Idiocracy
Have too many Americans become gullible, ill-informed idiots who have elevated feelings over facts and replaced critical thinking with a blind sense of trust for authority? I'm not trying to be insulting here; I'm just trying to figure out Rudy Giuliani's poll numbers.
Four years ago Tucker Carlson asked Britney Spears on CNN, "A lot of entertainers have come out against the war in Iraq. Have you?" And Britney, who was chewing gum throughout the entire interview, answered, "Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens."
It's this kind of head-in-the-sand, free rein granted to those believed to be in a position of moral authority that has led to warrantless wiretapping, torture, and a $6.1 million judgment for a Kentucky McDonald's employee named Louise Ogborn. In 2004, Louise was 18 and working at McDonald's when her assistant manager Donna called her into the back office, said a police officer on the phone had identified her as a thief, and then forced Louise, under the "cop's" orders, to strip naked, do nude jumping jacks, submit to a spanking and finally perform oral sex on Donna's 43-year-old exterminator fiancé. The whole ordeal, ordered by a prankster over the phone, lasted three hours. But you know what they say about fast-food work -- the time flies when you're busy.
A Kentucky jury listened to testimony, watched a videotape of the entire incident and awarded Louise $6.1 million dollars from the obviously culpable party in this matter -- the McDonald's Corporation. That's right, two adults pressure a third adult into stripping, a spanking and a blowjob based on the word of a stranger on the phone and the fault lies not with the gullible idiots who blindly obeyed some perceived voice of authority, but with the company that happens to have its name on the sign out front. McDonald's has a written policy in their training manual against any type of strip searches and even sent out a voicemail warning franchises about such phone hoaxes but the jury found that the company was liable because, after all, the perv on the phone did say he was a cop and what choice did Donna the assistant manager have but to, as Britney says, "just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens"?
Bill Maher is the host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" which airs every Friday at 11PM.
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I was in Germany last week.
I was playing a bagpipe near a train stop, something a bit rare. As a result I spoke to a few people.
A young man about 20 years old spoke with me for a few minutes.
He asked what happened to our country.
He said his impression and that of most of his friends is that Americans reallly are very stupid people. He couldn't understand how Bush, who is seen as a moron and thug, could have been elected twice when clearly the USA is declining as an economic power. He couldn't understand how Bush and Company could have risen to power as he did things to hurt American workers and caused an unnecessary war.
Yes. Americans are that stupid...a
Does the name Wolfowitz or PNAC mean anything to you Bill?
Our economic power is declining? Where did he see that? That's like the German that was sitting next to me on my return flight from LAS yesterday who told me that American was a horrible country for starting all of these many wars! By the way, his business was selling NAZI memorabilia from WWII. He had an original Adolf Hitler signature he was taking back to Germany to sell. You know, that war we started. The war after WWI that we must have also started, and the Franco-Prussian war before that one.
Beats me.
He had some notion that the USA has exported it's manufacturing base to China and created a paper economy.
As to the rest of it..I can't explain very much about what lies behind another persons reasoning.
I reminded the lad that Hitler was elected too.
Also that his election was likely cleaner than that of Bush..that Bush actually lost the popular vote the first time.
He spoke of economic depression, unreasonable reparations from WW1 and the fact that Hitler was a war veteran who was seen as comon folk who offered hope and scapegoats as the reasons he won his election.
He said Americans are seen as Stupid...f
Ya think they may have learned a lesson?
I donno...pe
The USA did NOT start WW 2...YOU are a Profesor? Like on Gilligans' Island?
The answer is no, because it presupposes that there weren't too many gullible idiots before.
Yo Bill! Funny to see how shocked you were by the guy who said America's interests should be, how should we put this, a little more invested "at home." Better think fast before that AIPAC credit card of yours gets too close to the limit! lol
This behavior is not new, and unfortunately it is not limited to Americans. Further it is not a recent phenomenon.
google "milgram experiment" read it carefully and be depressed.
No point in harkening back to a "better time" in America. It didn't exist.
Yes. If we actually took social psychology seriously, we'd be light years into the future.
One Nation Under FEAR.
Bill, be honest, when is the last time you met someone who has a spine.
It's been ages for me.
Well, it really isn't that important:
We'll be lucky if the Planet lasts another 50 years.
ps
Must [short]Read:
"Beyond Civilization"
--Daniel Quinn--
yes Bill, right as ever. And because there are so many of these idiots, is it any surprise that we end up with moron's in charge of the country ? Easily duped, easily led. Retards. And the jury is not much better; but then mickey D's has the deep pockets, so go after them.
Bill Maher is absolutely correct about the fact that most Americans just follow blind conviction like cows to the slaughter.
Most of them don't believe in change or truth beyond tradition because it scares them.
What seems to arouse a Republican most is to talk about how the liberal democrats are nothing more than evil communists because we dare to speak out against our government and we want all children in the country to have access to affordable healthcare. To them, this is pure evil.
Maybe these right-wingers should go live in China where any citizen who dares speak out against the government there gets shot on the street. Is that what these Republican oil barons want to happen here?
For years, Republicans have fought to control all the media and in the meantime, managed to convince almost all Americans that somehow, all journalists in this country are communists. Sad but true.
Republicans also like to mimick the Muslim dictators because they want our country ruled by religion, not the constitution.
Republicans profess to love God, but only worship oil, you know, that lucrative stuff that is found throughout the ground in Iraq. Isn't it true that most Republicans feel that money or oil, not God, is the way, the truth and the life?
Regardless of who gets the Democratic nomination in 08, I hope the voters tell all the Republican Oil barons in this country and in the Middle East to get lost. Tell them to stop hiding behind religion and go live in the Middle East if you want to be ruled by religion and oil, or better yet, go live in China if you want to experience no diversity in the news.
As for me, I'm voting for the Democrats.
I want to go green. I believe in alternative fuels and in truth beyond tradition. I'm not a cow. I'm a patriot who truly worships in the house of democracy. I just hope I find the courage to put a Hillary sticker on my car in the middle of Mormon territory. Talk about scary.
Britney Spears' political views seem like those of the average American to me. I'm going for a Royale with cheese and think it over...
"in China where any citizen who dares speak out against the government there gets shot on the street. Is that what these Republican oil barons want to happen here?"
Yes. Look at the MoveOn ad.
"Isn't it true that most Republicans feel that money or oil, not God, is the way, the truth and the life?"
Yes. Look at....all of them?
The internet and water are their next targets (internet being a place for real information, water being the new oil).
You know, this is a fantastic post. Now, everyone who feels this way should go to their Republican and put it to action - start a debate with them, on their turf. Otherwise, they will never learn to reason and debate. They'll stay on their ignorant, clueless side, and we'll rant over on our safe corner, and never a debate shall occur. I think we need to take Bill's lament to the next logical step - debate, with the opposition, not just sit on this board and drone on. We all pretty much agree with each other here.
Bill, Bill, Bill, your facts and logic aren't meshing on the McDonald's strip search case. This case was 1 of 40 the same kind of assaults on McDonald's employees initiated by the same caller for over 11 years. If all 40 of these McManagers were idiots, that makes the case that McDonald's needed to do more training, not less. Instead, it did nothing but lie to cover its buns.
Hopefully you disagree with the McShrink who argued that on the bright side, sexual assault can be a real character builder.
Thanks for the fact check, doc. I for one did not know this; partly, I'm sure, because I don't watch TV. These juvenile dramas get old.
It doesn't obviate the premise, however. Our country contains at least 28% stupid people: Bush's approval ratings are fine gauge for practical intelligence. I think the numbers are a bit higher, but some of the stupid are starting to watch other channels, as the Bush Show starts into reruns.
Note that I'm not saying they are "naturally" stupid. There are very few people with really no lick of sense. The rest MAKE THEMSELVES STUPID by cooperating with the political tendency (and the commercial imperative) to encourage and generate a compliant audience. Everything is easier for our commercial "leaders" if we keep ourselves prone in front of the tube, so they can tell us what to buy; in the political as well as the commercial arena.
---------
Kill your TV, and free your mind.
Perhaps it would ease your pain, Bill, to measure idiocrcy using South Park's 'couric' system. Examples:
* Incidented cited in your blog: 3 courics per minute
* Ann Coulter enlightening us on religion: 7 courics per minute
* WH press briefing: 11 courics per minute.
The TV rating system could then be revised to warn us of idiocy content, e.g., TV14 6 CPM.
When you love your country and trust your government then you are doing a disservice to both. Only a zealously scrutinized government could be something a country can love. When you accept everything the government tells you then there will never be a reason for the government to ever tell you the truth if it is not in their self interest.
Blind and loyal obedience are the traits of a totalitarian society. Dissent, protest, oversight with diligent supervision by its citizens are the greatest tools a society has to keep its government honest and something we can be proud of.
It requires that the people be their own guardians. Think for themselves instead of having others think for them. We have ceded too much power to our representatives. We have been told by too many people we can do nothing about the situation. It is just too hard. We don't have the numbers. There is no other choice. They have told us that over and over and unfortunately too many of us have believed them. You can wake up soon or sleep forever. Your choice.
What can you expect from a people who cannot identify their own country on an atlas?
... Ah but, Phylin, that's why Miss South Carolina (Lauren Upton, Miss Teen USA) suggested we ALL need "..more maps..", to make sure "..our children is learning..
Have too many Americans become gullible, ill-informed idiots who have elevated feelings over facts and replaced critical thinking with a blind sense of trust for authority?
yes
Bill Maher asked "Have too many Americans become gullible, ill-informed idiots who have elevated feelings over facts and replaced critical thinking with a blind sense of trust for authority?"
Sadly, yes.
Why is it that everyone who bothers to comment on American stupidity points to some media report that points out the stupidity of some Americans?
Gee, think it might be that the media NEEDS to continue pointing out what THEY think?
(That Americans are stupid, heh heh, all we gotta do is tell the people they need this overpriced crap, or this new electronic gee-gaw, which will only complicate their life and distract them from organizing, and heh, they LOVE what Britney the idiot has to say....)
And the rich continue their self-congratulatory circle-jer
Bill you are so correct in your comments.T
OOOOh, the socialist boogeyman is coming to get you! Please! Grow up.
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