America for Dummies

Older Comments on America for Dummies

• Posted 10/13/10 by jenna
  this could have been a lot better than it was. It could have been more informative, tried to challenge kids to really start learning, learned more about the ignorance he exoeriences being middle eastern, etc. Instead, it was pretty generalized, like an in-class writing assignment versus a semester project. It didn't even really address any points that aren't over-used and stereotypical. In my opinion, I think it should be redone, because it is such an interesting concept, but he didn't seem like he really gave it his all. I'm sure it could be fantastic if more passion was put into it.
• Posted 08/06/10 by Lee Moy Slim
  It was a positive thing to see someone at the age of 17 observing the epidemic dumbing down of America.To me the situation is actually more that the 20%"Elite"or already well to do educated keep holding off the € Slave waged masses who are the hypnotized machine that provides for the elite.In a capitalist,materialistic society that's what you get.It's the rich's tried and proven formula.Most youth don't even become aware that they are already indoctrinated into the machine until they've got too much baggage to escape it.Also,even if you say "Well,look at so and so rapper X..he had nothing,never went to school,etc but he has zillions"" well rapper x is just part of the elite agenda to give out a little $$$$ here and there to keep the masses suckered and delusionaly craving.Some people wake up to it all after years of punching a time clock and their youth is all gone...they wonder what the heck was the purpose of their lives and all the media and political round and round garbage they bought into. Good little film.I hope some generation of youth wakes up enough and fights the power to break down this greedy,delusional system once and for all.Peace.
• Posted 05/13/10 by Spin Jones
  Our society is so ignorant it's pathetic. Ironically, we have more access to the best education than anywhere in the world and people come here from all over the planet to study yet we take even the free basic K-12 general education for granted. The voices in the doc were 100% correct. Most people really just want to know about what's going on in our back yard. Alot of us don't even know the names and functions of our city officials or state congressmen much less the government or anything outside our country's borders. Teens and young adults are more concerned about having the most friends, the most girlfriends, the most toys or the most money. Like the one kid said, if you even try to act like you're interested in anything more abstract than that, you get ridiculed. I used to be part of a carpool with my boss and a few other upper mgmt officials. The conversations were eye-opening. Few of them really knew much about real politics, foreign affairs or current events. They could tell you anything you wanted to know about American Idol, The Apprentice, college football or stock portfolios though. These were grown men in their 40s and 50s.
• Posted 05/13/10 by Spin Jones
  Our society is so ignorant it's pathetic. Ironically, we have more access to the best education than anywhere in the world and people come here from all over the planet to study yet we take even the free basic K-12 general education for granted. The voices in the doc were 100% correct. Most people really just want to know about what's going on in our back yard. Alot of us don't even know the names and functions of our city officials or state congressmen much less the government or anything outside our country's borders. Teens and young adults are more concerned about having the most friends, the most girlfriends, the most toys or the most money. Like the one kid said, if you even try to act like you're interested in anything more abstract than that, you get ridiculed. I used to be part of a carpool with my boss and a few other upper mgmt officials. The conversations were eye-opening. Few of them really knew much about real politics, foreign affairs or current events. They could tell you anything you wanted to know about American Idol, The Apprentice, college football or stock portfolios though. These were grown men in their 40s and 50s.
• Posted 02/09/10 by Michele Baker
  I have just started homeschooling my middle school daughter. I have been trying to find something to teach her in social studies. This doc. has inspire me to help her be one of those kids that care & does something about it.
• Posted 01/05/10 by Mark
  Very well done and presented. Sadly the previous comments only highlight the excellent point the short films addresses.
• Posted 12/22/09 by robert white
  does this guy kevin have a life or what!!!!! sounds like he plays soccer
• Posted 12/22/09 by robert white
  does this guy kevin have a life or what!!!!! sounds like he plays soccer
• Posted 12/14/09 by Kevin
  Did anyone miss the fact that this young man allowed the use of the N-Word and censored the F word...What social commentary is he making about our society...wow!!!!!!!!!
• Posted 11/08/09 by Ashley
  I would be curious if this is an isolated event or if the youth across the globe is as uninterested politically as the States. I rarely hear much out of the Europeans or Eastern Pacific generations. I hear a lot on the airways about the Iranian youth pushing the limits of the law with their protests, marches, and viral information act via the underground. Is that just because they are on the cusp of a revolution? I would venture to say that this is due in part to the older generations dying out. In a few more elections these "kids" that made all the fuss this time are going to come back ten fold, and they are going to be in an even better position to change the face of their government, especially if they raise their own children to be as active politically as they were rather than cushioning them from the harshness of the world. The majority of American youth do not know poverty, war, or oppression and the minority are all too aware of these very real situations. There is a definitely a change for the worst trickling down though. The recession is slowly waking everyone up. When the money runs out, and this generations is on its own because mommy and daddy can no longer cater to their every spoiled whim, then you'll see an increase in political activeness. Our generation has the potential to be smart, but we're too lazy to get anything done.
• Posted 10/26/09 by LibertyUSA
  Excellent documentary. Kris, Che Guevara is still a hero to the majority of Cubans, and too many in Latin America. He may not be to the Cubans in Miami, the majority of whom were on the side of the dictator Batista, and he may not be to those who have lost relatives fighting against the revolution in Cuba. But to the poorer members of Cuban society he is a hero. Most military men are heroic to some and killers/murderers to others. Take a look at some of the heroes of WWII and you will find that some have a dark side to their heroic deeds, as do some from current military engagments.
• Posted 08/23/09 by Kevin
  What is worst than our domestic ignorance is our unwaivering belief that "looking out for #1" and our current tattered foreign relations somehow will endure much longer. America lets wake the F up! We are borrowing money from China and Japan, we are in a ressesion, and have a GROWING national deficit we currently are making the INTEREST PAYMENTS ON! America will crumble at to its feet because we are too LAZY to do anything about it. The few who were intelligent enough to take advantage of us by offering us credit with 30% APRs will be on some island enjoying the fruits of our ignorance. Read the news, stay aware, go to your city halls, write to your congressperson... do something or perish doing nothing.
• Posted 08/06/09 by Oddi C
  I see two unnecessary posts, possibly made by the same person, both written in order to promote their own form of hate. It's a very interesting country when an active young man tries to make a political point but all he gets is flamed and demeaned.
• Posted 07/26/09 by Kris
  I am glad you are thinking in the right direction as a young adult. Keep it up, but please look into the history of the man on your t-shirt. He is not a hero.
• Posted 06/25/09 by jguzman
  Pretty good video. It's even more embarrassing when you ask adults the questions and get the same answers. I think the answer is that we are in the seventh stage of democracy " apathy to dependence" written about by Alexander Tyler. Also your asking kids and kids aren't smart, because they're kids. Seems to me by this video and your communist murderer shirt you've got a bone to pick with the US. Why don't you ask your parents why they chose to come to the US instead of Cuba.
• Posted 06/03/09 by Eddie Exford
  I enjoyed this film because it made me think of a topic I thought or maybe hoped was mute. The point was also made without making these young dumies look like real dumies.I first felt sad for them; I then got upset, but at who? The kids, the parents, the church, the school system, or all of them equally? Niaz showed The lack of political concern and lack luster information thirst or drive most of us think all young americans should have. Who's job is it to teach them, motivate them, inform them, and inspire them? Is inspiration an external thing or internal thing? I ask because they did seem to know who the so-called celebs were. Why are celebs more noticable than the Vice President? I'm hopeful that what we saw was only a small percentage of the total picture. Good job and keep going, your journey has just begun.Maybe your next one can help me answer a few questions...
• Posted 05/20/09 by Matt M
  One of the best, yet shortest student documentaries I've seen. You did a great job showing the ignorance and apathy of the youth. It's completely understandable that high school kids are apathetic towards school because public schools have become so standardized that grades, not critical thinking, is what is seen as intelligence. Once kids reach college, they will undoubtedly become more involved once they see that they cannot merely regurgitate the facts they have been taught throughout grade school. They will become critical thinkers, and as a result, they will begin to find what they are truly passionate about, and begin to incite some change in aspects of life. Once you reach college, you realize that you are masters of your own destinies and that if you continue your apathetic lifestyles, you will not make anything of yourself. You only have one life to life, so make it count, in whatever way you see fit.
• Posted 11/16/08 by Anon McNonimous
  Well done. The lack of consciousness goes deeper then we all know. Our educational system and society in general have been structured to suppress free thinking, while convincing us that we're the ultimate nation. "All good things come out of America!" .. yeah right. I encourage everyone to watch the Zeitgeist documentaries. Free yourself from mental slavery.
• Posted 09/01/08 by Ranjanpreet Nagra
  good work. When I came to the US in 2001, I experienced the same apathy and ignorance among Americans. It's a nice effort and a very well done film. I liked various opinions included in the film. your film proves that there is awareness among youth about global issues, which is a good sign.
• Posted 08/13/08 by 1BLACKZULU
  We here in America are lost in a ignoble society that has little or no intrest in other cultures, unless that culture can add on to the american pie. WAKE UP THE YOUTH, OR IS IT ALREADY TO LATE.