social underclass of parasites that feed off the welfare state, because they can get more money from the government by just sitting on their arses and churning out kids than they could by going to work.

If I could kill them, or conscript them, I would.

Sir Deimos, Beater of Ass.

Today in my English class I was getting quite perturbed at the idiocy of my associates. (It happens daily.) I usually have several outbursts of, "You're stupid," but I really hate being mean, so I tried to suppress it until I said, "Hey guys, let's have a genocide of idiots!" I swear to you, everyone who heard me replied, "Can we do that Mrs. Groves?" and they looked all excited. Apparently they thought that a "genocide of idiots" was some term for a party because I always "use big words" and the way I said it was clearly emphatic enough to mean a party. Moderately ironic, because it would be a party for me.

I often have a habit of saying really terrible things. I feel bad about it, but sometimes things just spill out. "Let's have an idiot Holocaust. I'll be Hitler." Wow. Yeah, I'm a jerk. (The Hitler comment reminded me of this.)

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.

I have a feeling that you are going to hate me!

Well, I fall into that percentage of people who never read books. But, I have a genuine issue. I am allergic to books. The moment I open a book, I start sneezing! I think every book which has ever been made attracts some particles of dust, and the moment one opens the book my nose for some reason attracts them like a magnet, and I don't like dust. So, actually, I am allergic to dust, but somehow books and dust are like siamese twins - inseparable.

I also have another problem. Every time I get past the dust stage, and try to read a book, I am never able to get past the preface stage. The preface of any book has some kind of magical powers that have always succeeded in making me fall asleep.

Anyways, I try to keep myself current by gathering as much knowledge from the internet. I try to read as many journals, articles, news, websites, learn about different cultures, meet new people, and everything that's possible via the internet. My life revolves around the internet, and I guess, I don't miss the books that much. Well, now we have eBooks, you pay some amount, and the whole book is available for you to read on the internet. You can even pursue further education via internet without reading any book at all. So, I am not sure if I am missing anything, but I am sure there should be something that I maybe deprived of, but I am waiting for the day when the books are made dust-free and are devoid of the preface. Till then, long live internet!

Love is blind, but marriage is a real eye opener.

This post was edited by ReallyCoolDude on Jan 11, 2005.

I have a feeling that you are going to hate me!

Goodness no! I guess I emphasized too much the reading of books when I should've emphasized reading in general. I have no problem with people who don't read books, and I certainly have no problem with you. :) I am merely ashamed that my country is full of so many people who are blind to the knowledge around them. That was really the whole purpose of my post.

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.

Can we do that Mrs. Groves?" and they looked all excited. Apparently they thought that a "genocide of idiots" was some term for a party because I always "use big words" and the way I said it was clearly emphatic enough to mean a party. Moderately ironic, because it would be a party for me.
I often have a habit of saying really terrible things. I feel bad about it, but sometimes things just spill out. "Let's have an idiot Holocaust. I'll be Hitler." Wow. Yeah, I'm a jerk. (The Hitler comment reminded me of this.)

*cracks up laughing*

I so wish I was in your class.

It's hard to believe that your classmates are really that dumb.
So it's true what's being said about American idiocy (assuming you're from USA)..

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough...."

It's hard to believe that your classmates are really that dumb

Isn't it? These people are the top of my class too. It's pitiful. I am, indeed, from America.

For my next trick, I shall make you all disappear.

Well, check this out. I've met some of the most intelligent, and some of the most 'braindead' people as both co-workers in my industry, and customers who frequent it. It's quite frustrating, at times, to see the disparity between the two. You'd think that in a bar environment, you'd only meet people who had killed off all of their brain cells... but that is not the case. :)

I hate to dispell the myth that some people have of 'entertainers'... but some of the most intelligent people (as well as some of the most intellectually-challenged...) I have worked with in my industry; so, in other words, while hanging out in relative darkness, I meet a very broad cross-section of people...

I can sit down and have deeply intellectual conversations with quite a few of the other 'entertainers', who are mostly extremely to fairly intelligent young women who are working their way through school, and trying to raise families. It is hard to raise a child alone (or with a significant other for that matter), go to work for hours on end, and go to school.

Intelligence seems to have a way of making life seem very frustrating if you can't exercise your brain power, and so, most of my co-workers have opted to combine this career with their familial responsibilities, so that they have the time for more intellectual pursuits at places of higher learning, and at the library.

I don't know why this is... but I find two stereotypes to be true of my co-workers: 1)The abuse factor... which I shan't mention..., and 2)waaaaaay smarter than they let on.

*smiles mischieviously*

Sometimes it is like watching someone change personalities... to see them come out of 'character'/off-role and talk like their true selves... A bunch of 'actors'/'actresses'... really.

Me... I don't hide my smarts. That might be why I don't make a whole lot of money, comparitively. People get intimidated way too easily, and don't understand always, that if you make a witty wisecrack, you aren't necessarily trying to put them down - you're just plain making a joke, and laughter is in order.

It's also okay to playfully banter back and forth with witticisms, but not take it all too seriously. Sometimes I wish that I were a an old-style geisha instead. Or one of those temple maidens, where people come to be engaged in intelligent conversation, and to be charmed by your artistic (musical and otherwise) talents. A lost art, really.

Rennaisance men and women exist in droves, but they are hiding in the dark, mostly...

One of my former coworkers spoke German, French and Russian fluently... while three more were in Med School. One young woman has the dubious reputation of being just as eccentric, intelligent, and crazy as I am. *winks* She has bookshelves from here to China, as do I.

I'm supposed to go to a Going-Away Party tonight for a young woman I met at work. She was at my stage, and somehow (don't know how that is...*winks*), we became engaged in a conversation about our favorite authors. I'll probably never see her again after the party, because she is moving rather far away, but I am going to try to go, so that I can have one last chance to talk to the 'girl' who wowed my mind with her intelligence.

Inside that place as well, there are, of course, the proverbial crackheads and junkies (customers as well as employees)... to paraphrase Robin Williams: "Junkies, transvestites, and pimps, Oh my! Follow the yellow brick road..."

But...

Most of my friends inside of that place are fairly healthy, intelligent individuals, who express frustration like the above about the 'braindead' factor; and most of them are 1) at odds with management, and 2) with the rich dudes who come in to get their egos stroked, because they have no real self-confidence, and must make skads of money to prove to themselves that they are worth something. I juat want the money to live, travel, and support my art habit, because if I can't meet new people and make art I feel stifled. I guess we all have our hang-ups and insecurities.

I think that, intelligence has a way of not being very diplomatic, and employers and such, don't like the fact that you won't kiss their asses. Employers in many different venues seem to be like that... they mess with you and screw with your money, if you don't kiss butt. Personally, I prefer to kiss someone on their face, and to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with them. My bitter, nasty side comes out whenever anyone tries to imply that I am just a chicky-chick.

I've actually talked to people in that club, who were avid readers, poets, painters, armchair philosophers, physicists, medical researchers, and just plain old, wise folks. Then, I've come into contact with the most ignorant and innorant people alive. The broad-spectrum is mind-boggling!

Then there are the people who just weren't blessed with brains, but they have more compassion in their little fingers than some of the most intelligent people I know. Why is it that intelligence and compassion are generally such an odd combination? I find it very hard sometimes to be compassionate... and I have to remind myself that being smart doesn't make me better than someone else. I realize that feeling superior is just the tiny pea under the Princess's bed that needles her into becoming a monster of a human being.

If my association with both intelligent and mentally-challenged people has taught me anything, it is that I should strive to retain my intelligence while trying to be as kind as some of the most unintelligent people that I know.

And it's really hard sometimes when people act a fool, isn't it? Sometimes I just snap and go off... but instead of throwing the baby out with the bath water, I try to dust myself off and try again.

Every once in a while, I'll look up and see that for weeks on end I have been a complete smartass with a bad attitude. It's then that I meekly remember that I've met people smarter than myself who are jerks all the time, and that I don't want to be one of them. But the ego gets in the way, sometimes. *sigh* And the insecurity. *sigh*

I guess we all have our faults.

If mountain goats like living at high elevations, why do none live in high rise apartment buildings?

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Jan 24, 2005.