one of the things about US Americans that baffles me: the world is huge, yet so very few leave even their home state to see the country, nevermind seeing any other part of the world. our media rarely covers world news. why are we so insular?
@redenigma I honestly think part of it is the long term side effect of the powerful greed in our country. The rich keep getting richer and the scraps left makes it impossible for families to save for emergencies let alone vacations to other places. Combine that with chronic education under funding and a system that teaches kids to take tests instead of critical thinking and voila, insular people who don’t have the tools easily available to change their place or state of mind.
@redenigma I’m incredibly grateful you’ve popped into my life here. I’m looking forward to future conversations
@StarlightEmber i graduated high school in 1972. we were getting too uppity for the Powers That Be. within 2 years, education was being dumbed down, creative art programs were being cut... civics stopped being taught in many areas. i watched all this happen, but no one would listen to me
@redenigma I think the anti war demonstrations shook the swamp to their core. The poor not willing to be cannon fodder.
@redenigma @StarlightEmber
This. Exactly this... I've been saying the same for years and i living it as it changed for those behind me...
Fekking math and science classes changing for change sake...
We sent men to the Moon with the intelligence of men and women who were taught in the public system and used slide rules...
But some Betsy Devos character see to it that education changed and here we are... 
@InvaderGzim @redenigma
My hope is the huge drop in education outcomes caused by the pandemic for various communities will lead to innovative solutions that will be supported by the new administration. I sincerely hope we can turn the teaching to the test mentality around at the federal level and focus on critical thinking, empathy, and civics in addition to academics, arts and phys Ed.
@InvaderGzim @redenigma
and skills for jobs of the future
@StarlightEmber that is exactly what we need. the last thing we need more of is kids that can only rote memorize & not think outside the box. the arts give kids more tools for learning mathematics, sciences, history and empathy (and trades. AND well rounded personalities). arts are probably one of the most human of activities & all other activities are wrapped up in them
@redenigma
I’m lucky I ended up at a college that stressed critical thinking. I graduated in 91 and definitely experienced the process you’re describing and see it progressed with my kiddo’s experience.
Doesn’t it suck sometimes to feel like Cassandra of Troy? I’m with you on shouting unheard into the winds
@StarlightEmber and it was, 100%, planned out to be that way, to control the populace easier...