The Dumbing of America

1. What is the author (Jacobs) trying to convince you is true. Quote one sentence in which she clearly states what she believes.

The author is trying to convince that America is getting stupider by watching too much TV and playing to much video games.

2. Why evidence does the author give to prove that America is dumber than before? How does baby Einstein prove we’re getting dumber?

The author is saying that people now days are getting more distracted with all the electronics around today.

3. What does Jacobs believe caused dumbness?

The laziness and lack of education in schools is causing the dumbness.

4. What does the author mean by “anti-intellectualism?” What is it? What causes it?

Anti-intellectualism is that we are dumb. It’s the lack of effort put into something. An example is playing video games or watching tv rather than using your brain for knowledge.

5. What is the “erosion of general knowledge?”

The erosion of general knowledge is the way that knowledge is getting less and less, getting stupider.

6. Summarize the 2nd to last paragraph (” That leads us to the third and final factor”).

In the second to last paragraph is saying its not what we dont know thats making us stupid, its what we dont need to know that is making us stupid.