The Simpson Amendments
Mar. 2nd, 2006 08:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
weaktwosA lot of people are posting about how terrible it is that only one in four americans came name the five freedoms guaranteed in the first amendment. This definitely isn't shocking, and I don't think it's necessarily a big deal.
First, of all everyone remembers entertainment more than less entertaining trivia, all things being equal. Second, the Simpson's comes on at least once a week, and it's likely available on various channels in syndication. Then there are the DVD sets. And it's been on television for what, at least thirteen years?
Unless you're watching a tv show that goes over constitutional rights on a weekly basis, I don't see how more people are going to remember what constitutional rights belong under which Amendment. Few of us need to specifically refer/apply knowledge of the constitution as part of their jobs on a daily basis, as well. My work day is about computers and their hardware and software failures.
I think I was made to memorize the bill of rights back when I was in the seventh grade. I had one American government class in high school and one government class college. Other than that, if I want to remember which rights are under what amendment it's up to me to go look it up, as well as any news articles where the issue came up. Frankly, if I was included in that survey, I probably wouldn't have been able to list all five rights. I would have been able to name more than one, though. And I read the news more than most but less than others.
Now, if the first amendment had a funny, raspy voice and three foot tall blue hair, I'd remember that.
And finally, as with most pertinent information, if you want to know it, you can look it up.
Of course, in a perfect world, we should remember the specifics of the Bill of Rights. Also, we as able bodies and mind should also be able to live within our financial means. However, we've all chosen to splurge on some things that put us in debt or strain us financially because we like to have fun and do what we enjoy more than what we should do. In a perfect world, we would stick to our workout schedules flawlessly because keeping fit is healthy for us, and would probably help drive down medical costs as a whole, ultimately making our health insurance cheaper because we would be healthier.
All of the above, an much much more, is a hell of a lot less fun than watching a Simpson's episode.
Mr. Groening, it's time for you to have Bart write the bill of rights on the chalk board at the beginning of every show.
First, of all everyone remembers entertainment more than less entertaining trivia, all things being equal. Second, the Simpson's comes on at least once a week, and it's likely available on various channels in syndication. Then there are the DVD sets. And it's been on television for what, at least thirteen years?
Unless you're watching a tv show that goes over constitutional rights on a weekly basis, I don't see how more people are going to remember what constitutional rights belong under which Amendment. Few of us need to specifically refer/apply knowledge of the constitution as part of their jobs on a daily basis, as well. My work day is about computers and their hardware and software failures.
I think I was made to memorize the bill of rights back when I was in the seventh grade. I had one American government class in high school and one government class college. Other than that, if I want to remember which rights are under what amendment it's up to me to go look it up, as well as any news articles where the issue came up. Frankly, if I was included in that survey, I probably wouldn't have been able to list all five rights. I would have been able to name more than one, though. And I read the news more than most but less than others.
Now, if the first amendment had a funny, raspy voice and three foot tall blue hair, I'd remember that.
And finally, as with most pertinent information, if you want to know it, you can look it up.
Of course, in a perfect world, we should remember the specifics of the Bill of Rights. Also, we as able bodies and mind should also be able to live within our financial means. However, we've all chosen to splurge on some things that put us in debt or strain us financially because we like to have fun and do what we enjoy more than what we should do. In a perfect world, we would stick to our workout schedules flawlessly because keeping fit is healthy for us, and would probably help drive down medical costs as a whole, ultimately making our health insurance cheaper because we would be healthier.
All of the above, an much much more, is a hell of a lot less fun than watching a Simpson's episode.
Mr. Groening, it's time for you to have Bart write the bill of rights on the chalk board at the beginning of every show.
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-02 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-02 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-02 04:35 pm (UTC)Mmmmmmmm....donuts!
Date: 2006-03-02 06:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-02 07:15 pm (UTC)but the first Amendment... Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion...
the freedom to assemble... the freedom to post grievances with the government...
These are the defining freedoms of America.
These are the things that make America great.
And when you combine the Simpsons fact with the other news from the country (such as many high school students not even seeing why the Fist Amendment is all that important!!) it just brings up fear of America heading for the Big Stupid