The Internet didn't make people stupid. But it did end up helping to make it EASIER for people to become stupid.
@lauren Well, actually, people are stupid. I know, I know, it's surprising and disappointing if you were raised around educated people who valued knowledge.
If you don't believe it, spend some time in rural areas, or here in West Virginia, or Kentucky, and discover how stupid untrained, undisciplined, uneducated feral humans really are. Even the ones who are considered smart around here are stupid.
@karlauerbach @lauren Yes, I miss the first 40 years of my life when I was fortunate to grow up around and work with people smarter than I.
The one person I consider a close friend here isn't highly educated but clearly has very high intelligence. I enjoy that she thinks even faster than I, always jumps to the right conclusion, is usually a step or two ahead of me. It's like a breath of fresh air and renews my hope for humanity. But that's one person I've met in a decade here.
@shuttersparks @lauren Hmmm, I wonder what engendered that observation?
Around here we have a lot of the opposite effect - I am constantly reminded how little I know and how wrong some of my ideas are.