To wonder why people are still so woefully misinformed?

[Lucia39]

We now have access to more information than any previous generation. An entire reference library is available at the click of a mouse, public libraries were still free last time I checked, and general reference books are readily available and comparatively cheap.

Why then is the apparent standard of general knowledge and informed opinion amongst many people in Britain [especially the younger generations] so abysmal?

It's a lovely sunny day Lucia- it seems a shame that you're spending it up your own backside

(mine was too)

Trikken - thanks for support too .

"Anyone can hide behind a dodgy quote" PortBlacksandResident 2009.

It's not a paraphrase... it's actually closer to a parody, as I am assuming it is an intentional mistranslation of the original epitaph.

You sound a bit silly and up yourself.

Sorry.

Agree with you that people are generally a bit fick nowadays though.

How very dare she think me and mine are uneducated?
We've got degrees and PhDs and books and collections and stuff.
And I have two very nerdy children who can quote and collect items of specific interest in labelled and researched sets.
Crap at sports mind.

You are right lucia. I have double checked with the younger generation in my household and found their level of general knowledge to be woefully poor.

For instance I asked DD "what is the equation for calculating the gravitational attraction between 2 bodies?". Her answer, I am sorry to report, was "cat". I then showed her the latin quote above and asked her to translate it. Her answer? Tombliboos.

I would also add that I then provided her with some reference books to peruse, but she put them down and went off to look at daddy having a shower.

I ask you. Standards are utterly shocking. Young people of today. Pah... etc etc etc.

especially the younger generations

Why do people always pick on the younger generation - they are lovely and have such wonderful apptitude at allsorts of things

leave them alone

Pick on the older generation that havn't bothered to take them to said reference library or other such places for information or how to use indexes and catalogues.

She put the book down? Obviously an intellectual in the making if she left no teeth marks in it.

Quote.
It's a lovely sunny day Lucia- it seems a shame that you're spending it up your own backside.
End quote.

snort.

She has just returned with a pant liner and a crayon. I suspect that the reference book fired her enthusiasm for experimental work, art and human biology and she is pondering those topics now.

I have high hopes for her

Lovely tin, I fear ds4 is also suitably ill - equipped: not only was his answer to my enquiry after the name of the new Poet laureate 'Row row your boat', every question, from the chemical symbol for magnesium right up to the playwright behined the Tempest, was met with the same response!. Shocking.

OTOH ds1 is doing Shakespeare at school aged 9, has a decent grasp of most workld faiths and a far greater knowledge of the technicalities (if not usages) of the English language than I did at that age. Oh, and the oder 2 have been learning a second langauge since 5 (Welsh).

Comapred to the shitty council estate school I attended, am very impressed indeed. Though my knowledge of knife crime was undoubtedly better.

wow Peachy, Im still stuck at learning one language.

LTOS

Um, I'm a teacher too.

Goblin, I meant it as specific thing don't worry LOL- not as a general thing.

Was administered in the same charitable spirit as the OP.

All kids in Wales learn two languages unless in a SNU, is no biggie

not all ole gumpers are well read literate and educated with encyclopaedic knowledge and reference books to hand.

it is a shame when generalisations are made about "younger generations"

Ooh, a quotation game, love them. How about...

What's on your mind? If you'll forgive the overstatement.

• Fred Allen

BOF THAT is funny, I shall have to remember that one

I dont understand.

And I am actually quite old.

Where has Lucia gone? If you're there, what do you think of all these comments?
( Really trying hard to get all my punctuation/spelling wright! Don't want to seem thick)

Quattrocentro "I think she's saying we're all uneducated"

If the hat fits.....

I thought perchance some intelligent comments would be made - I was obviously wasting my time.

If any of you seriously think that today's generation is better educated, more informed, and more capable of critical thought than previous generations - have a chat with a few teenagers, yet they have more information at their fingertips than ever before! Come to that - the older generations also seem remarkably ignorant! Dumb Britain is a regular hoot!

I shall leave you all for a while so that you can give vent to your grievances against the in-laws, discuss the intricacies of nappy changing and potty training, and moan about how partners are useless in bed.

Am I being patronising? Yes, but really some of you do ask for it!

Perhaps you are mixing with the wrong kind of people

Oh, Lucia, with your rapier-sharp comments you are really cutting us.
(Your grammar needs a bit of work, love.)