Many of us believe that there has been a "dumbing-down" of our society, and whether purpose driven or mere consequence of an ever-growing technological society, how can we identify that perception of a dumbing-down?

It occurred to me while pontificating the case of mental health and disabilities in another thread, that the dumbing-down is the lowering of expectations.

When our expectations are lowered, we accept lower standards. We accept lower standards in politicians, bureaucracies, utilities, education, qualification, everything.

So if I was to attempt to identify a dumbing-down, it would be in the lowering of our expectations in many aspects of our consumer driven, (dis/mis)-information based society...we expect things to break-down, and be up-graded. We expect our politicians not to live-up to promises, we expect incompetence and red-tape in bureaucracies. We expect to be treated like fools, and we are.

So then the question begs, how do we enliven our society's urge to demand better, expect more of our representatives, and fore-sake the apathy? How do we reverse the trend of the dumbing-down into a smartening-up?...and I can't resist...a Get Smart campaign! (No cone of silence permitted)(oh, and thank you Mel Brooks and Buck Henry)

Any thoughts?

'how do we enliven our society's urge to demand better, expect more of our representatives, and fore-sake the apathy?'

Why would you want to? Life is wonderful!

I for one embrace the 'dumbing down' of society. The funniest show on TV is A Current Affair. It acts as a mirror to our society over the last 20 years. Embrace it, luxuriate in it and you'll have a happy life.

I think the problem with people like you is that you want to control the world, and cant come to terms with the fact that you have no say and you have no power. Look for power inside your own spirit. Ignore the external noise of society, or like me, look on in a state of whimsical fascination.

For instance, I just cant resist clicking on any online news story that contains nudity, and I'm thankful that all our news is aimed at titillation, outrage, or else outrage at titillation. I herald The Sun as the ground breaking paper that started this irony-clad supercilious debasement of society.

'Cause let's face it, the tits on a woman's chest are infinitely more interesting and noteworthy than the pontification of the tits that run the world. This titillation and outrage is both escapism and profound social commentary wrapped up in simultaneously corny yet sophisticated humour appealing to all levels. And let's not forget the visual splendour, undeniable nourishment and exploration of the timeless beauty that is the naked female form.

I chuckle at those who put themselves somehow above this genuine exploration and celebration of our most base selves. I leave them to their self-flagellation by proxy, to their pompous disdain for the society they inhabit. Their finger of pity at this 'dumbed down' society should be turned inward, to look at why they wont let themselves join in the fun.

There are many layers to this 'infotainment' phenomena, and those who constantly knock it are not looking deep enough. By refusing to slide into apathy, you are choosing to live in captivity.

MindlessCruelty invites us to examine ways in which the dumbing down process takes hold. I like the fact that there is hint of the concept of consequence rather than necessarily, conspiracy. Social change is sometimes a 'natural' adjustment rather than a 'something we prepared earlier' conscious manipulation.

Perhaps in the information age there is an element of both, or perhaps one is an inevitable progression from the other and some opportunism at play.

Despite access to 'education', we have become bland and accepting of stuff where the opposite was often assumed - such as service. Examples such as those MC refers to in her/his opening post - we assume and expect goods and/or services to fail us at some point and we go on apathetically accepting this as par for the course. Planned obselescence is taken as the norm and goes to the heart of issues like sustainability, waste and consumerism.

We no longer expect our politicians to be truthful yet lack the fortitude to vote them out (both of them) as a wake up call. Like that film where everyone says I am as mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Or maybe a bit like V for Vendetta - OK maybe that analogy was a bit OTT.

Will there ever be an era of great thinkers and questioners that emerged prior to electronic media. I don't pretend to understand why this access to information has had the reverse effect of what it (probably) promised.

Modern politics is akin to a media circus and maybe that is because we are saturated with it in the electronic media. You can't get instant gratification and replays from the print media. Where does spin begin and reality end?

One might take the whimsical view but ask yourself what are the inevitable consequencs of dumbing down?

Most of what we do comes from how we perceive, and then how we CHOOSE to react. However the result of dumbing down is the opportunity for manipulation and then for lack of control over our destiny.

Or not... as the case may be.

Dumbing down?I take different view how do we pay for better?
Motorists want American freeway style roads.
We ask for better education than far bigger country's.
Mental health is an issue we do not do enough but how do we pay the bills.
A thread talks of anti smoking moves to further take the glamor out of that habit, but we all pay the medical bills.
Health is now a cash cow do we have the right to regulate costs?
Transport and a host of things we could do better but we are a nation with only so many tax payers how do we fund more?
A cancer victim wants better treatment a person who has a mental health problem wants better but the very same people if well do not want to pay more tax's.

very same people if well do not want to pay more tax's.
Belly,
This attitude is particularly relevant in the left orientated Public Service where those who contribute the least get the most & vice versa. Where I live you can't get a seat on a plane to go south for the weekend because the homebound Public Servants have everything booked. When I suggested to some that Qantaslink should book returning public Servants only on morning flights so to free up seats for normal people, I was looked at with the most stoic expression. One actually replied "if we have to fly back in the morning we'd miss out on claiming our lunch allowance".

'Will there ever be an era of great thinkers and questioners that emerged prior to electronic media. I don't pretend to understand why this access to information has had the reverse effect of what it (probably) promised.'

pelican,

It's to do with the medium. You should read Amusing Ourselves to Death.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death

I also think people over-estimate the thinkers of the past. Sure they were smart people, but they stood out more because everyone else was more concerned about putting food on the table and such. The 'bogan masses' have always existed, but people think it's a modern phenomena. The bogan masses just have more power these days, as they're cashed up consumers.

TV for example, it's not for you, it's for them. Well maybe it is more for you as you're female at least and women are more likely the ones making the majority of purchasing decisions

''the result of dumbing down is the opportunity for manipulation and then for lack of control over our destiny.'

That goes back to my point about wanting to control. Control is an illusion unless you really have some big bucks. If you want to be happier, turn off the TV or revel in it as I do.

You seem to be of the opinion one can be dumbed down just by watching.
Like by some osmosis you'll become the target audience. Maybe you fear you are the target audience and feel patronised, or maybe you fear for the target audience. Fear not for them, they are happy. It's all for them.

They are entertained, they are shown the way with shows like 'Better Homes Than Yours', they can enjoy vicariously the lives of the rich and shameless celebrities. They are thankfully distracted from their powerlessness. What more could one want.

In the meantime, you have access to dry policy documents, internet research and common sense enough not to buy into better homes than yours. You have the power to rise above the popular offerings. Or do you want to be spoon fed too?