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yardwork

(64,735 posts)

44. A coworker once took me aside to ask a question.

Sun Nov 10, 2024, 08:22 AM

Nov 10

She was an administrative assistant, and she was good at it.

She said she had a question that she was embarrassed to ask about. She didn't understand what people meant when they talked about conservatives and liberals. What did that mean, she asked. Did it have something to do with politics?

She wasn't asking a profound existential question. She literally didn't know what those words meant, or how they related to politics.

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LiberalLoner

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(54%) of Americans between the ages of 16 and 74 read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level [View all] Ponietz Nov 9 OP

I am reminded of that every day when interacting with my fellow citizens.nt. drray23 Nov 9 #1

They tell you everything you need to know Turbineguy Nov 9 #2

Illustrates the dismal state of our educational system. MichMan Nov 9 #3

Amen! My wife taught public school for 21 years before moving to private for the last six... Mark.b2 Nov 9 #6

"Social Promotion.". We cater to their self-esteem. We indulge. lindysalsagal Nov 10 #11

Ah! That's the term my wife told me about. Mark.b2 Nov 10 #15

But then the parents want to whine when the teacher gives the student a bad grade Dem4life1234 Nov 10 #26

A lot of parents don't teach their kids to respect teachers' authority.... Mark.b2 Nov 10 #47

I did 7 years public school (rural Alabama and inner city Atlanta.) bamagal62 Nov 10 #48

I doubt it was ever any better. Elessar Zappa Nov 10 #57

And yet, I was reading at 8th/9th grade level in second grade, not even niyad Nov 9 #4

Snopes isn't reliable anymore but I definitely believe this is true. live love laugh Nov 9 #5

Wut? MrWowWow Nov 10 #7

Good grief! And we know of at least one who is in Congress. LoisB Nov 10 #8

Another in the Senate misanthrope Nov 10 #22

True, true. The Senator from Alabama who allegedly actually lives in Florida. His intellect is limited to LoisB Nov 10 #23

I've alway thought: how terrible scary it must be to not marybourg Nov 10 #9

A coworker once took me aside to ask a question. yardwork Nov 10 #44

Most people voting on bond issues don't even know what a bond issue is Ponietz Nov 10 #49

So, how do we improve it? I get GOPers obstruct, so what can we do? Most people I see seem relatively Silent Type Nov 10 #10

My impression is most know their job and their hobby TheKentuckian Nov 10 #61

In 5th grade I was reading at a senior in high school/college freshman level. BannonsLiver Nov 10 #12

My parents were told when I was in 5th grade... love_katz Nov 10 #21

Me too. I remember reading Jane Eyre and some of Dostoyevsky's novels. travelingthrulife Nov 10 #55

That's all you need for comic books lame54 Nov 10 #13

Or Hustler. rubbersole Nov 10 #20

There is nothing wrong with comics exboyfil Nov 10 #31

Agreed. My parents - to the horror of neighbors - let me read comics. yardwork Nov 10 #45

Goebbels had a Phd Kaleva Nov 10 #14

And lack of education is no guarantee of rectitude. dchill Nov 10 #30

More like point missed GenThePerservering Nov 10 #40

Yes Kaleva Nov 10 #41

Yes, but lack of education .. Dave says Nov 10 #60

The literacy rate is based on a test administered to adults between 16 to 74 in 2003. summer_in_TX Nov 10 #16

To be fair, we do rank 125th globally for literacy, so there's that. Abolishinist Nov 10 #17

And likely cannot even Figarosmom Nov 10 #18

And Dotard speaks at a 4th grade level.... AZ8theist Nov 10 #19

From my own study of private letters and hand written documents defacto7 Nov 10 #54

And yet they're banning books?! When I was a kid, reading was actively encouraged! Rhiannon12866 Nov 10 #24

This has been the republican bamagal62 Nov 10 #25

"Idiocracy" was a documentary. dchill Nov 10 #29

No, it is a Pollyannaish fairytale at this point. TheKentuckian Nov 10 #33

I blame the Kardashians - now it's cool to be stupid. groundloop Nov 10 #27

Incredible, yet also seemingly completely obvious. dchill Nov 10 #28

Explains the election Old Crank Nov 10 #32

For a certain group of people... Mike Nelson Nov 10 #34

my kids learned to read when they were 3. they then spent almost 2 years reading everything Native Nov 10 #35

I would say I am shocked, but even the far more educated are having "issues." Many cannot spell, have atrocious hlthe2b Nov 10 #36

We are talking about a reading level for 11 and 12 year old children. madaboutharry Nov 10 #37

This quote left out "cretin" GreenWave Nov 10 #38

Damn! Ysabel Nov 10 #39

Including the guy who just got reelected, tanyev Nov 10 #42

America is banner headline readers Norbert Nov 10 #43

Partially explains the serious lack La Coliniere Nov 10 #46

Partially - maybe? MerrilyMerrily Nov 10 #50

Thanks Ronnie, own it Rs! Clouds Passing Nov 10 #51

That should come as no surprise to anyone who reads at an adult level. MineralMan Nov 10 #52

This explains why a large amount of Americans are stupid. Emile Nov 10 #53

I have long believed... The Madcap Nov 10 #56

This does say something. republianmushroom Nov 10 #58

My 16 year old son told me something I didn't know Bettie Nov 10 #59