[ExI] Bill Moyers: Susan Jacoby and "The Age of American Unreason"

[PJ Manney]

We, who frequent lists like these, are often astounded when we see
statistics about the number of people who believe in the literalness
of biblical texts, or who don't think evolution is valid or who think
the sun revolves around the earth.  What most of us fail to examine is
why.  And it isn't as simple as religion vs. secularism.

Susan Jacoby, author of "Freethinkers: A History of American
Secularism", has published a new book, "The Age of American Unreason"
which examines the reasons for the dumbing down of American culture.
Neither the political left, nor the right gets a passing grade in her
estimation.  They are both to blame for the hot water of ignorance
we're stewing in.

She's my kinda gal.  And she's interviewed by Bill Moyers -- one of my
favorite television journalists.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02152008/watch2.html

[Sorry for the America-centric post, but I think that non-Americans
might learn a good deal about why the US is the way it is from this
and realize that the dumbing down of culture is not an American-only
problem.  It comes from a world where there is too much information
and not enough sense to prioritize it, so we ignore it instead -- to
our peril.]

PJ