Ignorance Is Not a Bliss
In his excerpt “Idiot Nation,” from his 2001 book Stupid White Men and and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation, Michael Moore argues that the American education system has failed to properly educate its students and has instead produced a “standardized citizenry” incapable of developing their own opinions and beliefs. As a political activist, the author is angered by how ignorant the country has become and continues to be, and tries to prove to his audience the need for an improved, better structured education system. He intends to change his young audience’s perspective on education by using a witty, sarcastic tone, by using personal anecdotes, and by providing evidential data that further support his case. …show more content…
He identifies the shortcomings of the government to recognize how negligent it is of its schools’ faculties and students. For example, he states that due to budget cuts, schools resort to corporations for funding to keep their programs going. In return, these corporations end up turning “students into billboards” (134). Moore brings attention to the fact that students are being treated more like marketing opportunities and less like functioning individuals to evoke the reader’s sympathy. The audience, themselves, are either students or recent graduates that are going or have gone through the system, unaware of the opportunities they would have had, had they been better informed. He appeals to his young readers because, unlike himself whose outlook on education is outdated, they are capable of providing sufficient suggestions that will ultimately enhance the significance of education. He also mentions how teachers, who “[care] deeply about what kind of students will enter the adult world,” (133) have become the “politicians’ favorite punching bag” (128). He says public figures are more eager to attack the efforts of professional educators than admit to their own failure to fix the system. He helps his readers recognize that the students’ education has been compromised, that corporate benefits or government expenditures …show more content…
Moore’s credibility is firmly established by his voice, his entire argument is held together by his ability to interact with his audience. He, for example, uses rhetorical questions and capital letters in his statements, such as, when he says “Isn’t the rest of the world speaking English now? and if they aren’t, hadn’t all those damn foreigners better GET WITH THE PROGRAM?” (125) to further help his audience comprehend his argument. The humor he uses is more effective in persuading his teenage audience because it is primarily written to spark their interest. Moore’s attitude towards education and authority connotes a sense of rebellion and trustworthiness that instills faith in the integrity of the author. Instead of calling teenagers lazy, he instead criticizes the "ignorant high ranking officials" (123) who are more concerned with the scores of standardized testing. Instead of blaming teenagers for their low standardized test scores, Moore blames the ridiculous system that is not actually teaching them. He is able to influence the young reader’s opinion because he speaks to them as a peer, and not as a controlling authoritative figure. He does not patronize his audience or belittle their opinions, instead he inspires them to find their own voice. He emphasizes the importance of his audience’s role since they’re
In his excerpt “Idiot Nation,” from his 2001 book Stupid White Men and and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation, Michael Moore argues that the American education system has failed to properly educate its students and has instead produced a “standardized citizenry” incapable of developing their own opinions and beliefs. As a political activist, the author is angered by how ignorant the country has become and continues to be, and tries to prove to his audience the need for an improved, better structured education system. He intends to change his young audience’s perspective on education by using a witty, sarcastic tone, by using personal anecdotes, and by providing evidential data that further support his case. …show more content…
He identifies the shortcomings of the government to recognize how negligent it is of its schools’ faculties and students. For example, he states that due to budget cuts, schools resort to corporations for funding to keep their programs going. In return, these corporations end up turning “students into billboards” (134). Moore brings attention to the fact that students are being treated more like marketing opportunities and less like functioning individuals to evoke the reader’s sympathy. The audience, themselves, are either students or recent graduates that are going or have gone through the system, unaware of the opportunities they would have had, had they been better informed. He appeals to his young readers because, unlike himself whose outlook on education is outdated, they are capable of providing sufficient suggestions that will ultimately enhance the significance of education. He also mentions how teachers, who “[care] deeply about what kind of students will enter the adult world,” (133) have become the “politicians’ favorite punching bag” (128). He says public figures are more eager to attack the efforts of professional educators than admit to their own failure to fix the system. He helps his readers recognize that the students’ education has been compromised, that corporate benefits or government expenditures …show more content…
Moore’s credibility is firmly established by his voice, his entire argument is held together by his ability to interact with his audience. He, for example, uses rhetorical questions and capital letters in his statements, such as, when he says “Isn’t the rest of the world speaking English now? and if they aren’t, hadn’t all those damn foreigners better GET WITH THE PROGRAM?” (125) to further help his audience comprehend his argument. The humor he uses is more effective in persuading his teenage audience because it is primarily written to spark their interest. Moore’s attitude towards education and authority connotes a sense of rebellion and trustworthiness that instills faith in the integrity of the author. Instead of calling teenagers lazy, he instead criticizes the "ignorant high ranking officials" (123) who are more concerned with the scores of standardized testing. Instead of blaming teenagers for their low standardized test scores, Moore blames the ridiculous system that is not actually teaching them. He is able to influence the young reader’s opinion because he speaks to them as a peer, and not as a controlling authoritative figure. He does not patronize his audience or belittle their opinions, instead he inspires them to find their own voice. He emphasizes the importance of his audience’s role since they’re