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+---- Thread: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded (/showthread.php?tid=6325512)
You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Hackers - May 16, 2026
https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics
On average, 79% of U.S. adults nationwide are literate in 2024.
21% of adults in the US are illiterate in 2024.
54% of adults have a literacy below a 6th-grade level (20% are below 5th-grade level).
I think we should give this more attention. It's like a coin flip on whether a grown adult even has the ability to comprehend a basic sentence, let alone a paragraph or nuanced thought.
This is most likely responsible for a number of incorrect thoughts that are manipulated as "opinions", in an effort to hide the person's incompetence.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - CL1B - May 16, 2026
The worst thing about this is when you talk to them they get offended so easily while that was never your intention. These days if one gives me the impression there's a big gap intellect I simply disengage ASAP.
Especially common in Americans
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Edmond Dantes - May 16, 2026
Explains why americans often fall to some of the dumbest scams possible.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - jcole - May 16, 2026
This is actually insane. Technology was supposed to make the world smarter, but all it has done is make the world more dependent.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mercury - May 16, 2026
Have you ever seen the movie "Idiocracy"? We are genuinely witnessing the plot of that movie unfold in real time, in our society.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Hackers - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:11 AM)MarlboroMan Wrote: The worst thing about this is when you talk to them they get offended so easily while that was never your intention. These days if one gives me the impression there's a big gap intellect I simply disengage ASAP.
Especially common in Americans
100% yep, it's why I don't waste my time with certain topics anymore. You can't fix stupid.
Especially when the same demographic frequently aims to lower education funding & standards, worsening the problem.
(May 16, 2026 06:17 AM)Mercury Wrote: Have you ever seen the movie "Idiocracy"? We are genuinely witnessing the plot of that movie unfold in real time, in our society.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.
Eventually we'll need to stop pretending we are all equal in the voting booths. Some people are genuinely more valuable to a country than others, and we shouldn't allow certain topics to be voted on when more than half the population isn't able to even understand a fraction of it, let alone be trusted to vote on it.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Yakless - May 16, 2026
It is quite crazy. This website is a mess but I remember seeing this & talking to teachers that I personally know and it really is a mess.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/03/us-news/high-school-student-exposes-classmates-abysmal-reading-skills/
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mastercarder - May 16, 2026
People underestimate how dangerous low comprehension actually is. A lot of arguments online aren’t even disagreements anymore, it’s literally two people operating at completely different reading levels trying to debate complex topics.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mercury - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:41 AM)Mastercarder Wrote: People underestimate how dangerous low comprehension actually is. A lot of arguments online aren’t even disagreements anymore, it’s literally two people operating at completely different reading levels trying to debate complex topics.
This is factual. I've noticed that the younger generations (Specifically people below about 40) are significantly less mature than they were even as recently as the early 90's-00's too. Adults aren't even adults anymore.
Society is becoming so "dumbed down" and unsustainable, it's depressing really.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mastercarder - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:44 AM)Mercury Wrote: This is factual. I've noticed that the younger generations (Specifically people below about 40) are significantly less mature than they were even as recently as the early 90's-00's too. Adults aren't even adults anymore.
Society is becoming so "dumbed down" and unsustainable, it's depressing really.
Spot on. I agree with you also. I also don’t even think it’s just intelligence declining, it’s attention span and overstimulation too. People consume everything in 10 second clips now, so when they’re faced with nuance, statistics, or long-form discussion, they mentally check out halfway through or start going crazy.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Hackers - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:41 AM)Mastercarder Wrote: People underestimate how dangerous low comprehension actually is. A lot of arguments online aren’t even disagreements anymore, it’s literally two people operating at completely different reading levels trying to debate complex topics.
100%, been saying it for a while but the stats were outdated (lots of reports from 2004-5, 2015 era, but not as many for 2024-2026). Sad to see the stats are still very bad.
But yeah, it's like they're pointing at a blue sky and saying it's red, and then claiming that their viewpoint is equally valid. Like nah, they're just color blind & wrong.
I like the color example because to them, they are 100% accurate and it's what they are seeing and interpreting with their brain.
But that there is the problem.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mercury - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:46 AM)Mastercarder Wrote: Spot on. I agree with you also. I also don’t even think it’s just intelligence declining, it’s attention span and overstimulation too. People consume everything in 10 second clips now, so when they’re faced with nuance, statistics, or long-form discussion, they mentally check out halfway through or start going crazy.
Yeah, if something or someone doesn't provide an instant dopamine boost people are like zombies anymore.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Hackers - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:46 AM)Mastercarder Wrote: Spot on. I agree with you also. I also don’t even think it’s just intelligence declining, it’s attention span and overstimulation too. People consume everything in 10 second clips now, so when they’re faced with nuance, statistics, or long-form discussion, they mentally check out halfway through or start going crazy.
yeah... People even on HF get upset if you write more than a few sentences, calling 2-paragraph replies "essays". I've also noticed that some people can't listen to someone talk about a topic for a minute or two.
It's frustrating because so many topics require days and days of reading to understand them, and then you can't even give someone a 3 paragraph explanation, or 2 minute breakdown without them tuning out and sometimes arguing back because they saw a 20 second clip that they believe more strongly in.
See this all the time actually
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mastercarder - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:48 AM)Mercury Wrote: Yeah, if something or someone doesn't provide an instant dopamine boost people are like zombies anymore.
Correct.. also you know what worries me - 10 years down the line.. I wonder how bad it will be.
(May 16, 2026 06:49 AM)Hackers Wrote: yeah... People even on HF get upset if you write more than a few sentences, calling 2-paragraph replies "essays". I've also noticed that some people can't listen to someone talk about a topic for a minute or two.
It's frustrating because so many topics require days and days of reading to understand them, and then you can't even give someone a 3 paragraph explanation, or 2 minute breakdown without them tuning out and sometimes arguing back because they saw a 20 second clip that they believe more strongly in.
See this all the time actually
Exactly. People now confuse ‘I watched a short clip about it’ with actual understanding. Real understanding is slow, layered, and usually comes from reading conflicting viewpoints over time, not consuming algorithm-fed highlights. I will type "essays" over a half assed sentence or two any day.
RE: You're not crazy, more than half of adults are borderline retarded - Mercury - May 16, 2026
(May 16, 2026 06:52 AM)Mastercarder Wrote: Correct.. also you know what worries me - 10 years down the line.. I wonder how bad it will be.
I read this article the other day about how American school district test scores are lower almost everywhere compared to where they were 10 years ago and it really made me think about things. If the education system is failing, it will continue to fail. If the people currently pursuing higher education are going to school to become the next generation of teachers and they are currently performing poorly, won't they perform poorly at teaching the next generation of students? Sorry I know that a was messy way to describe it, but it's crazy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/upshot/test-scores-school-districts-us.html