Summary Of Jacoby's Essay How Dumb Can We Get

In Susan Jacoby’s essay, “How Dumb Can We Get?” she questions why Americans are becoming less literate and what factors contribute to the lack of awareness in political and cultural issues (261). Jacoby deliberates on the severity of the national crisis presented because of the dullard, irrational citizens of society (262). University students mock their learning experiences by doing the bare minimum and still managing to obtain a college degree, Jacoby assures (260). Jacoby believes that education should not accommodate everyone in regards to simplicity nor convenience but rather students should rely more on reading to simplify their achievements (260). Public ignorance is what results from students disinterest in societal problems and lack of knowledge in basic subject matter, Jacoby depicts (262). National problems remain unresolved due to the dumbness resided in society; people’s inability to …show more content…
Jacoby reassures that the manifestation of ignorance hurts public policy discussions and the arrogance of these individuals are what is causing the erosion of general knowledge (265).
An important issue covered in Jacoby’s essay was the emphasis of politicians to report the latest news to voters that will help them attract attention. The main issue with how politicians micromanage their campaigns is that news reported to the public may not always be the most vital news people may need to hear. As they say, we are told what we need to know, but who grants them the right to decipher what they deem to be the most suitable information according to our needs. Public ignorance is to blame, if members of society knew what the subject matter were dealing with then officials would have no other alternative than to present us with political and cultural issues that everyone may part take in. Jacobson establishes an excellent point, “Not knowing a foreign language or the location