The Lowest Common Denominator Theory

This is another post from "The Uncommon Manifesto":

One thing that really irks me is the lowest common denominator theory. Consider it settling for mediocrity at best. Do the powers that be consider us supremely stupid? Isn’t this a form of elitism? Well, it would be easy to blame this situation on the government or the media, but the fault must be placed squarely on the shoulders of those of us who accept these dumbing down practices.

We allow the media to sell - not tell - us the news. We accept mindless drivel as the supreme in pop culture. We idolize marginally talented indiviuals on the basis of the image that they portray.When a performer’s antics in their personal life has an equal or greater ability to propel their career into superstar status than the quality of their work, we are in serious trouble. The current standard places more weight on shock value than it does on creativity. It’s easier and more acceptable to actually use crude language and performances than it is to suggest those same ideas without being vulgar. We place far too much importance upon the almighty television, taking whatever information it spews upon us as gospel. Simply put, we seem to have confused what is information and what is entertainment because it comes from the same box.

Our society has handcuffed our educators, in the name of compassion for those less adept and those less willing to conform to a structured educational atmosphere. In addition, each successive generation has accepted lower academic standards for their children in spite of the fact that our world has become increasingly complex, thereby demanding a greater - not lesser - knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Another form of acceptance of lesser standards is the grade curve. Basically, when it comes to testing a student’s assimilation of knowledge, pass or fail is a simple black and white issue. Introducing the grade curve adds a dangerous grey area to our already woefully inadequate educational system. Many individual educators who strive for higher standards quite often end up exasperated from wrangling the system and frustrated when their attempts are subverted by administrators seeking to be “politically correct”. Hats off to those who succeed and those who continue to try. These people are our key allies in our battle against mediocrity. Some of the blame must of course, fall upon the shoulders of us, the parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents of today’s youth. We have to instill from an early age the desire for knowledge, the quest for excellence and the reasoning to make the right decisions.

These are problems that cannot be solved by simply increasing budgets or by builing new schools (although these are not bad first steps). New teaching methods and atmospheres are simply not enough. Neither are regulations on what we see on televison or hear on the radio. Changes in overall attitude towards the educational process, the media and the things we accept as excellent are what is necessary. The beginning and ending lies with each and every one of us.