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Well, let's see. We've got reality television. We've got Britney Spears making the news every 30 seconds. We've got George W. Bush in the White House. And our idea of clever music is Carrie Underwood (or whoever the American Idol du jour is). Hmmm. All of these could make a solid argument for America being a "dumb" nation. I've even said it myself in casual conversation. But, the truth is, America isn't dumb-it's lazy.

This has happened to me more than once at work. Someone will complain about how terrible "Survivor" (or fill in the name of the "reality show" here) was last night. I'll say, "Then, why did you watch it?" The response, invariably, is, "There was nothing else on." Honestly, America. Have you never heard of the "off" button? Maybe, just maybe you could pick up a book?

At this point in time, there are at least six civil wars, with mass carnage, happening on the African continent. Right now. Today. And all the fluff magazines have to offer us is Britney Spears? Paris Hilton? I suppose one could argue that "U.S. News and World Report" doesn't do fluff. But what percentage of the population actually read that, as opposed to the percentage who read "Us," "People," and "The National Enquirer?"

We've got some bright people out there who do some amazing things. Denzel Washington just took some money out of his own pocket to help fund a hospital for vets coming home from Iraq. Does the mainstream media talk about it? Of course not. We, as a people, are too concerned with Britney's hair style. We choose to be blissfully ignorant.

Are Americans collectively dumb as a nation? No, unfortunately, we're worse. We are collectively slothful.

Learn more about this author, Paul Schingle.
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