The major media did a good job covering the recent National Spelling
Bee. Wouldn't it be great if American kids had more TV coverage of
academic subjects, and less of the American Idol and Fear Factor
stuff?
AMERICAN IS A VERY ANTI-INTELLECTUAL CULTURE.
This is totally unlike most other parts of the world that have
traditions of "Idolizing" their intellectuals and encouraging
learning.
Can you name an American actor? Sports star? TV personality? Of
course.
But, can you name an "American Intellecual?"
EVEN I CAN'T! And, that's bad! OK, maybe Oprah.....or Matt and Katy.
In America, it's all singing and dancing 24.7, and dressing up eight
year olds to look like Vegas hookers!
Well, you reap what you sow; and academically American kids don't
have a chance compared to kids in India, China, Japan and even Russia
where the traditions of learning and intellectual achievement are
greater. Saddly, in American the problem is not really "genetic"
it's cultural, but no one sees it.
The popular culture does make a big difference, you know..........
Would that our autochthonous media could spend more time on the
incompareable thrills and chills of competitive spelling!
Sooner or later American kids would get the message. But alas, today
they are getting the wrong message 24.7.365.
http://www.spellingbee.com
