The Dumbest Generation
A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a group of people, in other words known as a stereotype. Stereotype, the word that was going through my mind when the read the article “Generation Text: The Dark Digital Ages: 13 to 17”. The article written by Mark Bauerlein really had me thinking about how someone could perceive our generation in such a stereotypical way, which basically lumped all of us, with our unique and contrasting ideologies together. After reading Bauerlein’s article he makes our generation sound like kids and young adults who would do anything to acquire social acceptance from our peers. My emotional response to Bauerlein’s essay was upsetting. He sounds oblivious just in the sense that he merely categorizes all kids in the generation [our generation] in a stereotypical manner. Not only does he
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He justifies this by making points such as our strong attachments to our cellphones and other devices. He says “This is the hallmark of what I have called the Dumbest Generation” (352). However, he says “Wounds from lunchroom gossip and bullying… These form a horizon of adolescent triumphs and set the knowledge of history, civics, religion, fine arts and foreign affairs beyond the pale of useful and relevant acquisitions” (350). It makes sense because the childish train of thought to Bauerlein in his article is a “drag on maturity.” I do agree with the article that an immature child’s train of thought is a “drag on maturity.” However, Bauerlein contradicts himself at the end when he says “These kids have just as much intelligence and ambition as any pervious cohort…” (352). He just talked about how his generation was more knowledgeable about history, civics, religion, fine arts and foreign affairs, yet at the end of the article Bauerlein just contradicts what he already addressed earlier in the
He justifies this by making points such as our strong attachments to our cellphones and other devices. He says “This is the hallmark of what I have called the Dumbest Generation” (352). However, he says “Wounds from lunchroom gossip and bullying… These form a horizon of adolescent triumphs and set the knowledge of history, civics, religion, fine arts and foreign affairs beyond the pale of useful and relevant acquisitions” (350). It makes sense because the childish train of thought to Bauerlein in his article is a “drag on maturity.” I do agree with the article that an immature child’s train of thought is a “drag on maturity.” However, Bauerlein contradicts himself at the end when he says “These kids have just as much intelligence and ambition as any pervious cohort…” (352). He just talked about how his generation was more knowledgeable about history, civics, religion, fine arts and foreign affairs, yet at the end of the article Bauerlein just contradicts what he already addressed earlier in the