A/N – I originally wrote this back in February, 2013.  With school starting tomorrow, I thought this might be a good time to re-post.  Thoughts and comments are welcome.

-Doug

 

Okay, I’m just going to come right out and say it. Kids today are dumb!!

And before everyone starts to get upset, let me tell you what I’m talking about and why. Last night, there were two little girls that came into the store. And they weren’t really little – they were probably ten / eleven years old. And they bring three items up to the register – a drink, which cost 1.69, a large candy bar that costs (and is clearly marked) 1.79, and a Little Debbie cake, marked 50 cents. Okay, I could comment on their eating habits too because both of these youngsters were little butterballs and didn’t need the candy or soda or honey bun. Maybe they should be introduced to the concept of salads or an apple. Just saying.

So anyhow, they have three items, all clearly marked and priced. Added together, before tax, these items total 3.98. (Yeah, we’re expensive – I know it, but I don’t make the prices.) And these two girls come up to the register, lay down $3 and want to know “do I have enough for this?”. I told them no and why and so they went to put something back. They put back the 1.79 candy bar and got two candy bars for 1.19 each instead.

“Do we have enough now”, they asked again. And they were freakin’ serious? They honestly did not seem to know how to add simple prices in their heads or that two candy bars at 1.19 each would cost more than the one candy bar at 1.79. I told them no again and told them what they could get, trying to contain my amazement at their lack of common, basic math skills. And they tried it again. And this time, put the Little Debbie cake back and asked, “do we have enough?”. Nope, still have just three dollars and still not enough. Finally, a man in line, after watching all this, just threw down $2 to help cover their costs and so they could leave. They never even said “thank you” to the man or anything. Just snatched the money, paid for their stuff and ran out the door.

Listen up. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer sometimes and on some things (I-Pods, smart-phones, selling drugs, etc.), I’m pretty clueless. But I was able to figure up prices and count up change and do simple adding and subtracting by the time I was six or seven years old. I never had to go up to the cashier and ask “do I have enough money” for what I was purchasing because I already knew if I did or didn’t have enough. And hell, I see adults who are in their twenty and thirties who can’t even do this now. I see it every freakin’ day and it makes me sad and kind of sick too.

What the hell has happened to our school systems? Quickly, answer me this question. What is a conjunction?

And if you’re in my age range (mid-40’s), your mind probably went back to the old School House Rock series and you heard “conjunction junction, what’s your function” in your head and immediately went “and, but and or”. If you go up to almost any kid today, including some of the ones in high school or even in college and ask that question, you’ll either get a blank expression or some answer so extremely far off and wrong that it makes you just sigh heavily in disgust.

We learned to add and subtract (basic math skills) in school. We learned to spell correctly. We learned to write cursive. DId you know that learning to write in cursive is not even taught in schools these days? That’s just freakin’ sad! (Yes, I know I use the term “freakin” way too often. Get used to it!)

Before I graduated school, I could name all fifty state capitals, list all the United States President’s (in order), balance a checkbook, write a resume, knew how to act in public, learned to say “thank you” and “please”, could name all the planets and tell you in detail about the Civil War, World War II, World War i, the “New Deal”, cook, refinish furniture and sing (somewhat) in key.

And I wasn’t that great a student.

And what can the kids today do and show for their twelve-plus years of public education?

They might know who the President is, but don’t ask them who their Senator or Governor are. They can spell slightly, but only in short-hand and text language. Adding and subtracting are out of the question unless they have a computer or calculator to help. Forget about writing or punctuation, but at least they can spell their names (sort of). How to speak in public or behave? That’s a skill acquired at home and should be built upon in the schools, but instead we get people who are loud, rude, and lack any type of self-respect or behavior skills.

Let me clarify here for a moment. I’m not talking about all youngsters, but far too damn many of them to be sure.

Maybe I’m just too damn old for my own good and shouldn’t complain. After all, so what if the vast majority of the people today are ignorant and mindless sheep? So what if they can’t add, subtract, write their own names or do the most common things such as balance a checkbook, identify their leaders or speak properly. It’s not like the rest of the world isn’t headed in the same direction.

Oh wait, they’re not. It’s the “Western cultures” that seem to be experiencing this mass wave of stupidity and lack of a basic education. China and Japan are still doing great and kicking butt in all areas. The only time they have problems is when American’s get involved and try to “help”.

I love my country and I like most people. Okay, that last part’s an slight exageration, but I do like some people. And when I see how people are these days and what the future holds for us when these same people with their lack of basic skills or sense are in charge, it scares the hell out of me. And it should scare the heck out of everyone.

Think about it.

I could rant about this for hours, but I’ve got to break off and head out to do the Food Lion thing. Have a great day (if you can).

Ubuntu!